Tip for future applicants: something you should mention to adcom

[Wei87]

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So I figure I should share with you guys an issue that I've come across.

I am a Biochemistry major at Michigan, and the classes I needed to take for my major nicely aligns with the dental school requirements.

The issue that I came across was this: Biochem at Michigan falls under the Chemistry department. Which means that many of my core classes (including two semesters of Biochem and two semesters of Biophysics) are listed on my transcript as "Chemistry" class. I didn't realize this would be an issue, but at some of my interviews, the interviewers questioned my ability to handle the predominantly bio dental school classes. They quoted the fact that I've only had 28 credit hours of biology classes. I was rather confused at the time, but I realized later that these schools didn't take my biochem, academic research, and biophysics (though I guess biophysics is not a pure bio course) credits into consideration. This was due to the fact that they are listed as "Chemistry" courses on my transcript, despite the fact that it was probably no different than biochemistry classes at any other school.

I know that there are other schools in the nation where the biochemistry major (or other bio related majors) is part of the chemistry department...
So here's the tip: be sure to mention to your interviewer that despite the fact that some courses are labeled as chemistry courses, they were actually classes that provided you with a strong background in biology. This is also a pretty nice way to answer the "What would you like me to tell the admissions committee?" question, assuming that you don't have a better answer prepared.

Hope this will help some of you out there!

 

[cybermech]

Yes, this is probably good advice for people with non-biology degrees.

 

[doc3232]

Thanks. That sounds like some solid, useful advice.

 

[Contach]

Some dental schools are so petty. I can't believe they say things like this.
oooohhh biology courses vs chem courses.. ohhhhh myyyy bigg deal

fact of the matter is that there is such a low attrition rate. when students being unable to handle a dental school courseload is a real problem, wake me up from my hibernation.


If dental schools really want to accept the best candidates, they would change their whole interview process. The standard 1on1 interview has been shown to be a very low predictor of student and professional success: the most commonly predicted reason is the pervasiveness of bias. The american dental schools need to learn to change their interviewing practices based on what the evidence says is best - and those are competency-centred interviews, or the multiple-mini-interview (MMI) to name a couple I am familiar with....

 

[Andrew324]

I only took the 8 normal Biology semester credits that were needed and that seemed to be fine. No questions asked 🙂.

Which school did you decide to go to?

 

[water88]

28 credit hours seems like a lot of biology to have done by the time you apply. Most people just have the intro bio sequence and maybe a few upper level bios.

 

[Stephie3]

i went to an open house at one of the schools and the dean of admissions said that chemistry and physics were considered "hard sciences" while biology was considered a "soft science".

my biochem teacher at school said that people assume if you can learn chemistry, then you can learn biology.

 

[cobalt31]

i only took 18 hrs of bio courses (just enough for the minor 😛) and it was never an issue at any of my interviews. i find it odd that your 28 hrs were brought up as a negative in your interviews. your major sounds extremely relevant to dental school.

 

[Stephie3]

also, i asked one of my interviewers at Case what he thought best prepared students. he told me that students with strong backgrounds in physiology AND biochemistry should be prepared.

 

[Contach]

also, i asked one of my interviewers at Case what he thought best prepared students. he told me that students with strong backgrounds in physiology AND biochemistry should be prepared.

Some medical schools in Canada accept students with a Music Degree, Agriculture and Lumber, or whatever. No medical school puts you at a disadvantage for not having a science degree, but most require that you take particular pre-reqs. There is atleast one I know of (McMaster University) that doesn't even require applicants to write the MCAT or have any university pre-reqs. All the students do fine in this program (everyone passes).

It goes to show, that learning transcends boundaries of discipline. Learning is a process: if you can develop these fundamental skills in undergrad, you can apply it wherever you want. No one should question the 'material' you learn in undergrad because the content of what you learn is irrelevant. The skills you learn are invaluable.

 

[Wei87]

i only took 18 hrs of bio courses (just enough for the minor 😛) and it was never an issue at any of my interviews. i find it odd that your 28 hrs were brought up as a negative in your interviews. your major sounds extremely relevant to dental school.

lol, I felt the same exact way