This is why I like SDN. We see thoughtful posts that persuades the readers in a very convincing way, instead of some short BS post that only touches the surface.
trypmo said:
1. Familiarize yourself with terminology from dental anatomy & occlusion and also from gross anatomy as much as possible. The actual process of putting ideas together is easier when you have many of the puzzle pieces in your head *somewhere* to begin with; it becomes just a question of integrating the information in the right ways. I've actually heard someone say they wished they'd gone over some of the terminology and stuff before their DS1 year and that they thought it would've make things a little easier for them, so I'm going with that advice here.
I agree with this. Can you imagine someone entering dental school not knowing what an incisor is? Or what a molar is? That would be crazy.
2. I don't think it would work if you're *gunning* all summer; you don't really know what the courses are going to be like, so for all you know you could even be studying all the wrong things. If you're still prepared for the possibility of this outcome, then I think a bit of reading up couldn't hurt. If you're expecting to be a know-it-all on Day 1, perhaps you should think again.
I won't be gunning all semester. I never gun. I only enjoy learning everything I can. I'm just going to cruise my summer and read when I'm interested. Go over some previous notes I have of physiology, biochemistry, and etc. Sort them through, briefly refresh myself, look at glycolysis, blah blah blah, kick it easy. When dental school starts my previous notes will be summarized and available for reference.
3. Only do it if you ENJOY it on at least some level. Imagine finding out at the start of DS1 classes that it was all for nothing: would you still think of it as time well spent over the summer? If you enjoy the material for its own sake, you've got a positive outcome regardless.
Nicely said. Enjoy the material for its own sake. Why wouldn't anyone be, many of us have been studying sciences for many years, and it is likely that we've studied biology ever since high school.
4. If you don't go into it with the expectation of *cruising* through DS1 but rather expecting that you might be able to take the edge off of absolute panic when school starts by prepping ahead a bit, I say go for it. Whether you should do it depends on what you want from the preparation in the end.
I just don't want to die. Considering all the horror stories that people have said, lecture, labs, waxing, 12 finals in one week, being at school from morning till dawn. Geez. Why wouldn't anyone want a head start to take the edge off. It boggles me. I agree that dental school will be butt hard for the next 4 years, and this may very well be the last free summer. The last time I checked, I haven't had a good free summer in the past eight years! Most of us are dedicated students who have studied well, and even took summer school. Studying during summer is almost the norm. And now, we're not suppose to study this summer? Who pull the rug under me?
5. Are there course schedules posted for DS1 classes for your school? Another way to plan ahead is simply to know what your weeks are going to look like for the next several months. For example, I already know I'll have Gross lab on Tuesday & Friday afternoons, so I can already start to plan my after-school activities around that schedule.
Believe it or not, my dental school actually mailed us a schedule of what to expect in the first quarter along with that big packet of fin. aid, health forms, and etc. So, yeah, it looks like a 35 hour week at school. Holy smoke is coming out of my holy cow!
And, a subtle point which I like to point out. Anytime I'm on SDN, I'm really preparing for dental school, and the dental profession. It allows me to learn about everyone else's experience so that I can better anticipate and prepare. Thanks all!
