Things To Do While Waiting To Matriculate

[MotivatedToWin]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey everyone,

I recently applied to my 12 schools 2 weeks ago, and I take my DAT friday. I know that I will have a few interviews, but before I do, I would like to plan out what I was going to do for the next year. I graduated from college, so I have some time. I planned to shadow an endo specialist, another general, and then an OMF at different intervals. I'm also planning to teach a CCD class at my church, and volunteer time to coach boys basketball. What else can I do? Suggestions would really help!

 

[LiteBear2011]

Get a job to put away some cash to pay for dental school once you get in.

 

[MotivatedToWin]

Do you think the type of job actually matters though? Hopefully it's dental-related, but let's say it's working the frontdesk at a local gym or bartending?

 

[sacapuntas]

Do you think the type of job actually matters though? Hopefully it's dental-related, but let's say it's working the frontdesk at a local gym or bartending?

Matters in what sense? It matters in the sense that you will have more money than if you did not have a job.

 

[flipflopreverse]

Matters in what sense? It matters in the sense that you will have more money than if you did not have a job.

👍

 

[MotivatedToWin]

Well when you go to interviews though they'll ask. I just don't want them to say "How is that dental related?"

 

[Zbtb7]

What are you doing with all that free time?

I don't think adcoms care about what kind of job you're doing so much as the fact that you're doing something productive with your time. While not having a dentistry related job (what sort can a college graduate do?) may not help you, doing nothing will probably hurt you.

If I was an adcom, I'd seriously question the work ethic of someone who had a year and didn't spend it working or volunteering 40+ hours a week. Even if you did well in college, how well could you transition from a year of doing jack to professional school?

 

[tenndent]

At an interview I had last month, an applicant asked what he should do during his semester off before dental school because he'll be graduating in December. The dean of admissions said, "sleep."

 

[DoeAdeer]

What are you doing with all that free time?

I don't think adcoms care about what kind of job you're doing so much as the fact that you're doing something productive with your time. While not having a dentistry related job (what sort can a college graduate do?) may not help you, doing nothing will probably hurt you.

If I was an adcom, I'd seriously question the work ethic of someone who had a year and didn't spend it working or volunteering 40+ hours a week. Even if you did well in college, how well could you transition from a year of doing jack to professional school?

A GPA is probably a more accurate indicator of one's work ethic than a mere act of taking a year off to do anything other than "productive."

 

[Zbtb7]

A GPA is probably a more accurate indicator of one's work ethic than a mere act of taking a year off to do anything other than "productive."

That's debatable. Some people need to work part-time and even full-time to finance their education. As a result, they have less time/energy to study and their gpa would be significantly lower than their peers. A gpa doesn't evaluate extracurriculars like that. Also, if a person goes to an easier school, they could get a higher gpa with less effort than if they went to one with more competitive peers. Intelligence plays a huge role in one's gpa as well. I've had brilliant friends who barely studied and aced orgo and dull ones who couldn't do well no matter how many nights they spent at the library.

Not everyone has to take a gap year, but for those who do, it's a great level playing field to gauge work ethic. You no longer have academic commitments and have a ton of free time to do whatever you want. It's a great time to work/volunteer/travel/do more school or any combination thereof.

A gap year is a lot of time. If someone does nothing productive in this time frame, their work ethic will definitely deteriorate.

 

[KittySquared]

I'll be working in a dental office for a year before I matriculate. It's really important to save up some money. You have to save up some money for just in case you fail written or clinical boards if something goes wrong, lose your loupes and have to buy new ones etc. Those fees really add up. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to expect loans to take care of absolute everything... or mom and dad.

 

[HeadgearBraces]

Some people need to work part-time and even full-time to finance their education. As a result, they have less time/energy to study and their gpa would be significantly lower than their peers.

I really hope schools take this into consideration. Even working a part time labor job for 16-20 hours a week while going to school makes things difficult. After a normal day of class from 8-12, eat, library, gym, get ready for work, work from 230-630, eat dinner, shower.. its 8 o clock and the last thing I want to do is look at flashcards or try to study for an exam i have the next morning at 8am. It's definitely possible, but its physically and mentally demanding 😴

 

[KittySquared]

I really hope schools take this into consideration. Even working a part time labor job for 16-20 hours a week while going to school makes things difficult. After a normal day of class from 8-12, eat, library, get ready for work, work from 230-630, eat dinner, shower.. its 8 o clock and the last thing I want to do is look at flashcards or try to study for an exam i have the next morning at 8am. It's definitely possible, but its physically and mentally demanding 😴

Try working 30 hours as a dental hygienist, completing a 1 year accelerated physiology masters and graduating early while teaching on the side. It'll hella age you.

 

[Stacker]

Apply to NIDCR and research.

 

[HeadgearBraces]

Try working 30 hours as a dental hygienist, completing a 1 year accelerated physiology masters and graduating early while teaching on the side. It'll hella age you.

Much respect. I hope you get accepted everywhere you applied, I'm sure they will take notice of that work ethic lol

 

[mustardseed5]

Dr. Mario Tetris?

 

[KittySquared]

Much respect. I hope you get accepted everywhere you applied, I'm sure they will take notice of that work ethic lol

Lol it's so competitive these days. I'd be perfectly happy with 3 interviews and 1 acceptance 😳

Now... to find a good wrinkle cream... 🙄

Dr. Mario Tetris?

Premature carpal tunnel

 

[MotivatedToWin]

Well that's good to know. I'm planning a trip to verseas to visit family at some point. Definitely going to shadow a little more here and there, volunteer, and work. But the main point is to just enjoy the free time.

 

[kcakezzz]

Volunteer and travel!

 

[vinnie83]

Get a job, how else are you going to pay your bills (and travel for interviews) for the next year? Don't worry about trying to get something dental related, no one at any of my interviews seemed to have any issue with the fact that I had recently taken a job working as an engineer. While you should be excited about dentistry you don't need to spend all your time doing dental related stuff.

Volunteering/shadowing is great, even after you have been accepted, but you can still do it while working. Spending a year volunteering or working a minimum wage dental related job vs. spending a little time every month doing it is probably going to have no impact on what kind of dentist you become.

If you have never had the chance to do a lot of traveling and can afford it I would recommend a good vacation sometime before you start dental school as you won't have many chances until after you graduate.

 

[MotivatedToWin]

Thanks for the advice