Parents, moms in Dental school....

[Dental Mom]

I wanted to ask the ones with children in dental school how are you doing, and how much time do you have left to spend with family. I'm applying this summer and my kids will be 7 and 10 when I start the 4 yr program.

I'm aware that year 1 will be the hardest and will have little time for family

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[dent2009]

wow you sound confident that you'll get in. go mom.

 

[Dental Mom]

Hey, I'm 100% sure that I will!

I already had a great interview at my #1 choice for their Dental post bac program, and I was given a lot of hope for the actual 4 yr program instead! WOW! I'm also applying to more schools--you just never know......I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket....

Forgot to say: husband works from home and have tons of help from grandparents. If we have to move out of state=no grandparents.

 

[drillbit]

It will definitely be tough, but it sounds like you have a great support system. I applied this cycle as well and have a step daughter. I think it will be important that you schedule a certain time each day that you spend time with your family. It might be an hour or less - but as long as you practice good time management - you will still be an effective parent, as well as a great role model. Good luck!

 

[Dental Mom]

Thank you drillbit. Great advise about making sure I spend family time each day. I have been able to do that until now finishing my undergrad, and I always worry that I may not even be able to make it home before the kids go to bed....I know it will be "temporary" :cry:

I took Biochemistry in the fall with weekly exams, and there were few times when I left the house and they were sleeping, came back so late at night from the library and again they were sleeping--it was really hard on all of us. Well, I think that emotionally I'm almost ready for the challenge!

 

[Jake8]

Hey if you can be a successful mom then you already have better time management skills than 99% of the dental students out there.

Good luck and if this is something you really want there will be a way to make it happen.

 

[skinetic]

Just curious: can you apply for welfare (if you have children) during dental school or does it vary greatly between different states?

 

[DROCKINDAHOUSE]

I took Biochemistry in the fall with weekly exams, and there were few times when I left the house and they were sleeping, came back so late at night from the library and again they were sleeping--it was really hard on all of us. Well, I think that emotionally I'm almost ready for the challenge!

Contrary to popular belief biochemistry 1 is not a difficult course. If that one course took so much of your time and effort then you should question your study habits/testing skills/etc.

Try biochem 2. Synthesizing everything and learning all the damn pathways is much more difficult than part 1. Even worse still is physical chem, quantum mechanics, histology, embryology, etc.

Just a constructive suggestion.

 

[Dental Mom]

DROCKINDAHOUSE,

Besides Biochem I, I took a full load of science classes, and a 3 credit dental internship for 150 hrs total during the Fall semester. That's why I didn't sleep much......once a student starts going up in classes usually the previous semester seems easier than the last. That has been my experience. By the time I got to Microbiology final, it was a piece of cake....

I'm taking Biochemistry II this semester. I think it depends who's teaching the class and what they covered. My professor teaches it 99% chemistry, and 1% medical related stuff. It's an advanced chemistry class in my university. Now for Biochem II he starts covering more medical and biology topics. He's the hardest prof I ever had, but is also the best I ever had in all my 180+ credits, and 4 universities......Half the class dropped, and I'm very proud I made it to the end with kids and all!

Oh, the Pharmacy school in my state uses the same textbook required for the Biochem class. And the 2 adcoms at my number 1 choice dental school said that what I'm seeing now in Biochem will be not different than dental school. Interesting....

 

[dinofeet]

DROCKINDAHOUSE,

Besides Biochem I, I took a full load of science classes, and a 3 credit dental internship for 150 hrs total during the Fall semester. That's why I didn't sleep much......once a student starts going up in classes usually the previous semester seems easier than the last. That has been my experience. By the time I got to Microbiology final, it was a piece of cake....

I'm taking Biochemistry II this semester. I think it depends who's teaching the class and what they covered. My professor teaches it 99% chemistry, and 1% medical related stuff. It's an advanced chemistry class in my university. Now for Biochem II he starts covering more medical and biology topics. He's the hardest prof I ever had, but is also the best I ever had in all my 180+ credits, and 4 universities......Half the class dropped, and I'm very proud I made it to the end with kids and all!

Oh, the Pharmacy school in my state uses the same textbook required for the Biochem class. And the 2 adcoms at my number 1 choice dental school said that what I'm seeing now in Biochem will be not different than dental school. Interesting....

It doesn't matter what the courses are...it will still require time and you only have ~16 hrs/day to go to classes, eat, get ready, read, homework, study, and etc, therefore, something has to give. This is consistent in any field and etc that requires lots of time to reach highest. Reality is, if you want to do well (whatever 'well' means to you) in year 1, it's gonna be like any other year in undergrad....you will have tons of days where you'll only see them sleeping in the morning and again at night. I have three kids, just finished a Masters program and that was the deal for me. There were times that I thought, well the semester is 3/4 done, I can live with a B but my spouse reminded me that in a sense I am going to school for the kids too. Make sure that your time with them counts...Kids spell love ~ T...I...M....E and if I can add QUALITY TIME. Sometimes, I would take one kid for an hour and go wherever he or she wants to go. We would talk about whatever over an ice cream cone. That time whether its an hr or 30 mins is all about them. Its funny listening to 5, 3, 1.5 yr olds on a one on one basis. Do the best you can...kids are smarter than I thought they were (my bad). They can feel your dedication and desire to succeed both as a student and as a parent. Of course you already know all this but there's my 0.02 cents.

 

[bannanse]

I can say I am suprised at how much time I have been able to spend with my son thus far while in dental school. He is currently 3, and I usually have breakfast with him in the mornings and am home to tuck him in most nights. Obviously, there will be nights that you wont make it because of upcoming practicals and exams, but I'm home more than not. Basically, if you are committed to getting through the program, you will... where there is a will, there is a way. There are definatley sacrifices along the way, but you have to think about the long term benefits vs. the short term sacrfices. I'm not just talking about you personally as well. Your entire family, kids included, will have to make some sacrifices. However, I will say that the sacrifices I have made are much fewer and farther between than I ever expected.

 

[Dental Mom]

I can say I am suprised at how much time I have been able to spend with my son thus far while in dental school. He is currently 3, and I usually have breakfast with him in the mornings and am home to tuck him in most nights. Obviously, there will be nights that you wont make it because of upcoming practicals and exams, but I'm home more than not. Basically, if you are committed to getting through the program, you will... where there is a will, there is a way. There are definatley sacrifices along the way, but you have to think about the long term benefits vs. the short term sacrfices. I'm not just talking about you personally as well. Your entire family, kids included, will have to make some sacrifices. However, I will say that the sacrifices I have made are much fewer and farther between than I ever expected.

bannanse, thank you for your kind feedback. It's great to hear that you are having time with your 3 year old. That's my dream to either see them in the morning or at night. I've waited for them to get a little older to start dental school, and so far they have been doing great and understand. All the best to you and again, thank you so much for your kind and positive comments.