Med to Dent

[Weapon]

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Hi everyone!

So I'm at a huge fork-in-the-road in my life. I took the MCAT, got a 30Q and applied to med school last month and have yet to submit a secondary. Why? Because I was "forced" to shadow a dentist last week and I absolutely loved it! The man genuinely cared about every single patient that he saw and got to spend a decent amount of time with them.

I've been a medical assistant for about 13 months so far and the most I've ever seen a doctor interact with a patient was around 3 minutes. I became one to learn more about medicine and further solidify my choice in becoming a doctor but it seems that it just did the opposite.

So I'm thinking of withdrawing my app to med school soon and going dent. Of course, I'm going to do more shadowing this week to be more sure but if I do, will it hurt my chances of admission to dental school? I mean, according to the AAMC, applicants with my stats have something like an 86% chance of acceptance so its not a matter of me getting into med school (DO and Carrib are also options so thats def not it.) I just feel that I'm genuinely not interested in becoming a physician anymore.

Anyone have advice for me?

 

[XZeRO]

don't withdraw your app to med school. Shadow more of both professions. If you do end up getting in at med, make your decision then. It's a little premature to quit your med app now. This way it gives you time to write the DAT

 

[lmaozedong1]

What? Dude, keep your medical apps in and just MAKE SURE that dentistry is what you REALLY want to do. Think about it for awhile.

 

[Weapon]

I was going to keep them until I decided anyway. I guess what I really wanted to know was that would it hurt me when I write on the dental app that I applied to med school before then withdrew? They do ask that question, correct?

 

[rippinitez]

I was going to keep them until I decided anyway. I guess what I really wanted to know was that would it hurt me when I write on the dental app that I applied to med school before then withdrew? They do ask that question, correct?

Yes it is a question they ask during the application process as well as interviews.

 

[dentalWorks]

I suggest you keep your medical school option open. Go to the interviews and see what happens. Even if you get accepted to a med school, its not like you have to start right away, you got till next summer to start, more than enough time for you to look more closely at D-schools and decide for sure if you want to switch.

So for the time being, continue with your medical route, but do a little more shadowing, I estimate you don't need more than 20-30 hours on top of what you already have. If by the end of this year / early next year, you REALLY like dentistry, you can start preparing for the DAT (irrespective if you got accepted into a med school or not) and taking it before June of 2011.

Good luck to ya

 

[Weapon]

Cool. Thanks for the advice, dentalworks. Are the stickies at the top of this forum sufficient for learning about the profession or would you recommend other sources?

 

[hausee]

Just out of curiosity, do you see any dent->med post in premed section?🙂

 

[doc toothache]

Now here's a person who doesn't get easily distracted.

 

[Weapon]

@hausee lol, prob not.

@doc toothache I'm finding more and more that I really don't like the thought of becoming a physician and I never really gave dent a shot before thinking they were just med school rejects (I was young and naive). Just because I'm curious about a similar profession doesn't mean I'm easily distracted. I'm not jumping ship until I've thoroughly researched it and I'm 100% committed.

 

[AmpedUp]

@hausee lol, prob not.

@doc toothache I'm finding more and more that I really don't like the thought of becoming a physician and I never really gave dent a shot before thinking they were just med school rejects (I was young and naive). Just because I'm curious about a similar profession doesn't mean I'm easily distracted. I'm not jumping ship until I've thoroughly researched it and I'm 100% committed.

lol probably influenced by the media...

i explored all options as well, but dentistry seemed more appealing than the health fields i've explored through shadowing (pharmacy and medicine). had a shot at med school but didn't apply and got into pharmacy school (and declined - too young/immature and was somewhat undecided).

in my opinion, if you're 100% sure dentistry is for you (through shadowing, etc), then withdraw the app....however, from what i've read in your post, it seems like you have some more research to do before jumping ship. the wise thing to do is to not withdraw yet...and while that is going on, shadow dentists and prepare for the DAT. once that is secure, then withdraw.

good luck!

 

[Weapon]

Thanks, AmpedUP! Good advice.

 

[yappy]

You should also shadow more physicians... not all doctors are as rush rush as the one you MA for maybe? Sounds like you've meet a pretty good dentist too. Some advice I heard and liked alot was make sure you base your decision based off the profession and not the person who inspires you.

 

[Weapon]

Yappy, I actually MA at a busy clinic with about 10 docs from different specialties. I do admit, the general practioners(FP, Peds, OB/GYN) take more time with the patients and the rush is more with the specialists. The problem is that I'm not interested in doing family med, peds or OB.

My plan is to shadow for another three months and by January if I'm sure dentistry is for me then I'm going to withdraw, study hard for the DAT and take it in late Feb. Good plan?

 

[dentalWorks]

Cool. Thanks for the advice, dentalworks. Are the stickies at the top of this forum sufficient for learning about the profession or would you recommend other sources?

when I said research, I don't mean reading articles and figuring out what you want to do.... I meant like "soul searching"..... this is going to be a decision that could haunt you for the rest of your life if you make the wrong one.

but honestly, both dentistry and medicine are great fields, I just don't see anyone making the "wrong" decision in going to either field..... Maybe a person has more passion for one than the other, but theyr both amazing fields.

Just take it easy, enjoy your med interviews, and see what happens by the end of this year / early next year. You have to consider that.... maybe your thinking of jumping ship because you "subconsciously" feel you won't get into med school..... maybe your feeling that way and you don't even know it? Just some food for thought

 

[hoylematt]

Does anyone else have this weird resentment for people that change from Medical to Dental. I just can't put my finger on it. Perhaps its from talking to all the students at my undergrad school that were pre-med and you tell them that you are pre-dental and they kind of give you this little scoff. They are the kind of people that say stuff like:

The MCAT is similar to the DAT, but harder overall.

The Volunteer hours and E.C.'s required for medical school are similar to dental school, but longer and more involving overall.

I have to have close to a 4.0 or else I can't get into medicine--B's are fine for you pre-dent, they have a lower standard.

And my favorite of all, "You know that dentists are not really doctors right? I'm just messing!" (Thanks a lot--Hangover movie)

 

[Weapon]

@ dental works Thanks. I'll be doing some soul searching over the next few months.

@hoylematt I would agree with you about the resentment thing but only for people that are switching to dental as a Plan-B. Which isn't the case with me.

 

[duycuonggg]

Like everyone else is saying. Take your time to explore the profession. Try shadowing different dentists in different kind of areas. D-Schools want to know that you explored the profession thoroughly and thought hard about choosing dentistry. I believe that they would look poorly on applicants that changed their mind in a week or two so give it time. Good Luck!

 

[dentalWorks]

Does anyone else have this weird resentment for people that change from Medical to Dental. I just can't put my finger on it. Perhaps its from talking to all the students at my undergrad school that were pre-med and you tell them that you are pre-dental and they kind of give you this little scoff. They are the kind of people that say stuff like:

The MCAT is similar to the DAT, but harder overall.

The Volunteer hours and E.C.'s required for medical school are similar to dental school, but longer and more involving overall.

I have to have close to a 4.0 or else I can't get into medicine--B's are fine for you pre-dent, they have a lower standard.

And my favorite of all, "You know that dentists are not really doctors right? I'm just messing!" (Thanks a lot--Hangover movie)

about a year and a half ago or so... when I told my pre-med friends I was switching to pre-dent (I was initially pre-med).... the first response I got was "ewww"...... lmao !!

It was so funny that I just didn't bother defending myself. I just went ahead and agreed with everything negative said about dentistry "yes its easier than med school..... yes I can't handle med school which is why im doing dental..... yes its not as prestige..... and yes medical folks get more social acceptance than oral-mechanics".

I honestly don't care if medicine is "better" than dentistry, to me, I like dentistry more, period.

 

[theskibumjohnso]

Why would you bust your but for 4 years of med school, then a crappy residency, getting in debt hundreds of thousands, to work for 80 + hours a week, have an insurance company telling you how much you can make and never have any free play time when....
You could bust your but for four years and start out making over $100,000 a year working 4 days a week, or you could specialize and make over $300,000 a year.
I my opinion not a hard choice, actually if you don't go to dental school there is less competition and therefore more money for me, so I take it all back, I think med school is definitely the place for you, you should be a doctor, you owe it to yourself.

 

[DrBowtie]

Why would you bust your but for 4 years of med school, then a crappy residency, getting in debt hundreds of thousands, to work for 80 + hours a week, have an insurance company telling you how much you can make and never have any free play time when....
You could bust your but for four years and start out making over $100,000 a year working 4 days a week, or you could specialize and make over $300,000 a year.
I my opinion not a hard choice, actually if you don't go to dental school there is less competition and therefore more money for me, so I take it all back, I think med school is definitely the place for you, you should be a doctor, you owe it to yourself.

I was unaware that dental school was free. 🙄

 

[yappy]

Well.. medicine isn't as bad as your making it seem skib... alot of doctors who become specialists make more than many dentists... even though the insurance is "telling you how much you can make".

Check out some orthopedic jobs... that seems like a sweet speciality.

 

[theskibumjohnso]

I was unaware that dental school was free. 🙄

Out of the entire quote, you can only say this? I guess it is family medicine or phycology for you. You must be one shinning knife in a drawer full of dull, lusterless blades or the only person with a full load of bricks. When or if you graduate med school, will you give us a heads up where your planning on putting out your shingle. That would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[armorshell]

Well.. medicine isn't as bad as your making it seem skib... alot of doctors who become specialists make more than many dentists... even though the insurance is "telling you how much you can make".

Check out some orthopedic jobs... that seems like a sweet speciality.

Yeah, but then factor in a 55-65 hour work week (literally 2x what basically any dentist who's not currently a resident works), high malpractice premiums (my malpractice is $15 a month), increased training time (5-6 years of intense, 80 work week orthopedic residency vs 2-3 years of 40 hour work week dental residency, except the one exception OMFS), greatly increased potential for litigation and it doesn't really seem to be so great, even if the "salary" is higher.

Who cares about salary? It's all about lifestyle. All the polling shows once people make enough money to not have to worry about day to day financial worries (~$75,000 for the average american) happiness doesn't increase as you increase salary.

 

[dentalWorks]

Yeah, but then factor in a 60-70 hours work week quite (literally 2x what basically any dentist who's not a resident works), high malpractice premiums (my malpractice is $15 a month), increased training time (5-6 years of intense, 80 work week orthopedic residency vs 2-3 years of 40 hour work week dental residency, except the one exception OMFS), greatly increased potential for litigation and it doesn't really seem to be so great, even if the "salary" is higher.

Who cares about salary? It's all about lifestyle. All the polling shows once people make enough money to not have to worry about day to day financial worries (~$75,000 for the average american) happiness doesn't increase as you increase salary.

armorshell... the more I read your posts... the more I feel you have a greater interest in dentistry than medicine 🙂

perhaps after you finish your med school... you can join our "better" profession 😀

 

[DrBowtie]

Out of the entire quote, you can only say this? I guess it is family medicine or phycology for you. You must be one shinning knife in a drawer full of dull, lusterless blades or the only person with a full load of bricks. When or if you graduate med school, will you give us a heads up where your planning on putting out your shingle. That would be much appreciated. Thanks

LOL so much hate. Your post was so biased that it wasn't true anymore. Have fun studying for the DAT.

The debt comparison is moot, unless you want to talk about the interest that accumulates during residency (IF you defer completely), and IF the dentist doesn't specialize.

 

[armorshell]

armorshell... the more I read your posts... the more I feel you have a greater interest in dentistry than medicine 🙂

perhaps after you finish your med school... you can join our "better" profession 😀

I am already a dentist.

 

[dentalWorks]

I am already a dentist.

and now your in med school? oh wow, Whats the reason for the double degree if you don't mind me asking?

 

[txlonghorn]

He is going the 6 year route for OMFS.

 

[dentalWorks]

He is going the 6 year route for OMFS.

ohhhh, that explains it.... I was actually going to ask why he didn't just go for the 6 year OMFS deal haha.

armorshell, have you done the USMLE-1 yet? and if yes, how was it? I hear its a much harder exam than NBDE-1

 

[armorshell]

ohhhh, that explains it.... I was actually going to ask why he didn't just go for the 6 year OMFS deal haha.

armorshell, have you done the USMLE-1 yet? and if yes, how was it? I hear its a much harder exam than NBDE-1

No, my program has us do 2nd year med school so I take it at the end of the year.