Shadowing A LOT

[asalazar]

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I'm shadowing this entire summer (4 months), and I'm "banking in" (I don't know how else to put it) 32 hours a week. How will ADCOMS looks at this, what do you guys think?

 

[Rezdawg]

I shadowed over 200 hours worth. Not necessarily because I needed that much exposure, but because I really had no other obligations and was having fun with the whole thing.

I dont think you should worry about having overexposure to dentistry.

 

[asalazar]

I shadowed over 200 hours worth. Not necessarily because I needed that much exposure, but because I really had no other obligations and was having fun with the whole thing.

I dont think you should worry about having overexposure to dentistry.

Would I look "better" than other applic. in this section of the extracurr. (I know this isnt all they look at; I'm just talking about this part of the extracurr.) or will they not care between a person that didn't shadow at all and me?
Yeah. I'm just taking 6 credits this summer, and my goal was to shadow and study the DAT. I'm really enjoying my shadowing. I'm learning a lot, and I love the office I'm working in. But its wearing me out. I'm not a morning person (but I must get ready for those morning dental school classes), I don't like waking up at 7am.

 

[ISU_Steve]

I don't think it would really make a major difference but it certainly couldn't hurt. I've got probably in the neighborhood of 100+ hrs so far (and I'm still 2 years off from applying) and the only reason I keep doing more is because I enjoy it and I figure that even if I don't need to do it, it certainly can't hurt.

 

[asalazar]

I don't think it would really make a major difference but it certainly couldn't hurt. I've got probably in the neighborhood of 100+ hrs so far (and I'm still 2 years off from applying) and the only reason I keep doing more is because I enjoy it and I figure that even if I don't need to do it, it certainly can't hurt.

Yeah. I have 1 year from applying, but I don't think I will have more time to shadow til next summer. I really enjoy being in the office I'm working in.

 

[Rezdawg]

Would I look "better" than other applic. in this section of the extracurr. (I know this isnt all they look at; I'm just talking about this part of the extracurr.) or will they not care between a person that didn't shadow at all and me?
Yeah. I'm just taking 6 credits this summer, and my goal was to shadow and study the DAT. I'm really enjoying my shadowing. I'm learning a lot, and I love the office I'm working in. But its wearing me out. I'm not a morning person (but I must get ready for those morning dental school classes), I don't like waking up at 7am.

Im just going to be making a guess here.

If you are compared to an applicant that has some shadowing experience but has chosen to pursue another job instead of continuing the shadowing process, then I dont think you have much of an edge. Now, if that applicant chose to do 1/2 the shadowing you did and then chose to sit on his butt for the rest of the summer, then you have the edge.

 

[mvs04]

The adcoms aren't going to look up the number of hours someone has shadowed... they've got thousands of applications to go through. Most schools don't care, while some schools require shadowing, they really just need a letter from a dentist that you've shadowed... won't matter whether you have 40 or 4000 hours, documented or undocumented.....

Obviously don't discount shadowing entire, it does come into play IF you bring it up and develop it as a major "push" or point in your overall application. Like if you make it into a major selling point while in the process of whoring yourself to the adcoms, then it will matter. Otherwise it really is a secondary issue, if one at that even. My experiences from my 2 application cycles were that my lack of shadowing (0 hours shadowed) didn't matter one bit, it wasn't even an issue because not at a single interview was I asked about it (4 total). It did come into play with UNLV, I didnt' know they required a dentist-shadowing letter, so my application was never completed, so obviously find out what the school's individual requirements are.... but most schools do not care. Don't spend too much time getting hung up on the shadowing stuff... it's secondary.

 

[asalazar]

The adcoms aren't going to look up the number of hours someone has shadowed... they've got thousands of applications to go through. Most schools don't care, while some schools require shadowing, they really just need a letter from a dentist that you've shadowed... won't matter whether you have 40 or 4000 hours, documented or undocumented.....

Obviously don't discount shadowing entire, it does come into play IF you bring it up and develop it as a major "push" or point in your overall application. Like if you make it into a major selling point while in the process of whoring yourself to the adcoms, then it will matter. Otherwise it really is a secondary issue, if one at that even. My experiences from my 2 application cycles were that my lack of shadowing (0 hours shadowed) didn't matter one bit, it wasn't even an issue because not at a single interview was I asked about it (4 total). It did come into play with UNLV, I didnt' know they required a dentist-shadowing letter, so my application was never completed, so obviously find out what the school's individual requirements are.... but most schools do not care. Don't spend too much time getting hung up on the shadowing stuff... it's secondary.

Ok. I hope they see how much effort I'm putting in to "stand out." This dentist better write the best LOR he's ever written!!

 

[balance]

Ok. I hope they see how much effort I'm putting in to "stand out." This dentist better write the best LOR he's ever written!!

some schools do not require a recommendation letter from a dentist. If you have nothing better to do this summer, continue your shadowing.