Question on shadowing hours

[hs2013]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was looking through a bunch of schools requirements and to me it seems like with most schools around the 40-50 range is good enough. Now I know some schools require 100+ but not many and I just wouldn't apply to them. So I ask, would I be fine with just 50 hours? Or the schools that even say 30-50 is good enough, would it improve my application if I got around 100 hours?

Cause to be honest with you, I've volunteered like 30 hours at a dental clinic and have shadowed a dentist like 15 hours and I am already sick and tired of watching over their shoulder and seeing the same thing over and over again. I just want to be able to do the procedures ALREADY!!!

Sure assisting at the dental clinic is fun but shadowing...eh.

 

[wjc]

I think I nearly fell asleep on my feet one afternoon while watching a root canal. All the same, you should go after those observation hours because the schools care about them and if you want to be a dentist, then you have to put in the time. I did think it was interesting to see how different dentists talk to their patients and some of the different procedures that they do. Variety in your hours might help. I spent about 45 hours at a clinic shadowing and helping out, everywhere else I pretty much kept it down to about two days worth of observation.

 

[hs2013]

I think I nearly fell asleep on my feet one afternoon while watching a root canal. All the same, you should go after those observation hours because the schools care about them and if you want to be a dentist, then you have to put in the time. I did think it was interesting to see how different dentists talk to their patients and some of the different procedures that they do. Variety in your hours might help. I spent about 45 hours at a clinic shadowing and helping out, everywhere else I pretty much kept it down to about two days worth of observation.

I guess changing places would help. I'm trying to get 30 hours with my dentist so I can get a confirmation of 30 hours and LOR from him and he is really cool so that won't be bad. I'll try shadowing some oral surgeons and endodontists and a few more general dentists, just sucks because so many of them don't ever call back when I ask to shadow, even when I call them again.

 

[sjv]

Shadowing requirements: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2014-shadowing-requirements-recommendations.1069934/

 

[Glimmer1991]

You'd really want to limit the number of schools you can apply to for a reason as small as shadowing hours? You can knock those out in one week! C'mon--just get 100. 😀 We all have to do it. I'd just hate to cage myself in for a reason so small.

 

[HaverfoodsDDS]

You'd really want to limit the number of schools you can apply to for a reason as small as shadowing hours? You can knock those out in one week! C'mon--just get 100. 😀 We all have to do it. I'd just hate to cage myself in for a reason so small.

This is so true....