UoP

[the prodogy]

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I heard from some people that the University of the Pacific only takes three years to complete dental school. Is that true? If it is, what other schools do that and how different would the curriculum be? How much more packed and how much harder would classes be if time were to be cut 25%?

 

[armorshell]

Yes this is true, and no other schools do this (anymore). The curriculum mostly differs in the 1st year, where we take almost all the didactic and pre-clinical classes at once. 2nd year and 3rd year are pretty normal from what I understand.

 

[Fonz]

also there is no summer break

 

[SanOnofre2002]

armorshell, so how difficult is it to take all that in the 1st year? How many hours per week in class and how many hours of studying?

 

[armorshell]

also there is no summer break

We actually get four weeks during the summer, so theres a little bit of an eye to our storm

 

[armorshell]

armorshell, so how difficult is it to take all that in the 1st year? How many hours per week in class and how many hours of studying?

I'm only in my first quarter now, so I've yet to experience the 7th layer of hell that is our 3rd quarter, with it's patented 9 final finals "week" (really 3 days).

That being said, it doesn't seem too bad, but it's definately very different from undergrad. I get up a 5:30 to be at school by 6:30 daily, we have school until 4 or 5 depending on the day, then I sim lab 'till 6-7, chill for a few hours then study from 9-sleep. Saturdays are lab until 3 then study, sundays are study.

So on average I think we have 30-35 hours per week of school time and I match that or a little more in my own study/lab time. I will say though that I'm definitely behind the curve on pre-clinical stuff though, so I may not be the average student with regards to that. I seem to spend a lot more time getting much less done than my classmates 😛

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

I'm only in my first quarter now, so I've yet to experience the 7th layer of hell that is our 3rd quarter, with it's patented 9 final finals "week" (really 3 days).

That being said, it doesn't seem too bad, but it's definately very different from undergrad. I get up a 5:30 to be at school by 6:30 daily, we have school until 4 or 5 depending on the day, then I sim lab 'till 6-7, chill for a few hours then study from 9-sleep. Saturdays are lab until 3 then study, sundays are study.

So on average I think we have 30-35 hours per week of school time and I match that or a little more in my own study/lab time. I will say though that I'm definitely behind the curve on pre-clinical stuff though, so I may not be the average student with regards to that. I seem to spend a lot more time getting much less done than my classmates 😛

Do students at UoP have any free time to catch a movie or go out for a drink once in a while? It seems like the courseload is really heavy and socializing even the least bit would be detrimental.

 

[armorshell]

Do students at UoP have any free time to catch a movie or go out for a drink once in a while? It seems like the courseload is really heavy and socializing even the least bit would be detrimental.

Of course we do, but it's nothing like in undergrad. You have to plan your leisure time very well. There's not a week that goes by without a bunch of people going clubbing or seeing a movie or going out to a nice restaurant (there's actually a "cheap eats" club that goes out every friday to a different restaurant)

Note that this is from the perspective of someone who wants to do really well. A lot of the people set on general dentistry and "cruising" through manage to find a lot more free time than myself.

 

[pine88]

Do students at UoP have any free time to catch a movie or go out for a drink once in a while? It seems like the courseload is really heavy and socializing even the least bit would be detrimental.

It depends a lot on how much you know coming into dental school. For the people that have just taken human anatomy, boichemistry and histology, they don't have to study that much yet. If it's been a while (like for me), studying takes up a massive amount of time. Likewise, if you have worked in a dental lab, and to a lesser extent (for now) assisted in a dental office, that will mean less lab time and more play (or study) time.

If I manage my time well, I feel like I have enough time to hang out for a few hours on Fri, a few on Sat, and usually on Thursday after school I'm pretty braindead and end up not doing much.

Actually, I feel like there is time to hang out - there just isn't time for drinking (for me). I can afford to not study Saturday night, but I can't afford to be hung over all Sunday. But then I'm not brilliant like Armor so I need max study time 😀

 

[djeffreyt]

Do students at UoP have any free time to catch a movie or go out for a drink once in a while? It seems like the courseload is really heavy and socializing even the least bit would be detrimental.

Armorshell isn't an abnormality in our class, but you should understand Armor is only one member of our class. We don't all get up at 5:30 and do an hour of sim lab in the morning. We also all don't stay after school for sim lab or study every night or go to sim lab each weekend.


There is a wide range of people at our school and they all work differently and still find a way to function. We may not all graduate in the top 10 of our class, but we'll all probably graduate.

I study most weeknights, but I didn't last night. I've been going to sim lab more often, but I still don't go every day after school. My general days are:
6:30am - Wake up and get ready for school
8:00am - 5:00pm - Classes and Sim Lab

After that...it varies.
I study about 4 nights a week unless we have a big test (big meaning Anatomy or Biochem)
I am pretty good at waxing teeth, so I don't have to spend a lot of time doing that, but I spend a little more time in Sim Lab working on Preps.

I go out to movies or bars or dinner with people almost every Friday and Saturday night, or during the afternoons on weekends too, so you can totally make time and still do pretty decent. It has just started to get busier...so in all likelihood, I'll be getting out a little less, but I still doubt I'll ever go a whole week without at least a full day of free time.

 

[pine88]

plus we are all sitting in biochem right now - you can always make free time 👍

 

[predental7200]

plus we are all sitting in biochem right now - you can always make free time 👍

hahaha! so you're guys are in lecture and are on SDN? You guys crack me up!

so I saw from a few of your posts that biochem, anatomy, histology...are things you have to learn once you get there, but I noticed that on the pre-req. page on the UoP website it doesn't list any of those.

Would it be a good idea to include those in your "higher-end" electives in your bachelors? (I don't mind anatomy much but bicchem is a pretty hefty elective to choose, especially if you don't have to take it)

 

[pine88]

hahaha! so you're guys are in lecture and are on SDN? You guys crack me up!

so I saw from a few of your posts that biochem, anatomy, histology...are things you have to learn once you get there, but I noticed that on the pre-req. page on the UoP website it doesn't list any of those.

Would it be a good idea to include those in your "higher-end" electives in your bachelors? (I don't mind anatomy much but bicchem is a pretty hefty elective to choose, especially if you don't have to take it)

Yes, definitely take them if you can, especially anatomy. That is a huge chunk of our grade for the first 3 quarters. And the first 3 quarters are the worst in terms of work load. Anything you can do to reduce necessary study time, do it. I would say take biochem if you have the time, but another good class to take is histology! We are only in biochem for 2(3?) hours a week though (and we are in anatomy (+histology) for about 12 hours a week) so it goes pretty slowly and it wouldn't be too hard to study on your own. And I say study on your own because the teacher has a voice that is impossible to listen to, so personally (along with a good portion of the class) I spend biochem time studying for anatomy...or playing on the internet. 😳