Midwestern university

[ucla2134]

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so i have a date with Midwestern in Sept😛
and i really want to know more about this school like curriculum, system based learning, teacher/students interaction and vice versa.

Help me out!
Thanks in advance

 

[Oracle DMD]

so i have a date with Midwestern in Sept😛
and i really want to know more about this school like curriculum, system based learning, teacher/students interaction and vice versa.

Help me out!
Thanks in advance

OK where to begin...

1. MWU's system based learning is where you take all of your classes at the same time so you don't have to draw on important information that you learned a year ago for understanding now. For example, you don't have biochem, physio, and micro this quarter, and then path, anatomy, and histo next quarter. you have them all at the same time for 1 system. so for 2-4 weeks you will take micro, anatomy, physio, path, biochem, histo, etc. etc. for the circulatory system. then you will take all of those classes for another couple weeks for the endocrine system. This helps you see the body's system and how it works together with a more unified approach.

2. MWU has a very high student:faculty ratio around 5:1. In your sim labs you never need to stuggle to find help because there are 2 faculty for every row of 10 students.

3. You don't take classes with med students and this is to your advantage. They have different boards than us so we are each taught with regards to our boards. Having both classes together is like the soccer team practicing with the football team....both are athletes that run around on a field but they are completely different jobs.

4. Pt pool. Our clinic is almost done being built. phone calls have been coming in everyday for the past 2 years with people trying to schedule appointments. ASDOH has a satallite clinic with 9 or so chairs about 1 mile from our school and they are booked out like no other. they understand the need in the area and from the docs that work there that i've spoken with, the need for care is very great here. we wont see pts until 3rd year where you will almost be exclusively be in the clinic except a couple of scattered classes in the week.

5. our clinic will have 240 or so chairs. in your 3rd year you share with a friend of your choice, and in your 4th year you get your own chair and go out on rotation. the clinic will have all of the bells and whistles you can think of....cerac, E4D, lasers, digital everything, you name it.

anything else you'd like to know? i hope this helps! good luck on the interview!

 

[never giveup]

Great Post Oracle DMD! Thanks for all of the great info!

 

[Emmie]

Oracle: What are the downside of the program? thx!

 

[Oracle DMD]

Oracle: What are the downside of the program? thx!

there's not a whole lot of downside to dental school period. hahaha the summer is hot, but october-may is really really nice. year 1 is almost all academic but its good to get that out of the way so you can focus on dentistry for the next 3 years. if schools tell you that you'll be cutting crowns on day one....really they mean you will be destorying plastic teeth for fun on day 1 hahaha.

its expensive i guess? i figure thats a "downside" but if you dont get into your instate school, then there's not too much of a difference.

 

[ucla2134]

OK where to begin...

1. MWU's system based learning is where you take all of your classes at the same time so you don't have to draw on important information that you learned a year ago for understanding now. For example, you don't have biochem, physio, and micro this quarter, and then path, anatomy, and histo next quarter. you have them all at the same time for 1 system. so for 2-4 weeks you will take micro, anatomy, physio, path, biochem, histo, etc. etc. for the circulatory system. then you will take all of those classes for another couple weeks for the endocrine system. This helps you see the body's system and how it works together with a more unified approach.

2. MWU has a very high student:faculty ratio around 5:1. In your sim labs you never need to stuggle to find help because there are 2 faculty for every row of 10 students.

3. You don't take classes with med students and this is to your advantage. They have different boards than us so we are each taught with regards to our boards. Having both classes together is like the soccer team practicing with the football team....both are athletes that run around on a field but they are completely different jobs.

4. Pt pool. Our clinic is almost done being built. phone calls have been coming in everyday for the past 2 years with people trying to schedule appointments. ASDOH has a satallite clinic with 9 or so chairs about 1 mile from our school and they are booked out like no other. they understand the need in the area and from the docs that work there that i've spoken with, the need for care is very great here. we wont see pts until 3rd year where you will almost be exclusively be in the clinic except a couple of scattered classes in the week.

5. our clinic will have 240 or so chairs. in your 3rd year you share with a friend of your choice, and in your 4th year you get your own chair and go out on rotation. the clinic will have all of the bells and whistles you can think of....cerac, E4D, lasers, digital everything, you name it.

anything else you'd like to know? i hope this helps! good luck on the interview!

Thank you so much, Oracle 👍. Hopefully see you there in Sept 😀

 

[xhamburgersamx]

OK where to begin...

5. our clinic will have 240 or so chairs. in your 3rd year you share with a friend of your choice, and in your 4th year you get your own chair and go out on rotation. the clinic will have all of the bells and whistles you can think of....cerac, E4D, lasers, digital everything, you name it.

anything else you'd like to know? i hope this helps! good luck on the interview!

240 chairs? are you sure about this. I highly doubt that is possible and a waste of money/space

 

[Oracle DMD]

240 chairs? are you sure about this. I highly doubt that is possible and a waste of money/space

yes. its not a waste if there are patients in the chairs. chair time? = no problem. don't be a hater burgers! haha

 

[peterngu]

Oracle: What are the downside of the program? thx!

I think the downside of the program is Waitlisted2009. SNAP! That's right. I went there.

 

[Oracle DMD]

I think the downside of the program is Waitlisted2009. SNAP! That's right. I went there.

i don't think he really got in. at least it doesn't appear so.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

Midwestern will not have all 240 chairs being used at the same time...lol

So you're saying next year your class of 100 students will be occupying their "own chair" and use the other 140 at the same time?

Just look at your schools floor plan and count the number of chairs. It's going to be more like 100

 

[xhamburgersamx]

yes. its not a waste if there are patients in the chairs. chair time? = no problem. don't be a hater burgers! haha

So you're saying there will be 240 patients waiting for treatment at 8AM morning clinic session? 240 in the afternoon and 240 during night clinic?

Yes 240 chairs is a waste of space and not all your first 3rd year clinic class will be using 2 chairs at the same time (impossible). It takes an average of 2-3 hours to get a phys eval and tx plan per one patient lol

 

[Oracle DMD]

Midwestern will not have all 240 chairs being used at the same time...lol

So you're saying next year your class of 100 students will be occupying their "own chair" and use the other 140 at the same time?

Just look at your schools floor plan and count the number of chairs. It's going to be more like 100

no, you're wrong. there will be about 240 chairs. again....3rd year, 2 to a chair, 4th year everyone gets their own chair. then there are the specialty bays and a couple handicapped chairs complete with wheelchair lifts. i didn't know you went to MWU too! lol

 

[Oracle DMD]

So you're saying there will be 240 patients waiting for treatment at 8AM morning clinic session? 240 in the afternoon and 240 during night clinic?

Yes 240 chairs is a waste of space and not all your first 3rd year clinic class will be using 2 chairs at the same time (impossible). It takes an average of 2-3 hours to get a phys eval and tx plan per one patient lol

who said every chair in our clinic will be occupied at the exact same time? again...you are wrong... 3rd years are 2 to a chair....2 students, 1 chair. you should come see it...it'll be done soon. also, we have a 5:1 student:faculty ratio which is really high considering a lot of schools operate at 12-15:1

 

[TedyBearSuicide]

you should come see it...it'll be done soon.

12+ month is not soon.

 

[Oracle DMD]

12+ month is not soon.

it will be done sooner than 12 months. sooner than 10 months even. i could give you a tour too.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

whats the organization of the clinic floor. You mention 5:1 studio faculty ratio.

You say that each person gets a chair. What if a block of students are all doing different procedures. Does 1 faculty member oversee these 5 students? Is that faculty member going to be specialized in perio, operative, and OS?

When this happens, it doesn't matter if you have 5:1 ratio because you need to consult another doctor from somewhere else.

Also you mention you have your own chair. Does this mean you are located in the exact same area for the next 2 years? Wouldn't it make sense to categorize sections of the clinic floor so that operative, perio, endo, etc. are sectioned off to make it easier for faculty to help/grade?

BTW, if you have 240 chairs and 110 4th years years have their own chair....why would 110 3rd years need to share a chair when 110+110 = 240 SUCKER

 

[TedyBearSuicide]

They meant third year sharing it with second year students.

What are the upcoming third year students going to be doing while the clinic is under construction?

 

[Oracle DMD]

whats the organization of the clinic floor. You mention 5:1 studio faculty ratio.

You say that each person gets a chair. What if a block of students are all doing different procedures. Does 1 faculty member oversee these 5 students? Is that faculty member going to be specialized in perio, operative, and OS?

When this happens, it doesn't matter if you have 5:1 ratio because you need to consult another doctor from somewhere else.

Also you mention you have your own chair. Does this mean you are located in the exact same area for the next 2 years? Wouldn't it make sense to categorize sections of the clinic floor so that operative, perio, endo, etc. are sectioned off to make it easier for faculty to help/grade?

BTW, if you have 240 chairs and 110 4th years years have their own chair....why would 110 3rd years need to share a chair when 110+110 = 240 SUCKER

its run like a group practice with bays. yes we will all be doing different procedures...thats dentistry. if we need a specialist, we will take our patient to the oral surg or perio or ortho or whatever bay and assist a specialitst with our patient's care. we are set up to run like a practice...sorry you can't wrap your brain around that! hahaha 3rd years share a chair so they also learn from each other.
BTW.....like i said before...4th years get their own chair...3rd years share...the rest are speciality and back up chairs so if ours break for some reason, we have a couple extra. what's it to you anyways? i'll only have patients for your ignorance for so long so i'll pretend you can add

They meant third year sharing it with second year students.

What are the upcoming third year students going to be doing while the clinic is under construction?

2nd year is in the simclinic. it will be done before 3rd years need it...may-july looks like the approx completion date.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

its run like a group practice with bays. yes we will all be doing different procedures...thats dentistry. if we need a specialist, we will take our patient to the oral surg or perio or ortho or whatever bay and assist a specialitst with our patient's care. we are set up to run like a practice...sorry you can't wrap your brain around that! hahaha 3rd years share a chair so they also learn from each other.
BTW.....like i said before...4th years get their own chair...3rd years share...the rest are speciality and back up chairs so if ours break for some reason, we have a couple extra. what's it to you anyways? i'll only have patients for your ignorance for so long so i'll pretend you can add



2nd year is in the simclinic. it will be done before 3rd years need it...may-july looks like the approx completion date.

WELL most 2nd years are already doing clinical work perio cleanings, scaling, tx planning, sealants, etc.

but anyways, the way you describe MWU clinic is very nice and would be a huge asset for the school and anyone applying to the program.

 

[NCToothDr]

Why do some people have to turn everything into a debate/argument? Perhaps they would have been better suited for law school. Thanks Oracle for the FIRST HAND advice to those of us considering MWU.

 

[Oracle DMD]

WELL most 2nd years are already doing clinical work perio cleanings, scaling, tx planning, sealants, etc.

but anyways, the way you describe MWU clinic is very nice and would be a huge asset for the school and anyone applying to the program.

you're right. but most 2nd years are not done with their boards and are also taking science classes whereas at MWU, your 2nd 3rd and 4th year is alllllllll dental baby! haha we'll catch up with the quickness. we are about to start training on a e4d (cadcam) and will place implants before 4th year.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

you're right. but most 2nd years are not done with their boards and are also taking science classes whereas at MWU, your 2nd 3rd and 4th year is alllllllll dental baby! haha we'll catch up with the quickness. we are about to start training on a e4d (cadcam) and will place implants before 4th year.

Cool, placing implants is good experience but it is way too of a selective surgery and the option of even placing them as general dentists is too risky IMO.

BTW, I would never trust a student doctor to place my $2k implant procedure..they can place the crown and restore it but not the actual surgical procedure, what do you think?

 

[Oracle DMD]

Cool, placing implants is good experience but it is way too of a selective surgery and the option of even placing them as general dentists is too risky IMO.

BTW, I would never trust a student doctor to place my $2k implant procedure..they can place the crown and restore it but not the actual surgical procedure, what do you think?

i think a GP can and should do anything they feel comfortable doing. clinically and economically it makes sense to do things yourself. i'm sure after some good training and some post doc classes a GP could feel very comfortable placing implants. it also depends what your patient pool is like as well. if you have an older patient pool you might be more likely to incorporate implants into your intellectual armory than a practice with a younger patient base.
i wouldnt let a student doctor do anything on me hahaha but there are plenty of people that would.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

i think a GP can and should do anything they feel comfortable doing. clinically and economically it makes sense to do things yourself. i'm sure after some good training and some post doc classes a GP could feel very comfortable placing implants. it also depends what your patient pool is like as well. if you have an older patient pool you might be more likely to incorporate implants into your intellectual armory than a practice with a younger patient base.
i wouldnt let a student doctor do anything on me hahaha but there are plenty of people that would.

Does MWU have outside clinic rotations or is the clinical experience going to be all focused at the clinic being built?

Hey also, do you have the list of clinical competencies and requirements needed to graduate?

 

[Oracle DMD]

Does MWU have outside clinic rotations or is the clinical experience going to be all focused at the clinic being built?

Hey also, do you have the list of clinical competencies and requirements needed to graduate?

we do have outside clinical rotations into the community for 4 weeks in your 4th year. i dont have a list of competencies. i do know that we wont be required to do 20 crowns or 30 class 5 composites but we will have to show we can do it well and then the patient needs dictate what we do. the problem with having a random number assigned to how many of whatever procedure you need to do in order to graduate, is that you have to find patients who need particular work done. at MWU you need to show you can do it, and then you do as many as required by patient need.

honestly, dental school is really a self motivating environment. you should want to do as many procedures as possible while you're in school to get the benefit of being in a learning environment and not in a private practice. there has to be requirements for grades and such, but honestly your education is in your hands so to speak so you should be less worried about requirements and more focused on learning dentistry and then doing dentistry.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

we do have outside clinical rotations into the community for 4 weeks in your 4th year. i dont have a list of competencies. i do know that we wont be required to do 20 crowns or 30 class 5 composites but we will have to show we can do it well and then the patient needs dictate what we do. the problem with having a random number assigned to how many of whatever procedure you need to do in order to graduate, is that you have to find patients who need particular work done. at MWU you need to show you can do it, and then you do as many as required by patient need.

honestly, dental school is really a self motivating environment. you should want to do as many procedures as possible while you're in school to get the benefit of being in a learning environment and not in a private practice. there has to be requirements for grades and such, but honestly your education is in your hands so to speak so you should be less worried about requirements and more focused on learning dentistry and then doing dentistry.

Well every school runs the same general philosophy but they also still require a set number of procedures done for practical purposes..aka EXPERIENCE.

I'm pretty sure the idea of having a set number of requirements is to allow yourself to gain clinical experience and skill to apply to more than one situation. It doesn't matter if you prep a crown or do 100 RCT simulations, every patient you encounter will be different. The idea that you only need to do 1 procedure to prove you can do it is really absurd- dont you think so?

 

[Oracle DMD]

Well every school runs the same general philosophy but they also still require a set number of procedures done for practical purposes..aka EXPERIENCE.

I'm pretty sure the idea of having a set number of requirements is to allow yourself to gain clinical experience and skill to apply to more than one situation. It doesn't matter if you prep a crown or do 100 RCT simulations, every patient you encounter will be different. The idea that you only need to do 1 procedure to prove you can do it is really absurd- dont you think so?

really, we'll see how it all plays out but the take home is that when you're in dental school grades aren't as important as they used to be in undergrad (unless you're gunnin'). getting better at what you do is the focus, not grades. you'll get plenty of experience.

 

[lphiewok]

anybody heading out for interview tomorrow?
im staying at comfort inn and i would like to know if there is anyone else heading there for interview =)

 

[TheShot]

Does anybody who has interviewed at Midwestern know how relaxed the interview is?
For example, do they try to surprise you with tough interview questions, or are they just trying to get a feel for who you are?

 

[lphiewok]

Does anybody who has interviewed at Midwestern know how relaxed the interview is?
For example, do they try to surprise you with tough interview questions, or are they just trying to get a feel for who you are?

left my interview feedback and also comment on how it went on the other midwestern post (midwestern interview post)

 

[TheShot]

left my interview feedback and also comment on how it went on the other midwestern post (midwestern interview post)

Thanks so much!