PT then DDS ???

[GlassyCat]

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I am having some problems and I was hoping to see if anyone here has been in similar situation as me ....

I am currently accepted to start the PT program in September but I got waiting listed by Dentistry. (Stupid me only applied to ONE dental school 🙁 ).

I know that I want to be in dentisty and I know that the only thing that is holding me back was the interview. My grades were fine and competitive according to the dental admission administrator (double 🙁 🙁 ). My DAT was fine too although it was a bit on the low side (because I went in to the exam with a migrane and no study for over 4 months -- something bad happened).

My option now is either to do PT for two years then apply to dentistry again OR take a "special" minor year in Anatomy and Cell bio to top off my undergraduate Micriobiology degree and then apply to more dental schools this year. I know that I will eventually be a dentist, but PT would be a nice back-up for the short-while that I am not (i.e. what if I did my minor year and didn't get into dental school again? I wouldn't know what I would do because I won't want a job in plain research. )

My problem is that I am having the decision jitters . I am not sure if I made the right choice. I am not sure if I should spent 2 years and do a MSc-PT degree just because I want it as a financial back-up. Should I just risk it and take the special year and apply since it was not a problem with my GPA or DAT? I don't think I will have any problems studying PT either as I am very good with academics. I need some advice. Should I do PT or not? Should I risk it and drop PT altogether and apply this year?

Thanks in advance for any comments and advice.

 

[delicatefade]

I would drop PT and go straight for the DDS, even if it means waiting a year or two. PT school is rather intense, and I imagine a 2 year program would be even more so (mine was 3 years). Plus, to be licensed after PT school you would need to study for the national board exam. I couldn't imagine going through all that if being a dentist is your dream. You will be learning and doing things that are totally irrelevant to dentistry, and my guess is that if you want to be a dentist in the first place, you will not enjoy being a PT. The financial payoff isn't much either...

 

[DOctorJay]

I agree with delicatefade,
most of what you learn in a PT program wouldn't be applicable to dentistry other than TMJ disorders which is very limited in most programs to begin with. A lot of people don't realize how strenuous a program PT is and how much work is involved. You'd be better off studying for one year in something applicable/enjoyable and reapply to dental school. The PT boards are very difficult now, pass rates nationally used to be in hte low 90%s, now I'm hearing in hte 60%s (I took 2 months to study for the thing and thank God that I passed the first time).

Go for your real interest and apply to a few more schools and you shouldn't have a problem.

-J

 

[delicatefade]

(I took 2 months to study for the thing and thank God that I passed the first time).

me too.... 😀
I only studied for a month - thank God I passed!!!

 

[Tubman]

I also studied for 2 months and pretty much did nothing else in preparation for the boards. I don't even want to think about how much time I am going to have to put into studying for the COMLEX/USMLE when the time comes. To all of you other PT transitioning into a medical porgram, do you feel expetionally preparded for what is ahead? I look at most of the classes in my first trimester @ PCOM as simply being a review of what I have already learned, primarily gross anatomy. Additionallu, I feel my PT program was just as intense as most medical programs as I attended UB and often times we remained at the library longer than the medical and dental students.

 

[freddydpt]

GlassyCat,

DO NOT GO TO PT SCHOOL. I'm sure you'll do well if you go and yes, it's a financial backup, but by no way shape or form do you completely understand the committment you are heading yourself into. Just take a year off or do the minor or do something to pass the time while you apply but for love of GOD, do NOT go to PT school if you really want to be a dentist. You'll be depressed as all hell as you drag people out of bed wondering "could I have been in dental school right now?"

My advice is to find a good advisor for dental school, maybe take the DAT's over again if you're not satisfied with them. Call the dental school that waitlisted you and see what you can do to become more competitive. Going to PT school will NOT make you more competitive. Being a dental assistant for a year will. I can't emphasize enough, not to go to PT school at this point.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes...

 

[PublicHealth]

GlassyCat,

DO NOT GO TO PT SCHOOL. I'm sure you'll do well if you go and yes, it's a financial backup, but by no way shape or form do you completely understand the committment you are heading yourself into. Just take a year off or do the minor or do something to pass the time while you apply but for love of GOD, do NOT go to PT school if you really want to be a dentist. You'll be depressed as all hell as you drag people out of bed wondering "could I have been in dental school right now?"

Freddy,

I'm just wondering...do you feel that your completing a D.P.T. was an expensive mistake? Do have an estimate for how much educational debt you'll be in by the time you're done training?

 

[Skialta]

I think you will be quite suprised at the difference between PT and med school. PT school was pretty intense but it really doesn't compare to med school, it is like apples and oranges. Anatomy is probably about the only class that really crosses over with the addition of knowing probably more path than most of your classmates.

To the OP, don't go to PT school as some elaborate back up plan. You will just be kicking yourself for the waste of money. On second thought, you could induce TMJ and then treat it. 😀

 

[delicatefade]

I also studied for 2 months and pretty much did nothing else in preparation for the boards. I don't even want to think about how much time I am going to have to put into studying for the COMLEX/USMLE when the time comes. To all of you other PT transitioning into a medical porgram, do you feel expetionally preparded for what is ahead? I look at most of the classes in my first trimester @ PCOM as simply being a review of what I have already learned, primarily gross anatomy. Additionallu, I feel my PT program was just as intense as most medical programs as I attended UB and often times we remained at the library longer than the medical and dental students.

I don't feel exceptionally prepared at all. I don't know what school you went to but we certainly didn't have microbiology (we had microanatomy), pathology, pharmacology, etc in any way shape or form that would compare to medical school. I know someone who was a PT before going to med school. Anatomy is about the only thing we'll be prepared for.

 

[freddydpt]

Freddy,

I'm just wondering...do you feel that your completing a D.P.T. was an expensive mistake? Do have an estimate for how much educational debt you'll be in by the time you're done training?

I knew I wanted to do medicine from the beginning. I picked up PT during undergrad and went with it because it was fun and a great education in exam. In some ways, I was hoping to fall in love with it like I heard others had when they were premed PT. Truth of the matter is, that I didn't like the practice limitations of being a PT.

I go back and forth in my head everyday on whether or not it was a mistake. And to be honest, right now, as a pre-MS1, I'm not sure. Many have told me that my skills will pay off in the future... many have told me I wasted my time and money. I'm also not sure if my doubt is being cause by my virtually lonely and uneventful summer when I'm usually an incredibly busy and social person, recently reading "The House of God", or my rediculously difficult last semester in PT involving a Peds rotation from hell and a relationship/break-up with a psycho(!) girlfriend.

I find it hard to believe that I won't have some additional value in the future, but it's too early to tell. I also don't want to go in thinking I'm better than anyone... cause I don't think I am. I believe everyone enters med school with their own uniqueness.

My total estimated educational cost is going to be about 300K, maybe more like 320K if I decide to do an MPH. And I'm so nervous about that number, that its almost numbing, making me think I'll never be happy if I don't get a specialty that makes tons of dough. I didn't apply for the NHSC cause I'm not set on primary care just yet, and the military HPSP's won't take me cause I have asthma. I'm going to be a very good/very broke clinician when I get out. I think I've just had waaaaay too much time to think this summer!

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Howard Roark]

good luck