Typical dental student day

[ctfuturepedo]

Can some current dental students give a timeline of their typical day, including wake up, class, studying, etc. Thanks!

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[Flipper405]

For me at least, every single day's schedule is different because that's how they've set up the curriculum. We have 4 2-hour blocks though, 8-10,10-12,1-3,3-5. Most of the time, we have basic science lectures with the occasional dent sim lab rotation. I usually wake up around 6:30 since I move pretty slow in the morning. We get a 10 minute break in between blocks and in the middle of each block. We get a chance to get some water, bathroom, talk etc. Ideally I would say I would be studying every day when I get home at 5:whatever, but I have been just watching TV and unwinding so far. We pretty much have only had embryology, biochem, dental anatomy, and cariology so far. We are just starting histology now, and I literally just got back from picking up my skull for gross anatomy. I'm sure things will be getting busier soon enough

 

[hoss19]

Can some current dental students give a timeline of their typical day, including wake up, class, studying, etc. Thanks!

We have no "typical day". Theoretically, classes/waxing are scheduled from 8-12, 1-5. Dont get scared. There is rarely a day where we actually have classroom / lab time of 8 hours. We have several "groups" that each student is within, and many of the labs and classes you go with your group. So while a group may have waxing from 9-12 wednesday, the others not in the group are unscheduled.

I have gotten the swing of things and I only go to the classes that I need to go to or the ones are interesting to me or have great lecturers. For instance, today i am not going to class until this afternoon (radiology) and then one of the smaller groups that I am in (comprised of one-fourth the class size) has student 2 student screenings. Then i am in the library until midnight (again) to cram for (another) exam. Second this week.

If you want, PM me with your email and I can shoot over our schedule or you can find a link to it online. Remember that UMaryland is a "bit" compressed for D1s because we take boards after our first year as compared to most other schoold where their student take them after second year.

 

[bigstix808]

every day is different. but the general trend is 8 (or 9) to 12; lunch; class/lab 1-4 (or 5 depending on the day)

most lectures are in the AM. after lunch we have either another lecture on more didactic material, or an anatomy lecture followed by lab time. but like i said, schedule is all mixed up...some afternoons are off, while others have bioclinical seminars or presentations. we need a PhD to read our schedules here lol

im a d1

 

[SugarNaCl]

If you log onto the VCU website, you will see a pull down menu. Click on "School of Dentistry". From there, click on "current students" and you will be able to open up the schedules for each year, D-1 through D-4 even if you aren't a student here. Worth looking at.

Studying is A LOT the first 2 years... but after that, it's mainly clinic at VCU with just a few classes mixed in.

 

[dds4yrs]

Classes from 8 to 5 with lunch 12 to 1. This is the most studying I have EVER done in my life. I get home and study for several hours each night, or stay at school and study. I am a D1 and we also take boards after 1st year, bottom line is that 1st semester is 30+ credit hours. No day is the same, we are juggling so many classes they have to put them where they can, when they can. I'm not pulling my hair out or anything, but it is a lot. If you just want to "get by" I'm sure you won't have to put forth so much studying, but to do well this is a full time job pulling lots of overtime.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

Class MWF either 8-12 or 1-5, Tuesday 8-5pm, thursday off, mix in rotations for D1

D2: 8-12pm, lunch 12-1pm, lab 1-5pm, extra lab session 5pm-whenever you finish

D3-D4: clinic, you set your own hours and you have some classes mixed in. Morning/Afternoon 8am/1pm, night clinic 5pm.

this is USC

 

[bjhath]

Can some current dental students give a timeline of their typical day, including wake up, class, studying, etc. Thanks!

Here's a day in my life as a D1 commuting to Pacific.

Class from 8 to 1, except Monday and Friday, when class starts at 9. We typically have exams on Mondays from 8-9, so its not really much of a break. Lunch is from 1-2, then class from 2 until 4 or 5. Days are mixed between pre-clinic courses, labs, and didactics.

As for me, I wake up at 5:15 or so, leave the house at 5:45 and hop on the train and then bus, studying while I commute, and get to school by about 6:45. I work/study in the simlab until class starts and come back in the afternoon and stay until 6:30+. Though I get to school earlier than most, but, in the evening, many classmates stay in the simlab later than me. I get home about an hour fifteen after I leave, eat dinner, take care of miscellaneous stuff, study for an hour or two, and try to climb into bed by 10:30 (haven't been very successful, yet). Rinse, wash, repeat; Monday thru Friday. The simlab is open Saturdays from 9-4 and about 70% of our class spends at least a few hours in there catching up or finishing projects.

You can go to the UoP website > current students > class schedules to check out the calendars for all three years.

It's exhausting, but I can't complain. I am one happy camper!

 

[Persevere13]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=653122

 

[Andre3k]

6:30 - wake up
8:00 - lecture 1
10:00 - lecture 1 lab
12:00 - lunch
01:00 - lecture 2
3:00 - lecture 2 lab
5:00 - done for the day


We take Gross Anatomy and Biochem three times a week and Occlusion twice a week. There are two lectures and two labs each day. The lectures are either at 8 or 1 depending on the day.

 

[askadds]

6:30 - wake up
8:00 - lecture 1
10:00 - lecture 1 lab
12:00 - lunch
01:00 - lecture 2
3:00 - lecture 2 lab
5:00 - done for the day


We take Gross Anatomy and Biochem three times a week and Occlusion twice a week. There are two lectures and two labs each day. The lectures are either at 8 or 1 depending on the day.

hey Andre3k, your schedule looks similar to one...oh snap, we go to the same school. haha...

5:00 to 8:00 - study
9:00 to 10:00 - study
then watch ESPN and pass out

to summarize, most hours of the day are dedicated to school/study and a couple to relaxing.

 

[cjb04]

Week for Midwestern D1:

Monday is simclinic from 8-4
T/W/R=Basic sciences from 9-4
Friday has case study presentations every few weeks, but otherwise is independent study/guest speakers

We have a quiz every monday in simclinic and an exam every Tuesday for basic sciences.

To give you an idea of the scope of exam 1, it covers (12) 1 hour lectures that were given during week 1: intro to histology, Cytology 1 and 2, Amino acids protien structure + enzymes, Carbohydrate and lipid structure, membrane transport, vesicular transport, osmosis and body fluids, signal transduction 1 and 2, cell cycle, cytoskeleton

It may seem like a lot, but the faculty here is awesome and presents it well. That being said, I'm still spending hours studying the packet of notes and powerpoints (they print them for us).

As mentioned by others, this "typical schedule" is variable from week to week with other small classes thrown in, but it gives you a basic idea.

 

[jmick101]

3rd year at Pacific.

Wake up 7 ish. Get ready and leave about 45 minutes before class/clinic. Clinic or class in the morning/afternoon/ and monday and thursday evening until 9pm. Tues/Wed/Fri head home around 530pm.

 

[jay47]

UDTB, Houston

6:55 Get up
7:30 Bike to Class
7:45 Get to Class
8:00-12:00 Go to class
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-~3:00 Go to Class (varies from 12 on Wed to 5 on Tuesday)

Just image a clock that has the word "Class" in the middle. Your day will pretty much revolve around that word, lol.

~5 Study/Workout/Study/
12:00 Go to bed

 

[Cold Front]

D4 at my program = 100% clinic.

There are here and there seminars, but the rest of the time = whenever you feel like doing dentistry. My typical week is a half a day Mon-Thur schedule with patients, the rest of the time is either doing some lab work (once or twice a week) and/or doing something outside school.

We still have licensure and board exams to challenge, but not the biggest concern for most people in my class.

 

[brandonbraud]

M: class 8-12 operative lab 1-5 (or sooner if youre not slow)
T: fixed pros lab 8-12 (or earlier if youre not slow) class 1-4
W: class 8-12 operative lab 1-5 (or sooner if youre not slow)
Th: fixed pros lab 8-12 or earlier (catch my drift) class 1-4
F: Dentures 8-12 X-ray lab afternoons

after school food, maybe a work-out if i looked in the mirror that morning. nap directly after, wake up sometime in evening and maybe study but mostly excessive drinking

 

[sk06]

class 8-5 mon- fri. come home, rest for an hour or more if you dare, then do more work! it's tiring but fun if this is what you really want to do.

question: how do all of you experienced dental students manage your time effectively? i'm a D1 and have been out of school since 06 so i kind of got out of touch with this schedule. i normally work out for about 1.5 hours per day and spend time cooking (which i obviously need to cut down now that i'm in d-school).any tips on how i can manage my time better? for instance, how long do u spend working out, cooking/eating dinner during the week?

 

[ReallyCuteGirl]

Everyday I'm studyin, Everyday I'm studyin, Everyday I'm Everyday I'm Everyday I'm studyin.

 

[caffeinehigh]

http://www.uchsc.edu/sod/students/SchedulesforStudents.htm

 

[UKdent]

wake up at 8. get to school at 9. see a patient from 9-12, but usually and finished by 10:30. Go home for lunch. Come back to school to see a patient at 2-5. If i have crowns due, then i wont go home ill stay at school over lunch and do lab work. Monday-Friday. Ill probably start studying in a few months at night for an hour or two for part II boards.

 

[Simply_Unique]

Can some current dental students give a timeline of their typical day, including wake up, class, studying, etc. Thanks!

Wake up at 6 am, class 8-5 pm (lunch from 12-1 and if we're lucky, we get out earlier than 5), 5-6 pm relax, between 6 pm-12: eat, study, sleep, and start over again. Dental school is certainly for people that can manage their time well, stay focused, and work well under stress.

 

[toothy2112]

Wake up at 6 am, class 8-5 pm (lunch from 12-1 and if we're lucky, we get out earlier than 5), 5-6 pm relax, between 6 pm-12: eat, study, sleep, and start over again. Dental school is certainly for people that can manage their time well, stay focused, and work well under stress.

Guess I better get better at the time management thing! (Sometimes I can be a slacker)

 

[Plopper]

UConn D1
MTWRF BMS Class 8-12
TWR Lab&D-classes 1-5 then study until 10
MF 1-10pm study (dinner while studying)
Saturday&Sunday 11am-8pm study

and i'm still not sure if i'll make it past the first year. Way too much material is presented with no real focus on what to study...

 

[small]

There is no dental school day or night, just constant studying and lab work with some intermittent sleep and drinking sprinkled in out of necessity. That's my take on 2nd year, at least. Looking forward replacing a bit of that studying with snowboarding here in a couple of weeks. . .

 

[marcusnasland]

I have only been in school a couple months, but so far it has been less stressful then undergrad and really not all that busy, I guess I better knock on wood though

 

[Simply_Unique]

I have only been in school a couple months, but so far it has been less stressful then undergrad and really not all that busy, I guess I better knock on wood though

I would like to know what school do you attend? Because I would definitely transfer there.

 

[yuppers]

UDTB, Houston

6:55 Get up
7:30 Bike to Class
7:45 Get to Class
8:00-12:00 Go to class
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-~3:00 Go to Class (varies from 12 on Wed to 5 on Tuesday)

Just image a clock that has the word "Class" in the middle. Your day will pretty much revolve around that word, lol.

~5 Study/Workout/Study/
12:00 Go to bed

Less then 7 hours of sleep per night.... I get tried just thinking about it.

 

[Livineasi]

6:15am wake up
walk to train/ take train and shuttle to school
8am-12pm: 1 hour lecture then 3 hour lab; or two 2 hour lectures
12-1pm: lunch
1-3pm: class
go home and chill for a few hours
study if I have an exam coming up.

Freshman 1st semester is pretty chill - 2nd year is supposed to be more of a 8am-5pm day with lots more labs.

So - far I'm managed to pass my exams by cramming for them over the weekend. Probably won't work for ever - but so far so good.

Good luck!

 

[CMistry]

I spend all day studying or classes with a 1-hour break tossed in there... I wouldn't say it's what everyone does, but it's typical. I'm a D2 @ Maryland BTW.

 

[marcusnasland]

I go to a school in Canada...

- It still is stressful don't get me wrong, but I finally feel like I am doing something with my life, you get a mix of work (using your hands and your intellect), my school is all pass/fail and I don't want to specialize so if i get a 60 or 70 I don't stress over it, and since all the classes are coordinated together we never really get a huge load of exams all at once, they are spread out nicely throughout the year.