Maryland vs. Temple

[tl413]

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Ok guys I know these threads get redundant and for that I am sorry. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into my two top schools,(Temple and Maryland). I have no idea where to go, and I am completely torn between the two.

Right now I am putting the money issue aside to just weigh out the positives and negative of each school.

Here are my primary questions....

Temple claims they have the best clinical exposure in the nation. If this is true how much better is it than Maryland clinical experience?

Do you get you own chair at each school?

Is there any difference in placement to specialty programs? For example, does own school get more students into specialty programs than the other.

Thanks in advance!

 

[blosss]

hey i posted this same type of question and no one wrote back under pre-dental but if you go into the dental forum you can search for my thread and see what people had to say. Also, I searched the forums for each school name. When I searched each school separately, I found alot of info from looking at people compare temple or maryland with other schools. personally, I think I'm picking temple because of the better clinical exposure. also, I was suprised to see how many negative things people had to say about maryland. good luck! maybe I'll see ya next year!

 

[tl413]

hey i posted this same type of question and no one wrote back under pre-dental but if you go into the dental forum you can search for my thread and see what people had to say. Also, I searched the forums for each school name. When I searched each school separately, I found alot of info from looking at people compare temple or maryland with other schools. personally, I think I'm picking temple because of the better clinical exposure. also, I was suprised to see how many negative things people had to say about maryland. good luck! maybe I'll see ya next year!

Thank you! What were some of the negatives if you can remember about Maryland?

 

[Plopper]

Thank you! What were some of the negatives if you can remember about Maryland?

ya i'd be interested too, i was accepted there but passed, it was a fantastic school and really impressed me, but was just too exspensive for me. i hadn't really heard any negatives...??

 

[tl413]

Can anyone answer those questions?

 

[Hawkeye7685]

I can't really give too much info because I only applied to one of the two schools and I'll obviously have a bias.

This is a great thread though that might give you a little bit of info until somebody else can get to you.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=401980

 

[blosss]

i saw people write that the focus on clinical experience is decreasing. one person said the fancy front they put up and the nice technology hides a lot of problems that you see once you're there. also i saw someone say that the school is so concerned with trying to be the most advanced school that they change the program rather than sticking to what works and the changes aren't always the best. if you want more info pm me because I copied some people's posts in a word document cause I wanted to show my sister. good luck!

 

[blosss]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=474872&highlight=maryland

this is one thread i found by just searching for threads about maryland. the info about temple in this is a little inaccurate b/c some of it was written before the new dean. i talked to one dental student at temple that said renovations are definitely already taking place and our class will have a renovated clinic and lecture halls 🙂

 

[Dent2011]

You guys are nuts about all the stuff you're talking about/trying to dig up at Maryland. Fact of the matter is, the school underwent a HUGE renovation and with that, comes changes (consider this when you are applying to a school that is in the middle of a renovation). A lot of these negative posts came from students who had to switch from an old building, to a new one, and with that, came a new change in thought. We have absolutely no problems getting patients and fulfilling requirements so long as you're willing to actually come in to school and do your work (I know, it's a shocking concept). Maryland strives to have students learn to treatment plan through COMPREHENSIVE CARE. This means not itemizing a patient in terms of X number of root canals or bridges you can get from them (for those of you lacking a moral compass, this will make you a better practitioner). As far as the "5 empty floors" in the building, they're actually filled with world-renowned faculty and researchers, who, by the way, receive the third most funding from NIH.

I know this seems impossible to comprehend as a pre-dent, but every school has their problems. A school that tells you differently is simply lying to you. What I can tell you about my experience at Maryland is that its way more than attending classes in a pretty building. Our technology actually means something. We have all our lectures recorded, every lecture on powerpoint, Sim labs that play videos of the laboratory skill you need to perfect, and also have software in the preclinic that is EXACTLY as you have in clinic (Axium/Romexis). We have patient care coordinators that assign us patients (you don't have to go out and find them) and can schedule patients through the same software you use in preclinic (did I mention you can also schedule with your preferred faculty at the time that works for both you and the patient). These are the important aspects of your dental education that you don't even think about when you're applying, but prevent the headaches that many other schools have.

As far as the city of Baltimore goes, I implore you to turn off your tivo'ed episode of the Wire and actually check out the city on your visit. Areas like Fells Point, Canton and Federal Hill are filled with 20 somethings. Beyond that, Baltimore is a major city—no different than any other.

Sorry for the rant but I encourage all of you who have your doubts to come down and check out the school as part of a second visit. The admissions office often plans a day for students who choose to do so and perhaps you'll look at Maryland with a set of clear, informed eyes.