Should I take the courses that the dental schools recommended taking?

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

Many dental schools recommend taking upper division courses like histology, immunology, neuroscience, etc. For this reason, I have been considering taking one or more of aforementioned courses. However, I am wondering how helpful these upper division courses that I might take as an undergrad would be once I am in dental school.

For example, would taking undergrad histology give me a notable advantage when I am taking dental school's histology? What are some recommendations you guys can make based on your experiences?

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[AppalachianDentalBoy]

If it comes at the expense of your gpa I wouldn’t bother. Check the grade distributions and if they’re hard id avoid them

 

[Faux]

any acceptances at the moment? or how far from application cycle? current GPA?

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

If it comes at the expense of your gpa I wouldn’t bother. Check the grade distributions and if they’re hard id avoid them

Have you taken any of those courses though? If not, then which ones have you taken and which ones do you plan to take?

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

any acceptances at the moment? or how far from application cycle? current GPA?

I won’t be applying until 2020 so I haven’t been accepted anywhere yet. I still have organic chemistry and biochemistry to take; I’m actually repeating organic chemistry because I did not pass it the first time. My current GPA is a 3.19.

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

I have taken some recommended courses but I think I’ll get in regardless and would rather take electives I am genuinely interested in than grind out for my remaining semesters.

 

[predent2151]

If I had to go back and take a class I’d take a neuroanatomy course. Stuff is rough IMO

 

[artist2022]

Many dental schools recommend taking upper division courses like histology, immunology, neuroscience, etc. For this reason, I have been considering taking one or more of aforementioned courses. However, I am wondering how helpful these upper division courses that I might take as an undergrad would be once I am in dental school.

For example, would taking undergrad histology give me a notable advantage when I am taking dental school's histology? What are some recommendations you guys can make based on your experiences?

I took the three classes you mentioned, and many others (like Virology, the entire Biochem series, Cell Physio, Human Physio, Anatomy, etc) and my Immuno class was soooooooooooo helpful last quarter, and my Virology and Physiology classes will be sooooooooooo helpful this quarter. I'm so glad I took them- Immuno lab did bite me in the butt with my GPA because I got a B in lab (no +/- given) but literally we used/are using the same textbooks and so I was able to/will use my undergrad notes! Do it if you can, but they are hard courses and will drop your GPA if you don't do well.

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

I have taken some recommended courses but I think I’ll get in regardless and would rather take electives I am genuinely interested in than grind out for my remaining semesters.

When you say electives, are you referring to other science classes that are not specifically recommended or do you just mean classes that are not necessarily from the sciences? Also, are you currently applying?


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[AppalachianDentalBoy]

@yourdeardarling_chickadee In order to graduate with my bio degree I have to take a certain number of upper level bio courses. I've taken some computer based informatics classes, special topics in cancer research, and some gene distribution/analysis based math classes. Of course I've also taken the standard recommended/ required anatomy 1&2, microbiology, and biochem 1&2. I'll be applying in June, good luck to you whenever you apply.

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

@yourdeardarling_chickadee In order to graduate with my bio degree I have to take a certain number of upper level bio courses. I've taken some computer based informatics classes, special topics in cancer research, and some gene distribution/analysis based math classes. Of course I've also taken the standard recommended/ required anatomy 1&2, microbiology, and biochem 1&2. I'll be applying in June, good luck to you whenever you apply.

Thank you. Good luck to you as well!


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[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

I took the three classes you mentioned, and many others (like Virology, the entire Biochem series, Cell Physio, Human Physio, Anatomy, etc) and my Immuno class was soooooooooooo helpful last quarter, and my Virology and Physiology classes will be sooooooooooo helpful this quarter. I'm so glad I took them- Immuno lab did bite me in the butt with my GPA because I got a B in lab (no +/- given) but literally we used/are using the same textbooks and so I was able to/will use my undergrad notes! Do it if you can, but they are hard courses and will drop your GPA if you don't do well.

Did you happen to take animal biology by any chance? Over at my university, one needs to take either animal biology or vertebrate zoology before taking histology. I’m asking because I’m wondering if I should take animal biology or vertebrate zoology even if I don’t take histology.


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[clark5013]

Many dental schools recommend taking upper division courses like histology, immunology, neuroscience, etc. For this reason, I have been considering taking one or more of aforementioned courses. However, I am wondering how helpful these upper division courses that I might take as an undergrad would be once I am in dental school.

For example, would taking undergrad histology give me a notable advantage when I am taking dental school's histology? What are some recommendations you guys can make based on your experiences?

Im going to make this short and easy for you. Take those classes AND do well in them. A student with those classes will be favoured over students without those classes during admissions.

 

[artist2022]

Did you happen to take animal biology by any chance? Over at my university, one needs to take either animal biology or vertebrate zoology before taking histology. I’m asking because I’m wondering if I should take animal biology or vertebrate zoology even if I don’t take histology.


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Yeah, I did, but it was as a zoology course. Hasn't come to be of any use yet, but I don't know if this will change in the future. Histology would be a good course to take though (I didn't "take" this, but I worked in a research lab that was pretty much entirely histological preps/stains/etc so I had pretty decent knowledge to begin with).

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

Im going to make this short and easy for you. Take those classes AND do well in them. A student with those classes will be favoured over students without those classes during admissions.

I'm guessing that you took many if not all of these courses. I would love to hear about your experience and where they have taken you, dental school-wise. Thanks.

 

[yourdeardarling_chickadee]

I took the three classes you mentioned, and many others (like Virology, the entire Biochem series, Cell Physio, Human Physio, Anatomy, etc) and my Immuno class was soooooooooooo helpful last quarter, and my Virology and Physiology classes will be sooooooooooo helpful this quarter. I'm so glad I took them- Immuno lab did bite me in the butt with my GPA because I got a B in lab (no +/- given) but literally we used/are using the same textbooks and so I was able to/will use my undergrad notes! Do it if you can, but they are hard courses and will drop your GPA if you don't do well.

Going back to this post: aside from the general requirements, which of these courses would you deem absolutely necessary to take if you did have the time or energy to take them all? Thanks.

 

[deleted678432]

Going back to this post: aside from the general requirements, which of these courses would you deem absolutely necessary to take if you did have the time or energy to take them all? Thanks.

I’m not in dental school yet but I’m assuming she will say anatomy and immunology. Those are both extremely rigorous courses and would be helpful to have a foundation on going into dental school

 

[artist2022]

Going back to this post: aside from the general requirements, which of these courses would you deem absolutely necessary to take if you did have the time or energy to take them all? Thanks.

Immunology and upper division Physio classes (since Human Anatomy & Physiology was considered lower division at my school, not sure if this is the case at all schools). For UCLA specifically, a lot of upperclassmen said that even if you hadn't taken Anatomy, you'd still be fine (so having taken Anatomy would only give you a slight advantage, if any). Personally it was half and half, and I'm glad I took classes like Immunology, Virology, and Physios too, as I feel they've helped more.