These questions are still quite relevant, can a columbia student(s) answer them?
THANKS!
I am a 4th year at Columbia, so I can probably answer a few of your questions. I actually enjoyed being in the med school classes. They definitely helped on the boards (that is, of course, if you actually put some effort into learning and remembering)- you don't have to kill yourself so much studying if you are already familiar with most of the info. Also, when seeing patients in the clinic, there is nothing that I have found baffling about their medical diagnoses, medications, etc. I think much of that is due to a little extra medical background.
About the clinical stuff:
Sure we don't have as much clinic time as some other schools, but I feel we get a good basis. If I were going into general dentistry (and several of my classmates are), I WOULD want to do an AEGD or GPR. Not that I feel like I wouldn't survive in the real world, or haven't performed enough procedures, but there is definitely a difference between any dental school and private practice. On a busy day here, I see a maximum of four or five patients - I would probably starve if that was my private practice daily load. It sure would be nice to have a buffer year in a PG program to allow me to speed up and get to do some cooler things (like implants rather than RPDs) without instructors over my shoulder. Its all about making yourself more marketable to a future employer when looking for an associateship. However, if I had a relative who was willing to take me under their wing in private practice, I have no doubt that I would be fine with my Columbia training. You will hear it a million more times - you can get as much out of the training as you want... if you work for it.
And, though many will deny it, the Columbia name doesn't hurt. Patients are getting more and more inquisitive about background, credentials, etc. Five years out of dental school, a Columbia grad can have the same speed and skill set as someone who graduated from the most clinically oriented school in the nation. But the average person seems to be impressed by the Columbia name (whether its fair, right, just, etc. or not). And with those med classes, a Columbia grad might just be a little more comfortable handling our country's aging, heavily diseased and medicated population... Just some thoughts.
I'm sure someone is already offended, but I'm just sharing some reasons I chose Columbia over a few others when it came down to that choice 4 years ago.
Feel free to ask anything else.
