Temple lab work & living

[Yellow Snow]

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With Dec. 1st around the corner I wanted to ask current Temple students about some of the bigger concerns I had with my number one choice, should I be accepted.

I know that at Temple you do your own lab work. I was talking with a D4 who transferred out of OHSU, another school where you do your own lab work, and he said he spent 30-40 hours a week just on lab work and was making only modest grades (he scored a 96 on Board 1 and 4.0 since transfering). Is this the kind of time you are putting in at Temple for lab work? As I have interviewed schools have made a big deal about sending out lab work or having an in-house lab so this aspect of Temple has kind of got me hung up.

Also, I might be getting ahead of myself but can you take public transportation from the Main Line or Manayunk/Roxo. area to Temple? Is it practical?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dentcraze]

I live in Man/Rox area and I drive in to Temple but i have taken the train into school. You can buy a monthly pass for like 100 bucks which includes all bus, train, subways. With that you can get to the school. There is alot of labwork year 3 and 4 so chose wisely if sitting over a bunsen burner isnt up your ally then go to a school that sends out lab work. Remember also that Temple totes itself as a heavy clinical school but Upenn now does 30 crowns and We do 15. The differnece is we do lab work and Upenn sends it out. I have friends who wont schedule patients for a whole week and just do lab work all day. I try and do it when i get no showed over lunch or early in the morning. If you have any other questions about Temple feel free it ask.

 

[Mackchops]

Yellow Snow, I'm curious what puts Temple at number one for you? I interviewed there and was pretty impressed -- especially at how crowded the main lobby was the whole time I was there. But I seem to be hung up on something. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm just not certain at this point that I would go to Temple if accepted, let alone choosing it over another school. Why do you love it?

 

[Yellow Snow]

Yellow Snow, I'm curious what puts Temple at number one for you? I interviewed there and was pretty impressed -- especially at how crowded the main lobby was the whole time I was there. But I seem to be hung up on something. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm just not certain at this point that I would go to Temple if accepted, let alone choosing it over another school. Why do you love it?

Well, it might be too early to say that I love it and I am not without concerns. 🙂 Mostly I just felt positive when I was there about digging in and getting some work done in a community that could use a leg up. I like to be useful (or feel useful) and Temple seems to offer opportunities for service. I have no interest in research or really even in specializing so I am looking for a strong clinical school. I am not afraid of poor people so that helps. 😀 There seems to be so much work to be done that really the sky is the limit on what you want to accomplish.

After hearing how much doing your own lab work can impact a students number of procedures completed/competency achieved, I think that this is my biggest concern. I am also concerned about the lack of new technology (or even the plan to implement new technology) and that the school seems to have a lot of the "older dental school" hang-ups with excessive red tape slowing procedures and the school generally thinking that students are lucky to be there/are there for the school. I have heard that they will be implementing an outreach program like Arizona's which could be huge because that might reduce some red tape and perhaps you would use the outreach clinic's lab service? You also do tons of procedures in outreach.

My Arizona interview made it harder because they make so much sense over there and the school is all about being there for the students. The dean said, "We want you to charge across the finish line instead of dragging yourself across when you graduate" and the school's set up really seems to promote this. It is just impossible to get too excited about getting accepted because they only take 30 on Dec 1st.

 

[docious]

Glad to hear you're so keen on Temple...

If/when you do get accepted, something to keep in mind is where you'll want to live.

You essentially have two options:

1. Living in the dental school compound in Roxborough
2. Living in Center City.

As a Philly native, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend living in Center City. Get an apt. near Broad st. and you can take the subway literally right to the school. You don't NEED a car in Philly and of course, you get the benefit of living in a vibrant and very walkable city.

The school tries to steer everyone in Roxborough housing. While this will put in closer proximity closer to many of your classmates I think city living is preferable...

 

[1992Corolla]

i live in roxborough...if I didn't have kids i would go live in center city.

If you have a wife with kids then roxborough will most likely be more up your alley. Car pool with guys in your class...split the parking pass and gas and you save money (cheaper than a 100 dollar train/bus ride).

The Bus ride to the subway from roxborough to the school is about 40 minutes on a good day. If you take the bus during normal commute hours then it is alright...taking it before or after rush hour...still do able but you're on your own😎

 

[Yellow Snow]

Thanks for all of the help. My wife and I lived in Philly on 10th and Pine for about 8 months when she was a chef at Morimoto's. It was great, I like Philly alot, but we do have a two year old now and city life would be a bit much. Philly public schools have a terrible reputation as well. I was looking at stuff out the main line (I went out as far as Malvern once when I interviewed at the Vanguard Group) but it might be too far. I don't know the area outside the city too well as we never really had a reason to leave. I hear good things about Mana/Roxo but have never been there for myself.

So, does Temple have any plans on changing the way lab work is or do they think that is the better way? Newer schools are having students pass off competentices but once you are proficient you are done, unless you want to do the work.

 

[1992Corolla]

no change on the horizon...

 

[flat4]

Labwork sucks but I knew coming into this school that this would be the case. I do my labwork whenever I have free time. Anytime I get no showed, lunch breaks, after PM clinic, I will be in the lab getting stuff done. I have yet to do it on the weekends. I know a few friends who take their labwork home but I could never do that as I want to separate school and home. Some weeks I have tons of labwork and some weeks I won't have anything. Is all this labwork gonna make me a better dentist? Probably not. But it's another hoop to jump and with the help of Dunkin Donuts coffee and an Ipod, it's really not that bad. I'll even go as far as saying that sometimes, it's enjoyable to see the final product. I've always liked 3D art and putting stuff together so, although the labor is intensive, I take satisfaction in taking a hunk of wax and seeing it transform into a working prosthetic.