Just finished 2nd year, AMA!

[Combine33]

Hey there young ones! I just finished DS2 and am open to any questions you guys have regarding dental school. Post below!

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[jayyyohwins]

Hey there young ones! I just finished DS2 and am open to any questions you guys have regarding dental school. Post below!

Lol starting first year...tell me what's the best way to consistently stay on top of everything when there's so much to cover any given day. Getting really anxious.

 

[Combine33]

Lol starting first year...tell me what's the best way to consistently stay on top of everything when there's so much to cover any given day. Getting really anxious.

I look at it as "take it one test at a time." Focus on doing the best you can do for that particular week of exams and move on. If you do well that week, great! Keep it up! If an exam didn't go well for you, its not the end of the world, and it will be the first of many. I took a lot of comfort in the fact that everyone in your class is in the same boat as you, all of you will have your ups and downs. One thing I will suggest is time management. Know when to put in effort and when not to and move on. I can't tell you what classes to do that for at your school, but you'll figure it out pretty quickly. Good luck!

 

[super frank]

Are you planning on specializing?

 

[confidentandgood]

1. I realize that the specific answer is different for everyone, but personally, do you have enough time to devote to hobbies, relaxing, exercise, etc. as a dental student?
2. How do most dental students spend summer/winter breaks?

 

[Combine33]

Are you planning on specializing?

Not at the moment, I've been in school for a long time and decided that this is the end for me. But that being said, I still do the best I can and still hold myself to high standards grade wise.

 

[Combine33]

1. I realize that the specific answer is different for everyone, but personally, do you have enough time to devote to hobbies, relaxing, exercise, etc. as a dental student?
2. How do most dental students spend summer/winter breaks?

1. Oh yea! Having you time is probably the most important thing to keep straight in dental school. I go out on a regular basis, I go to the gym, I love going to the movies, and I take advantage of all the free time I can get a hand on. Its super important to do you, it's not all just studying and practice.

2. We get as far away as humanly possible.

 

[DentalNucleicAcid]

Are you worried about back pains? Not only do we have to spend years of sitting upright in a chair to study night in and night out, but we'll be hunched over patients for the rest of our lives. I know in dental school they probably teach you correct posture, but that can only go so far. What do you think about this? I'm particularly worried about this because I can feel my lower back getting a little sore sometimes after hours of studying, and if it's like this right now when I'm barely in my twenties, what will it be like when I'm older..

 

[kholley25]

1. Oh yea! Having you time is probably the most important thing to keep straight in dental school. I go out on a regular basis, I go to the gym, I love going to the movies, and I take advantage of all the free time I can get a hand on. Its super important to do you, it's not all just studying and practice.

2. We get as far away as humanly possible.

Are you not on a trimester schedule?

 

[Combine33]

Are you not on a trimester schedule?

No, we do fall and spring. We are required to do a selective in the summer, but that can range from a short week to boards self study. Other selective available to rising juniors would be a 2 week boost to introduce you to clinic or oral surgery but it is not required.

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

How are the relationships between dental students? I have heard in some schools that students will rotate recording lectures and providing to their classmates, typing up notes, etc.
Also what have you found is the most effective way to take notes in class? Printed off slides, laptop, tablet, etc. I use printed off lecture slides during undergrad, but I feel like dental school might have too much material for that to work well.

 

[Combine33]

How are the relationships between dental students? I have heard in some schools that students will rotate recording lectures and providing to their classmates, typing up notes, etc.
Also what have you found is the most effective way to take notes in class? Printed off slides, laptop, tablet, etc. I use printed off lecture slides during undergrad, but I feel like dental school might have too much material for that to work well.

Overall we are cool w each other, but we do have squads within. There will obviously be people that wont interact with you unless they have to, but as long as you have your clique you wont really care. All of our lectures are recorded so we dont have to do that and we usually just get what we need off the upperclassmen.

As for notes, I download the powerpoint and take notes under the particular slide that is being lectured on. For notes that I have separately, I print them but not the ppts. So when I have an exam coming up, I'll put a folder on my desktop labeled the exam, within it I'll put the relevant ppts, notes, anything that I'll want to look at. That keeps me organized and on the desk will be notes printed if I really really want to memorize. Buy a laser printer, a cheep Brother one. Best study aid 100%.

 

[Combine33]

whats it like transitioning from college to dental school? how long did it take you to adapt to the workload? Do you have time for anything else social life wise, thanks in advance !

Its a pretty big gap between UG and dental. I got used to it pretty quick but it wasnt easy. I came from living at home to pro school where I had to not only balance school but also cooking, cleaning, and basically learning how to live by myself. But you def get used to it faster than you think you will, they wouldnt accept you if they didnt think you could adapt.

Theres a lot of time to enjoy yourself! I go to the movies, hang out w my peeps, go to the gym, go on vacation, sometimes I'll even go out of town for the weekend. You have to learn how to manage your time correctly and yea you'll be busy but if you dont make time for yourself you'll go nuts.

You'll be fine, trust yourself and enjoy yourself!

 

[Rand627]

Its a pretty big gap between UG and dental. I got used to it pretty quick but it wasnt easy. I came from living at home to pro school where I had to not only balance school but also cooking, cleaning, and basically learning how to live by myself. But you def get used to it faster than you think you will, they wouldnt accept you if they didnt think you could adapt.

Theres a lot of time to enjoy yourself! I go to the movies, hang out w my peeps, go to the gym, go on vacation, sometimes I'll even go out of town for the weekend. You have to learn how to manage your time correctly and yea you'll be busy but if you dont make time for yourself you'll go nuts.

You'll be fine, trust yourself and enjoy yourself!

I like this guy. Most people are all doom and gloom about dental school and its workload, it's nice to hear some positives for a change.

Thanks for talking with us pre-dents!

 

[Combine33]

I like this guy. Most people are all doom and gloom about dental school and its workload, it's nice to hear some positives for a change.

Thanks for talking with us pre-dents!

My pleasure! Dental school is very doable, with plenty of you time if managed properly. Being admitted to professional school comes with the assumption that you can adapt to the rigors of the program. If you can adapt and manage your time, you'll be okay.

A lot of people complain or make the number of students remediating a big deal. To me, they're looking at it the wrong way: at our school we lost 6 people to dropping out, dismissed, or repeating the year since my class started. A 94% chance of passing and moving on is a pretty good statistic to me! If the lotto had a 94% win rate for the big bucks I'll play every day!

 

[tooth knockn]

My pleasure! Dental school is very doable, with plenty of you time if managed properly. Being admitted to professional school comes with the assumption that you can adapt to the rigors of the program. If you can adapt and manage your time, you'll be okay.

A lot of people complain or make the number of students remediating a big deal. To me, they're looking at it the wrong way: at our school we lost 6 people to dropping out, dismissed, or repeating the year since my class started. A 94% chance of passing and moving on is a pretty good statistic to me! If the lotto had a 94% win rate for the big bucks I'll play every day!

which school are you repn?