Do you think it's better to go to school in the area you want to end up practicing? For example, I want to practice in my home state and I've been told it'd be good to attend my state school to make "connections". I'm so confused because I've also been accepted into Harvard and people say to go there to make "connections". What's your input? Thank you!
Making Connections
- Thread starter jgdg
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In your case pick your state school if you want to be a GP and it is less expensive than Harvard. I would not worry too much about connections. That may be how it was way back when but it is not how it is today.
If you want to guarantee specialty then go to Harvard. It is that simple. I'm not saying you won't be able to specialize if you go to your state school but you will have to work harder and it will not be guaranteed.
If you want to guarantee specialty then go to Harvard. It is that simple. I'm not saying you won't be able to specialize if you go to your state school but you will have to work harder and it will not be guaranteed.
Bump. How important do you think being close to your entire class is? Part of me thinks it may make an impact, but another part of me thinks after years of residency (or even a few years out of school), these connections won't mean much. Thoughts?
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If you are good enough to get into Harvard, you can specialize regardless of where you go to dental school (unless you have absolutely no hand skills).
Go to Harvard if that Ivy League degree means a lot to you. Otherwise go to your state school. Boston is also expensive as hell.
Go to Harvard if that Ivy League degree means a lot to you. Otherwise go to your state school. Boston is also expensive as hell.
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It helps while in school for sure, if for no other reason than the social impact sometimes of a group of people going through the same, often challenging experience together and being able to talk to/empathize with each other about it.
After you graduate and are in practice (post residency or not) the reality is, just like with one's high school or college friends, there are some whom you will remain friends with, there are others whom you may occasionally see at some reunion or glance at the FB/ Instagram feeds every so often to loosely see what they're up to, and there are many whom you may never see and/or hear from again after graduation day.
Out of my dental school class of 40, and aside from my classmate who I married, there are 2 of my classmates with whom I regularly talk with and/or get together with (and we DON'T practice in the same town/area or even state) and then about 10 or so whom I occasionally communicate with via social media. The reality is, that aside from the few "real" friends you'll likely make in school, the rest really don't factor much into your life post school...
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Very important. Many of my and my wife’s referring GPs went to the same dental schools with us. The OS, whom I currently refer all my patients to, was my dental school roommate and classmate. Working at several dental chain offices has given me the opportunities to meet many of the GPs, who attended the same dental school with me, again. When they quit their jobs at the chains to start their own offices, I visited them and gave them my referral cards.
Another advantage of attending a state school or local private school is you can ask your friends and relatives to be your patients for graduation requirements and for the state board exam.
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