Score on DAT

[PerseveranceJoe]

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Hi,

I have been preparing for medical school for the entirety of my college years. However, I am starting to have second doubts about medical school after researching online and talking to a lot of physicians and surgeons. I love working with and serving people as well as working in the field of health care, but the aspects of working 50-60 hours per week (not including being on call) and dealing with insurance system really prompted me to question how much do I really want to be a doctor.

I have a strong passion of working with people, listening to their stories, and figuring out how I can help them. I love the idea of having my own little clinic, but also being able to have time for my future family. I absolutely cannot imagine myself doing any other profession that is not health care related.

I am in my last quarter in college as a biomedical engineering student, and I am trying to plan how I can fit in preparing for the DAT, taking the DAT, and applying for dental school this upcoming cycle.

The question: given my current stats, how high of an DAT score would I need to be considered as competitive when applying to dental schools?

cGPA: 3.50
sGPA: 3.30
MCAT: 30 (Don't know whether this is relevant or not)
EC:
200 hours of nonclinical volunteering in my community
2 total years of research in orthopedic and cardiovascular fields
1 year fraternity president
1 year fraternity vice president of volunteering
4 years involvement with the fraternity + multiple contributions to the fraternity + chairs of multiple events
2 years member/group leader of a clinical club **
150 hours clinical volunteering at a hospital **
40 hours clinical volunteering at a volunteer clinic **
50 hours shadowing electrophysiologists, orthopedic surgeons, and family practitioners. **
5 LORs (1 ochem professor, 1 microbiology professor, 1 hospital volunteer president, 1 non-science professor, 1 research professor)

** Please understand that many of my ECs are geared toward applying to medical school. **

Thanks!

 

[Faux]

18+aa/sci is the lowest Id personally apply with, with no score lower than 17.


Shadow a dentist of course before you switch careers. Other than that, you're good to go. Just make sure your advisor screens your letters and puts aside ones that aren't really appropriate for dental school. Your ecs will transfer over just fine

Good luck!

 

[cacajuate]

More like couldn't be an MD and didn't want to be a DO, so you thought dentistry would be better.

 

[PerseveranceJoe]

@cacajuate

More like couldn't be an MD and didn't want to be a DO, so you thought dentistry would be better.

First, I do not prefer MD over DO, or vice versa. Both would help me become a doctor, and that was my ultimate goal. I did not care which is better, as long as I can provide treatment for people in need. I stated my motive very clearly, and no where in my first post did I mention preferences for MD or DO. Learn to read.

Second, it's true that I do not have stats competitive for MD, but I am competitive for DO. And, even if I was boning to get my MD, I would have worked my ass off in a Post-Bac program, and retake my MCAT, just so I can go to an MD school. But, I never planned for that, because a DO school would have helped me become a doctor anyway.

Third, the reason that I changed my career from medicine to dentistry is purely based on lifestyle choices. From what I have researched, dental schools are as difficult to get into as medical schools due to the fewer number of dental schools out there.

Save your assumptions to yourself, ass hole.

 

[dbd]

VP of Philanthropy* sounds better. Add dental shadowing hours and a 20+ DAT score and you have a good shot of getting into a dental school.

 

[tortelliniboy]

50-60 hours of work isn't that bad...

 

[mrdocta]

@cacajuate



First, I do not prefer MD over DO, or vice versa. Both would help me become a doctor, and that was my ultimate goal. I did not care which is better, as long as I can provide treatment for people in need. I stated my motive very clearly, and no where in my first post did I mention preferences for MD or DO. Learn to read.

Second, it's true that I do not have stats competitive for MD, but I am competitive for DO. And, even if I was boning to get my MD, I would have worked my ass off in a Post-Bac program, and retake my MCAT, just so I can go to an MD school. But, I never planned for that, because a DO school would have helped me become a doctor anyway.

Third, the reason that I changed my career from medicine to dentistry is purely based on lifestyle choices. From what I have researched, dental schools are as difficult to get into as medical schools due to the fewer number of dental schools out there.

Save your assumptions to yourself, ass hole.

Haha I thoroughly enjoyed this. Anyways, aim for a 20AA/20TS and you should be fine.

 

[doc toothache]

. Both would help me become a doctor, and that was my ultimate goal. I did not care which is better, as long as I can provide treatment for people in need.
Third, the reason that I changed my career from medicine to dentistry is purely based on lifestyle choices. From what I have researched, dental schools are as difficult to get into as medical schools due to the fewer number of dental schools out there. Save your assumptions to yourself, ass hole.

Podiatrists, vets, optometrists-they all provide "treatment for people in need". The number of dental schools has nothing to do with how difficult it is to gain acceptance. Your vocabulary suggest you have what it takes to deal with those in need.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medicine-dntistry-vet-the-quest-for-top-dog-status.988878/

 

[tortelliniboy]

Have you done any shadowing?

 

[PerseveranceJoe]

Podiatrists, vets, optometrists-they all provide "treatment for people in need". The number of dental schools has nothing to do with how difficult it is to gain acceptance. Your vocabulary suggest you have what it takes to deal with those in need.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medicine-dntistry-vet-the-quest-for-top-dog-status.988878/

I have only recently looked into dental school after hearing about the dental profession from my friend's uncle. I would not say that I know everything there is to dentistry. But, from what I have read, the average GPAs for people who were accepted to dental schools are really close to those who were accepted to medical schools.

I have looked into all those - podiatry, vets, optometry. Yes, they are able to perform treatment but their focus and specialty are not really that interesting to me. Medicine and dentistry are my two most interested professions. Also, I do not really think "vets" provide "treatment for people in need".

My vocabulary has nothing to do with my ability to treat people.

 

[PerseveranceJoe]

Have you done any shadowing?

I haven't, I want to get started right away this quarter so I can see more of what its about.

 

[Gen. Beauregard]

I concur with Faux. 18 is the lowest you want to go. I got in with 17's, but I am dumb and should not be emulated. 19-21 is the sweet spot for DAT right now. You're going to want to shadow a dentist(s) for 100 hours or more, and learn enough about the basics to demonstrate interest. A lot of schools want to know about hand skills on the secondary applications, and things like playing an instrument, working on cars, woodworking, etc are all good things to have for hobbies. It looks like you're social and community oriented, which is also a good thing, as there's momentum building behind the community involved practitioner and schools like those individuals. Maintain your evident backbone, it's an asset in the long run. Best of luck, your motivation for the switch is far more sound than the d-bags who do it purely for monetary gains with what they perceive as minimal effort.

 

[Incis0r]

I concur with the other posters. Spend some time shadowing, and if you like what you see, then start DAT prep.

 

[Hannah Banana]

I have a strong passion of working with people, listening to their stories, and figuring out how I can help them. I love the idea of having my own little clinic, but also being able to have time for my future family. I absolutely cannot imagine myself doing any other profession that is not health care related.

Have you considered being a psychologist?

 

[Greyangel6]

I think vets do provide service for people (the owners) but not directly and deserve their own merits.

Another thing is, if you pick a career based on lifestyle, there are other careers in the healthcare field that can give you a life with a bit less resistance like PA = medicine-related, can open up shop, less time spent in school, still get a doctorate, still get paid more than minimum wage, mostly 9-5 job, etc.

 

[Syntav]

Get 20 AA/20 PAT and you'll get interviews. 3.5 w/ an engineering degree is great. Kudos and Goodluck.

 

[doc toothache]

My vocabulary has nothing to do with my ability to treat people.

Your assertion is moot since, in the present tense, the only treatment you can provide is to imaginary patients. Going postal is not a quality in demand by any profession and it does reflect an inability to play nice with others.

 

[darknightzzz]

Your assertion is moot since, in the present tense, the only treatment you can provide is to imaginary patients. Going postal is not a quality in demand by any profession and it does reflect an inability to play nice with others.

lol what if some people are so ridiculous you can't play nice with

 

[y3nd0]

Your GPA and EC's are good enough to get into dental school. The DAT is easier than the MCAT and getting into dental school is easier than getting into MD school. You scored a 30 on the MCAT, so I don't doubt that you will be able to do well on the DAT (21+).

I agree with others - get some shadowing experience first, talk to dentists (hopefully some younger ones, older dentists have it made). If you see what you like, then keep shadowing, get some dental related EC's (volunteering in a dental clinic, etc.) while studying for the DAT. Some of your EC's may be able to carry over to your dental application. Dentistry is pretty different from medicine, so you should really do your research about it before you jump ship.

 

[doc toothache]

lol what if some people are so ridiculous you can't play nice with

1. ignore and walk away
2. pull a Rambo