Med (DO) or Dental School

[DrHoosier]

I have changed my mind numerous times about what I want to do after I graduate next year (first med, then dental, then neither, etc.). In the past year I slacked off and kind of just assumed I couldn't get into either profession. But I have recently figured out that I can feasibly get my GPA up from a 3.0 to a 3.4 by the time I graduate next spring.

My question is, which would I have a better shot at getting into with a GPA of 3.3-3.4? I have extensive volunteer experience (clinical AND non), leadership positions, and some shadowing. I think if I get my GPA up by next spring that I would be a competitive applicant for either a DO school or dental school, and I could easily picture myself doing either one as a career. I just want to know what my best chances are with each route!

Thanks!

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[TheToothsayer]

They're two different professions. It seems you understand this. If you started out med then end med. Dental schools care about dental volunteering and dental shadowing. Unless you have done this, I would be careful.

Your GPA isn't stellar for either. Your test score will count.

To be honest, if your question is "what is my best shot" I suggest you re-think things. What do you want to practice? medicine or dentistry?

 

[timwatley]

You're approaching it wrong. What profession would you enjoy the most and be passionate about? Going for whatever you can get into will ultimately leave you unhappy and unsatisfied when you get older. Each profession has its share of lower tier applicants that get in. Those applicants are very committed to the profession though and it shows on their application. Do some searching deep down, find the answer, then pursue it.

 

[goffdent]

Like he already said, they are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I understand that you may be somewhat interested in both, but if you're deciding on which one by which is easier to get into, then you obviously don't have passion for even one of them. If you go into denstistry, you have to have some passion and genuine interest in it from the get-go. Otherwise you're going to be miserable. I know from experience. But I have the passion, and the good times outweigh the bad ones at the end of the day.

side note: the only thing more frustrating is someone asking: Dental school or Law school? which should I do? Let's compare apples to oran... wait no.. spaghetti...

 

[DocHolliday1982]

I have changed my mind numerous times about what I want to do after I graduate next year (first med, then dental, then neither, etc.). In the past year I slacked off and kind of just assumed I couldn't get into either profession. But I have recently figured out that I can feasibly get my GPA up from a 3.0 to a 3.4 by the time I graduate next spring.

My question is, which would I have a better shot at getting into with a GPA of 3.3-3.4? I have extensive volunteer experience (clinical AND non), leadership positions, and some shadowing. I think if I get my GPA up by next spring that I would be a competitive applicant for either a DO school or dental school, and I could easily picture myself doing either one as a career. I just want to know what my best chances are with each route!

Thanks!

As someone who made the switch from pre-med to pre-dent successfully I would highly recommend shadowing both professions as extensively as possible this summer and go after the one you find yourself MOST passionate for. I found that after shadowing a General Surgeon, Radiologist, Family/Sports Medicine Physician, Two General Dentists, and an Oral Surgeon that I MUCH preferred dentistry. In fact I found that anything other than Dentistry would have been a SEVERE let down to me. Not everyone is the same, but that would be the IDEAL attitude to have towards your chosen profession IMO. Best of luck.

P.S. I cannot overstate how important shadowing is, not just to strengthen your application but so you really can get a feel for what you are working towards and if it is the right fit for you

 

[libraryismyhome]

Though medicine and dentistry are different, to pre-health students who have not gone through school and treated a single patient before, both professions basically look similar no matter how much shadowing you do.

Here is my logic.

ROAD > Dental Specialties = Rest of Medical Specialties > General Dentistry > Primary Care

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

Though medicine and dentistry are different, to pre-health students who have not gone through school and treated a single patient before, both professions basically look similar no matter how much shadowing you do.

Here is my logic.

ROAD > Dental Specialties = Rest of Medical Specialties > General Dentistry > Primary Care

The problem is that kids in college have no idea if they're going to make it to a ROAD residency or dental specialty. Everyone goes to med school and dental school thinking they're going to do something awesome. Your perspective changes alot once you actually go through it.

Its better if they just decide if they want to be a doctor or dentist first and go from there.

 

[goffdent]

The problem is that kids in college have no idea if they're going to make it to a ROAD residency or dental specialty. Everyone goes to med school and dental school thinking they're going to do something awesome. Your perspective changes alot once you actually go through it.

Its better if they just decide if they want to be a doctor or dentist first and go from there.

That's Right.. you may be gung-ho now, but after 2 years (or year for that matter) many of your classmates will say "hell with it" as long as I pass, that's all I care. You get sick of being there/ burnt out, and just want to graduate. a lot of the residents at my school are returning dentists, not fresh dentists who just graduated.

 

[dentalWorks]

I have changed my mind numerous times about what I want to do after I graduate next year (first med, then dental, then neither, etc.). In the past year I slacked off and kind of just assumed I couldn't get into either profession. But I have recently figured out that I can feasibly get my GPA up from a 3.0 to a 3.4 by the time I graduate next spring.

My question is, which would I have a better shot at getting into with a GPA of 3.3-3.4? I have extensive volunteer experience (clinical AND non), leadership positions, and some shadowing. I think if I get my GPA up by next spring that I would be a competitive applicant for either a DO school or dental school, and I could easily picture myself doing either one as a career. I just want to know what my best chances are with each route!

Thanks!

with 3.3-3.4, you can get into either DO and even MD (assuming a nice MCAT score ~ above 34+ IMO), ofc same applies to dental schools.

Ultimately, its an easy question with a very difficult decision... do you want to be a doctor or a dentist?

 

[UltimateHombre]

ROAD > Dental Specialties = Rest of Medical Specialties > General Dentistry > Primary Care

Not sure what you are basing this off of... i mean, besides OMS, the dental specialties are not really too much different than general dentistry.

The reason that the ROAD specialties are so popular and competitive, is because the lifestyle they offer. Regular schedule, not much call, etc. Essentially they offer the same type of lifestyle as dentistry.

As some one else said on here earlier, you have to assume that you will be going into either general dentistry or primary care in either field. To enter either with 100% aspirations of specializing is foolish.