NBDE1- 95
NBDE2 - 81
TOEFL- 117
GPA- 3.2
8 year experience in India
1 year observership in US
1 year dental assistance in US
Applied to- UOP, UCSF, UTHSCSA, UCLA, USC, TUFTS, LLU, UIC, BU, UPenn, UMich
IV calls- UIC, TUFTS, BU, UPenn, UOP, UCSF, UCLA, USC, UTHSCSA
Alternate list- UIC, USC, UCLA
Waiting to hear from - UPenn, UTHSCSA
Acceptance - BU, UOP, UCSF
Going ahead with my DREAM SCHOOL - 😍 UOP 😍 UOP 😍 UOP 😍
Declining offer from - BU, UCSF
Chose UOP because ... just writing it here cuz few members here on SDN sent me PM asking why m I going ahead with UOP?
My explanation:
UOP – 😍 😍 Very very friendly, Very stress free, they made every effort to make it a pleasing experience for me.
Pros about the school:
I have been applying to various schools in US since last year. I would definitely preferr UOP/UTHSCSA over UCSF/UCLA. This year, I had interview experiences at UIC, TUFTS, BU, UPenn, UOP, UCSF, UCLA, USC and UMich. I got acceptance from BU, UOP, and UCSF till now.
1) UOP's state-of-the-art facilities and simulation lab with high class standard is amazing and the best ever among all schools I visited. Actually, I am from San Francisco and I have friends in both schools, so I have visited UOP & UCSF three-four times before I was interviewed. I know these schools from inside-out. UOP has all recent equipments available and it keeps all departments updated with recent advancements and technologies.
2) Friendly school
3) Every current students seemed to be satisfied with the program
4) Great alumni networking is available
5) UOP's mission is to make you the best general practioner you can be and they work on it really hard.
6) One of very rare schools providing you opportunity to learn 'INVISALIGNERS' - isn't that great and simply awesome?
7) DUAL degree programs available and actively offered (State of the art technology!)
8) They mentor you towards the Regional licensing exam you want to take .. both WREB and NREB!
9) They don't promise what they cannot do - so, no fake promises!
10) The clinical experience at Pacific truly is overwhelming and mindblowing. My senior friends in the first year (not even completed their first years) have been given 45-55 patients each within a short spam and their second year is yet to begin. So, just imagine yourself.
11) Maximum Faculty number among schools I visited so far - it really makes lots of difference,
12) competency based learning: not limited to pre-clinicals but also extends into the clinic. Clinical requirements are very demanding. If you are not in lectures, you will be in the clinic. If you are not in the clinic, you will be in the lab. So, no free time and maximum use of two year program. (Paisa vasool! - that's what my senior friends said me)
13) All students get to do specialty work - this is unique part about UOP. Even If you want to do impacted molar extractions, they will guide you; you want to RCT molar, they will guide you and let you do it; implants - they will guide you; If you want to do perio surgery, they will guide you..... SO, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR POTENTIAL till what extent you wnat to learn from them.
14) Current students I personally met, convincingly opined me that 'STRONG clinical orientation' of UOP is a major factor in their decision making. UOP has few current students like us who had acceptances in both UOP and UCSF last year and they preferred UOP just because they preferred perfection as a DDS over PG. According to them, the present era is all about dental revolution; UOP curriculum is entirely based on ‘comprehensive patient care', I guess USC is the other school with same kind of standard but has few drawbacks, so UOP aces over USC. I don't have no plan for PG like my senior friends at UOP, so my goal is that I must know comprehensive patient management and I should be self-confident enough to treat my patients convincingly after completing DDS.
15) Helpful and supportive environment with higher interaction with dental faculty members and quality of teaching is simply awesome and impressive. Didn't you have an opportunity to interact with current students? If you did then probably you would not have asked me the same question, UOP believes in a team work. Believe me, this strategy works for development both as a person and as a professional. UOP already has gifted highest profile dentists to State of California in the dental profession. I'm from California and would love to be headed in a righteous direction. I just want to master my skills as a general dentist. UOP certainly makes its students a perfectionist. Quality of teaching is what might be compromised at other schools.
16) Research scope is decent because UOP has all recent technologies available and we as IDS students will have access to all nearby major hospitals and patients of all varieties. UOP concentrates on CLINICAL RESEARCH which is good according to my opinion as that is what matters the most in day by day routine practice. If you don't know anything by now then major breakthroughs by UOP includes clinical research on Invisalign and the invisible braces for adults.
17) Someone asked me about the cost-factor of UCSF Vs UOP, I don't think so there's much difference between both schools. Honestly, both school expenses go over 200K and is nearly the same. I don't mind paying little money more for UOP as quality matters the most to me. I believe if I have a quality in my work and I'm a perfectionist for all kind of work I'm supposed to perform, I certainly can recover the little difference of money within less than a year, isn't it? Don't think much if you have no plan for PG in near future, trust me UOP will matter with a long time prospect just because of quality. Not only me but every UOP students have had the same experience. They told me the same thing.
18) UOP's location in Pacific Heights is considered to be a major advantage, particularly as a place to live while in dental school. Not so crowded!
19) I liked the concept of ‘SCOPE' program. It has got SF main dental clinic and 14 different clinics throughout the BAY area. UOP is an adventure.
20) Why we FTDs came to US? Everyone might have 100 different reasons but one common interest of all is that we all dentists want to learn recent advancements and technologies. UOP gives all opportunities without no limitations. It's entirely up to you till what extent you want to gain from the school.
21) One of the highest passing rates of WREB licensure exam on first attempt, perfect place if you want to go ahead with your future in California. They prepare the best out of us for licensure exams.
I hope it helps!
Dr. Nehra
