Non-Trad Advice

[TthDec]

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Some background: Two application cycles ago, I was holding a dental school acceptance. Just prior to school starting, a string of some majorly unfortunate circumstances occurred which resulted with my dropping out about 3-4 days prior to school starting. Before anyone asks, no deferment was not option (trust me, I tried).
Hoping to get my life back on track, I re-applied early this year and seven months later, I have had one late interview (haven't heard back yet) but its safe to say that if this school doesn't accept me, I'm looking at another wasted year. Given the stark contrast between my first application (late application + 6 interviews w/ 13-14 schools applied) and second (early application + 1 late interview w/ 19 schools applied) I think its safe to assume that due to my past actions, gaining entry to another dental program is... unlikely.

That brings me to my current dilemma. I've started to slowly digest that an acceptance may or may not occur and, as such, I've begun to evaluate my options. Primarily, medical school. Now, before anyone jumps down my throat for using medicine as a 'backup', know that medicine has always been where my interests lie but the practicality / lifestyle of dentistry won out. That said, I don't feel that I'll be making any sacrifices by going down the route (if its even feasible) of medicine but, quite the contrary, I woke up today feeling excited to go down the path I had always seen myself going down.

All of that nonsense aside, onto the real reason I posted.

How poorly would a Dental School acceptance reflect upon me? Should I just give up now?
Whats the best method of acquiring LoRs as a graduate? Do I head back into school and take on more debt?
Is it possible to be geared up and ready to apply this coming June?

Current Stats:

cGPA: 3.72 (Huge upward trend)
sGPA: 3.61
280 hrs of health related volunteering
110 hrs of shadowing
over 1000 hrs of non health related volunteering
over 2k hours in employment throughout
NO Research

PS I do apologize for the rambling / poorly constructed phrasing (I haven't had my morning coffee!)

 

[mathnerd88]

Some background: Two application cycles ago, I was holding a dental school acceptance. Just prior to school starting, a string of some majorly unfortunate circumstances occurred which resulted with my dropping out about 3-4 days prior to school starting. Before anyone asks, no deferment was not option (trust me, I tried).
Hoping to get my life back on track, I re-applied early this year and seven months later, I have had one late interview (haven't heard back yet) but its safe to say that if this school doesn't accept me, I'm looking at another wasted year. Given the stark contrast between my first application (late application + 6 interviews w/ 13-14 schools applied) and second (early application + 1 late interview w/ 19 schools applied) I think its safe to assume that due to my past actions, gaining entry to another dental program is... unlikely.

That brings me to my current dilemma. I've started to slowly digest that an acceptance may or may not occur and, as such, I've begun to evaluate my options. Primarily, medical school. Now, before anyone jumps down my throat for using medicine as a 'backup', know that medicine has always been where my interests lie but the practicality / lifestyle of dentistry won out. That said, I don't feel that I'll be making any sacrifices by going down the route (if its even feasible) of medicine but, quite the contrary, I woke up today feeling excited to go down the path I had always seen myself going down.

All of that nonsense aside, onto the real reason I posted.

How poorly would a Dental School acceptance reflect upon me? Should I just give up now?
Whats the best method of acquiring LoRs as a graduate? Do I head back into school and take on more debt?
Is it possible to be geared up and ready to apply this coming June?

Current Stats:

cGPA: 3.72 (Huge upward trend)
sGPA: 3.61
280 hrs of health related volunteering
110 hrs of shadowing
over 1000 hrs of non health related volunteering
over 2k hours in employment throughout
NO Research

PS I do apologize for the rambling / poorly constructed phrasing (I haven't had my morning coffee!)

Take the MCAT first.

 

[just_SAIYAN]

I have no idea how schools would view your dental acceptance but if I were you I would pick a school and call them, ask for admissions department and explain your situation and see what their take is on it.

Besides that, you need to hit about 504+ on the Mcat and shadow some physicians if you haven't. Also if you can shadow a DO and get a letter of Req from him that would also help.

 

[TthDec]

Take the MCAT first.

I have every intention of doing so. I just thought I would ask about the DS admission thing as if its even remotely likely to give me the same trouble as it did with DS, I may as well not bother starting the process.

What do you guys suggest doing in regard to LORs? I assume I'll need 3? 2 from professors 1 from a MD / DO? I'm a graduate and I'm completely lost as to what to do with this particular requirement.

I have no idea how schools would view your dental acceptance but if I were you I would pick a school and call them, ask for admissions department and explain your situation and see what their take is on it.

Besides that, you need to hit about 504+ on the Mcat and shadow some physicians if you haven't. Also if you can shadow a DO and get a letter of Req from him that would also help.

Good idea, I'll definitely make a few calls.

 

[mathnerd88]

I have every intention of doing so. I just thought I would ask about the DS admission thing as if its even remotely likely to give me the same trouble as it did with DS, I may as well not bother starting the process.

What do you guys suggest doing in regard to LORs? I assume I'll need 3? 2 from professors 1 from a MD / DO? I'm a graduate and I'm completely lost as to what to do with this particular requirement.

For LoR, you need either:

A committee letter from your health professions office from your undergrad.
OR
2 Letters from a Science Professor who has given you grades AND 1 Letter from a non-Science professor who has given you grades. All three have to be from a college/university.

In addition to the above requirement, you need a letter from a DO or MD. (Preferably a DO) I know of one school where DO letter isn't required (LECOM.)

As for your other questions, some schools will ask if you've withdrew from or have been accepted to a graduate program before. Some won't. You need to contact schools about this. For schools you have to notify about your previous dental school acceptance, you better give a good reason why you decided to switch to medicine instead of pursuing a dental degree.

 

[TthDec]

For LoR, you need either:

A committee letter from your health professions office from your undergrad.
OR
2 Letters from a Science Professor who has given you grades AND 1 Letter from a non-Science professor who has given you grades. All three have to be from a college/university.

In addition to the above requirement, you need a letter from a DO or MD. (Preferably a DO) I know of one school where DO letter isn't required (LECOM.)

As for your other questions, some schools will ask if you've withdrew from or have been accepted to a graduate program before. Some won't. You need to contact schools about this. For schools you have to notify about your previous dental school acceptance, you better give a good reason why you decided to switch to medicine instead of pursuing a dental degree.

The biggest issue is that I graduated coming up on 3 years ago. I'm not sure how to proceed with getting LoR's from professors when I've been out of school for so long. If I go back and try to contact the professors who wrote my DS LoRs, I fear they'll be completely off put by my decision despite the reasoning behind it. The shadowing (DO LoR) will be easy enough to achieve as I know quite a few of them.

 

[j4pac]

Your GPA is fine. You need to get clinic experience, research if possible, and do well on the MCAT. If you do...you'll be competitive for medical school. I don't think you turning down dental school is a big deal. Just have a good reason (I decided that medicine was the better route, for example).

 

[mathnerd88]

The biggest issue is that I graduated coming up on 3 years ago. I'm not sure how to proceed with getting LoR's from professors when I've been out of school for so long. If I go back and try to contact the professors who wrote my DS LoRs, I fear they'll be completely off put by my decision despite the reasoning behind it. The shadowing (DO LoR) will be easy enough to achieve as I know quite a few of them.

Did you go through your school's health professions office to submit the LoR to your DS application? You can also contact your professors. I don't think they'll mind, and it's the easiest option for you to obtain these LoR requirements.

 

[TthDec]

Did you go through your school's health professions office to submit the LoR to your DS application? You can also contact your professors. I don't think they'll mind, and it's the easiest option for you to obtain these LoR requirements.

I didn't go through a health committee to submit my DS LoRs. I'm going to give contacting them a shot. It just kinda sucks to explain what might be treated as a 'conspiracy' as I'm really just taking a stab in the dark as why my application was so unsuccessful this cycle.

 

[just_SAIYAN]

The biggest issue is that I graduated coming up on 3 years ago. I'm not sure how to proceed with getting LoR's from professors when I've been out of school for so long. If I go back and try to contact the professors who wrote my DS LoRs, I fear they'll be completely off put by my decision despite the reasoning behind it. The shadowing (DO LoR) will be easy enough to achieve as I know quite a few of them.

Yeah that is kind of an annoying situation. Maybe if you just send an email explaining your situation and then say I'm sorry for the inconvenience but could you please write me another letter I'm sure they would be willing to with a good amount of time to do so.

You may also want to contact a couple other professors that didn't write you letter for DS and explain your situation as a back up.

Idk if you need to take any other courses for Med school requisites vs the ones you took for DS but if so try and build s relationship with that professor as well.

 

[ATStillSOMA]

Some background: Two application cycles ago, I was holding a dental school acceptance. Just prior to school starting, a string of some majorly unfortunate circumstances occurred which resulted with my dropping out about 3-4 days prior to school starting. Before anyone asks, no deferment was not option (trust me, I tried).
Hoping to get my life back on track, I re-applied early this year and seven months later, I have had one late interview (haven't heard back yet) but its safe to say that if this school doesn't accept me, I'm looking at another wasted year. Given the stark contrast between my first application (late application + 6 interviews w/ 13-14 schools applied) and second (early application + 1 late interview w/ 19 schools applied) I think its safe to assume that due to my past actions, gaining entry to another dental program is... unlikely.

That brings me to my current dilemma. I've started to slowly digest that an acceptance may or may not occur and, as such, I've begun to evaluate my options. Primarily, medical school. Now, before anyone jumps down my throat for using medicine as a 'backup', know that medicine has always been where my interests lie but the practicality / lifestyle of dentistry won out. That said, I don't feel that I'll be making any sacrifices by going down the route (if its even feasible) of medicine but, quite the contrary, I woke up today feeling excited to go down the path I had always seen myself going down.

All of that nonsense aside, onto the real reason I posted.

How poorly would a Dental School acceptance reflect upon me? Should I just give up now?
Whats the best method of acquiring LoRs as a graduate? Do I head back into school and take on more debt?
Is it possible to be geared up and ready to apply this coming June?

Current Stats:

cGPA: 3.72 (Huge upward trend)
sGPA: 3.61
280 hrs of health related volunteering
110 hrs of shadowing
over 1000 hrs of non health related volunteering
over 2k hours in employment throughout
NO Research

PS I do apologize for the rambling / poorly constructed phrasing (I haven't had my morning coffee!)

This may appear to be me suggesting you "lower your expectations", but since you like the practicality and lifestyle of a dentist better than that of a physician, perhaps you should consider becoming a Physician Assistant. The return on investment is much greater, the burnout rate lower, job satisfaction higher, it takes less of a time commitment (a little over two years as opposed to 4+3), better work/life balance, and the tuition is much lower. Just a thought.

Now, I don't think that the previous dental acceptance will be as problematic as why you applied to dental in the first place and then needed to resign the seat. If you can turn your story into a believable one that says "I discovered my true calling is actually in medicine" and you have an answer for "Why did you seek admission to dental school initially", then of course apply. You can and should expect some skepticism. Just don't let the scrutiny get to you. Make them believe it be cause YOU honestly believe it and show them you're too good to pass up.