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some Stony Brook impressions
Started by tbeaven
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I'm a third year dental student at Stony Brook. It's pretty cool here but tough. If you are interested, we may be able to set-up a time and have you a assist me on a patient or I can show you around. My name is Salvatore. 😉
I'm a third year dental student at Stony Brook. It's pretty cool here but tough. If you are interested, we may be able to set-up a time and have you a assist me on a patient or I can show you around. My name is Salvatore. 😉
#1 How is the social aspect at Stony Brook. I know school takes up most of the time wherever you are, but in down times does the class socialize together. I grew up on LI and my impressions of Stony Brook undergrad is that it is a very commuting school. Is the Dental School like that as well?
#2 Do you get lost in the Med students during your first 2 years of basic science?
#3 Do most students live in the area or commute?
#4 Are most students just from the LI and NYC areas?
#5 Do most students feel complete and confident dentists by the end of there time there?
Sorry for the boat load, but thanks!
#2 Do you get lost in the Med students during your first 2 years of basic science?
#3 Do most students live in the area or commute?
#4 Are most students just from the LI and NYC areas?
#5 Do most students feel complete and confident dentists by the end of there time there?
Sorry for the boat load, but thanks!
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Hello,
I'll take your questions one by one.
#1. The social scene is O.K. here. Most people in my class are married or have a significant other so there is not much socializing outside of class. You'll probably come here and fall into a small group of students that always hangs together during school or lunch. Most students here are very competitive so you may not want to hang too much with the majority of your class. I personally like to get away from my classmates whenever I can because they are competitive dorks. Don't judge the school on the attitude of the students though. The education is pretty good.
#2 In the first year, you may get lost agmonst the med students, but I never went to class nor do most students do. You are better off studying the transcripts from the med students than wasting time listening in class. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th year are in the dental school.
#3 Most students commute.
#4 Almost everyone is from LI and NYC.
#5 You'll probably feel confident by 4th year doing most dental things. It's hard to say, but I spend almost every moment studying about different aspects of dentistry.
I've lost a lot of sleep here, but I feel I know my stuff. I got mostly B's in the medical school, but when it came to the boards, I got a 95 Overall. I'll probably be a general dentist because none of the specialties turn me on. Plus, I would not consider any of them for just the money like so many dumb classmates of mine. First years come to me telling me they want to be a certain specialist, but they have no idea what they do for a living. Not that's stupid. Definitely keep an open mind here, and after three years here, then you should consider a area of dentistry. Sorry if I sound tough on this school, but this place is just that. Don't be scared either. If they accepted you, then they believe that you can do it. See you in the fall. Good luck and enjoy the rest of your time off before the work begins.
Sal
I'll take your questions one by one.
#1. The social scene is O.K. here. Most people in my class are married or have a significant other so there is not much socializing outside of class. You'll probably come here and fall into a small group of students that always hangs together during school or lunch. Most students here are very competitive so you may not want to hang too much with the majority of your class. I personally like to get away from my classmates whenever I can because they are competitive dorks. Don't judge the school on the attitude of the students though. The education is pretty good.
#2 In the first year, you may get lost agmonst the med students, but I never went to class nor do most students do. You are better off studying the transcripts from the med students than wasting time listening in class. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th year are in the dental school.
#3 Most students commute.
#4 Almost everyone is from LI and NYC.
#5 You'll probably feel confident by 4th year doing most dental things. It's hard to say, but I spend almost every moment studying about different aspects of dentistry.
I've lost a lot of sleep here, but I feel I know my stuff. I got mostly B's in the medical school, but when it came to the boards, I got a 95 Overall. I'll probably be a general dentist because none of the specialties turn me on. Plus, I would not consider any of them for just the money like so many dumb classmates of mine. First years come to me telling me they want to be a certain specialist, but they have no idea what they do for a living. Not that's stupid. Definitely keep an open mind here, and after three years here, then you should consider a area of dentistry. Sorry if I sound tough on this school, but this place is just that. Don't be scared either. If they accepted you, then they believe that you can do it. See you in the fall. Good luck and enjoy the rest of your time off before the work begins.
Sal
Sal,
You ought to post more often. Yours was one of the best posts I've seen in quite some time!
You ought to post more often. Yours was one of the best posts I've seen in quite some time!
Thanks for your support guys!
I am quite happy with my decision at Stony Brook Dental. I kind of had a feeling that I may not want to be a specialist so going to a cheap school was key. By going to Stony Brook, I thought I could get the DDS at an awesome price with a great rep, and there was always the possibility of being a specialist if I became interested. I apologize if I sound depressed about the whole dental school experience, but I'll tell you a little bit about my feelings over the past few years.
In my first year, it was tough. Not so much the science part, but the experience of always being alone just studying, eating and sleeping. My three year girlfriend left me because she couldn't deal with all my studying, then we were apart, then we got back together over the last few months of the year only to catch her cheating on me. So that sucked! I've been single since. She was pretty much the only person I spoke to or hung with in college. Once she was gone, there really wasn't anyone to spill my guts to when I was frustrated or wanted to talk. So I bottled much of these feelings. The same thing happen to two other guys in my class. One friend had a girlfriend leave him because of all the studies. He pretty much collapsed. He pretty much finished off the year with all C's because of his great depression. Another friend became so depressed that he turned to heavy drinking and got left back because he failed Pathology. Not me! With the pressure, I just turned to my books. It was my escape.
In 2nd year, it was tough but a new version of tough. In first year, you had transcripts to study from for the medical classes, however, the dental school is not as organized. Students may get special abriged notes from their big sibs that helps, and some may get nothing. I work with a couple of students in my class and we share whatever notes we get from upper classmates. Without these notes, you could easily fail an exam. Some people get hooked up more then others. I usually go to hot chick upperclasswomen because they usually get what they want because of their looks. Once I get the notes, I will distribute to others. I usually love to help students in lab work and understanding dentistry, but if I feel someone is disrespectful to me or someone I am friends with, I will be hesitant to help them again.
In 2nd year, you also have some lab work to do plus a ton of exams. In first year, you really didn't have to show up to medical school classes, but in dental school they take attendance. Most times, you're in the dental school from 8-5PM, and then you have to study for an exam the next day. Most times, I feel the lectures are BS, and my time should be spent studying, but they take attendance. So what students do and what ticks me off, students sit in class either studying or they sign in and then walk out to study. They return when there is a break to sign in for the second half. There is a lot of childish BS at times. Plus, being with the same 40 people all year round 8-5PM all week is annoying. You literally know when your friend has to take a #2 in the bathroom because you spend so much time with him/her. Don't get me wrong, when you do find those few good friends here, you will be as close as blood. So, you study all year round, do lab work and then worry about the NDB part I at the end of the year.
In third year, there is a LITTLE less pressure. The pressures involved are major exams every week. So one major exam is given per week with clinic work. You must find patient for presentations in different courses. These patients must be unique from your roster. Plus, you have to find patients with Class II and III lesions so you can do competencies. When you can't find them on your patients in time, you fail. I'll fill you in more as time goes, but I think its going to be quite a while before I'm with a woman again. I don't even have time to think about them. Though, I do have some hot patients that I'm taking care of. The only problem is I don't want hot chicks for patients. They all take care of their teeth, and there is no work to do on them. Alls well, maybe they'll fall in love with me. I have one that is more excited than me that I'm done in a 1 1/2 years.
Hope you enjoyed my story.
Till later,
Sal
P.S. I still love the dentistry part of dental school. I was accepted to the following dental schools long ago. DAT 21/18 GPA 3.7
Tufts $4000 Scholarship
BU
Harvard (interviewed/rejected)
UPENN
UMaryland
UBuffalo (DDS/PhD program)
Columbia
UMDNJ $1000 Scholarship
U Stony Brook
I am quite happy with my decision at Stony Brook Dental. I kind of had a feeling that I may not want to be a specialist so going to a cheap school was key. By going to Stony Brook, I thought I could get the DDS at an awesome price with a great rep, and there was always the possibility of being a specialist if I became interested. I apologize if I sound depressed about the whole dental school experience, but I'll tell you a little bit about my feelings over the past few years.
In my first year, it was tough. Not so much the science part, but the experience of always being alone just studying, eating and sleeping. My three year girlfriend left me because she couldn't deal with all my studying, then we were apart, then we got back together over the last few months of the year only to catch her cheating on me. So that sucked! I've been single since. She was pretty much the only person I spoke to or hung with in college. Once she was gone, there really wasn't anyone to spill my guts to when I was frustrated or wanted to talk. So I bottled much of these feelings. The same thing happen to two other guys in my class. One friend had a girlfriend leave him because of all the studies. He pretty much collapsed. He pretty much finished off the year with all C's because of his great depression. Another friend became so depressed that he turned to heavy drinking and got left back because he failed Pathology. Not me! With the pressure, I just turned to my books. It was my escape.
In 2nd year, it was tough but a new version of tough. In first year, you had transcripts to study from for the medical classes, however, the dental school is not as organized. Students may get special abriged notes from their big sibs that helps, and some may get nothing. I work with a couple of students in my class and we share whatever notes we get from upper classmates. Without these notes, you could easily fail an exam. Some people get hooked up more then others. I usually go to hot chick upperclasswomen because they usually get what they want because of their looks. Once I get the notes, I will distribute to others. I usually love to help students in lab work and understanding dentistry, but if I feel someone is disrespectful to me or someone I am friends with, I will be hesitant to help them again.
In 2nd year, you also have some lab work to do plus a ton of exams. In first year, you really didn't have to show up to medical school classes, but in dental school they take attendance. Most times, you're in the dental school from 8-5PM, and then you have to study for an exam the next day. Most times, I feel the lectures are BS, and my time should be spent studying, but they take attendance. So what students do and what ticks me off, students sit in class either studying or they sign in and then walk out to study. They return when there is a break to sign in for the second half. There is a lot of childish BS at times. Plus, being with the same 40 people all year round 8-5PM all week is annoying. You literally know when your friend has to take a #2 in the bathroom because you spend so much time with him/her. Don't get me wrong, when you do find those few good friends here, you will be as close as blood. So, you study all year round, do lab work and then worry about the NDB part I at the end of the year.
In third year, there is a LITTLE less pressure. The pressures involved are major exams every week. So one major exam is given per week with clinic work. You must find patient for presentations in different courses. These patients must be unique from your roster. Plus, you have to find patients with Class II and III lesions so you can do competencies. When you can't find them on your patients in time, you fail. I'll fill you in more as time goes, but I think its going to be quite a while before I'm with a woman again. I don't even have time to think about them. Though, I do have some hot patients that I'm taking care of. The only problem is I don't want hot chicks for patients. They all take care of their teeth, and there is no work to do on them. Alls well, maybe they'll fall in love with me. I have one that is more excited than me that I'm done in a 1 1/2 years.
Hope you enjoyed my story.
Till later,
Sal
P.S. I still love the dentistry part of dental school. I was accepted to the following dental schools long ago. DAT 21/18 GPA 3.7
Tufts $4000 Scholarship
BU
Harvard (interviewed/rejected)
UPENN
UMaryland
UBuffalo (DDS/PhD program)
Columbia
UMDNJ $1000 Scholarship
U Stony Brook
Sal,
Thanks again for the info. Don't worry about the chick scene. Happens to the best of us and wasn't worth it if she couldn't wait to see the fruit of your labor.
I am in the area so it would be great to take you up on the offer of shadowing or just giving a tour. Of course, it would always be good to have an upperclassmen contact. Drop me a line at ([email protected]).
Peace
Thanks again for the info. Don't worry about the chick scene. Happens to the best of us and wasn't worth it if she couldn't wait to see the fruit of your labor.
I am in the area so it would be great to take you up on the offer of shadowing or just giving a tour. Of course, it would always be good to have an upperclassmen contact. Drop me a line at ([email protected]).
Peace
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