very non-trad possible dental

[NiHK]

I am withdrawing from medical school, and I'd like an assessment of whether dental school is a legitimate option in the future. I have a 3.6 overall and 3.9 science; I scored in 97% of MCAT so I'm confident that I can translate it into a fairly high score in DAT if I do go this route. I have many years full-time experience in health and volunteer work, all of which led to very good acceptances in medicine. Before even starting informational interviews and shadowing, I need to know if I even have a shot.

I'd rather not disclose too much about my withdrawal, but some basics is that its happening in the first semester and it's not an academics issue.

Thoughts?

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[studentdental8]

If you are leaving human medicine for emotional/spiritual/personal reasons have you thought about vet as a career? I've recently got myself a dog and had a chance to go to several vets and see how they work. If you enjoy working with animals you can find true happiness and a career working as a vet as well.

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Are you withdrawing because you want to be a dentist? I think that'd be a huge factor for if you have a shot. There is a spot on the AADSAS application for you to say if you've ever been in a professional school before

 

[RuffDay]

You should stick with medicine and work on your pre-dental path at the same time. If you withdraw now, you are losing the security.

We can't really help you if you don't disclose the reasons why you are withdrawing. It doesn't have to be specific if you are afraid of schools identifying who you are.

 

[ajj70]

Dental schools do not like to be a back up for those that don't do well in med school or on the MCAT. Yes, your grades and MCAT are nice, but dropping out of med school for any reason is going to be a huge black mark on your dental school application. What are your reasons for wanting to go to dental school all of the sudden?

 

[NiHK]

My reason for withdrawing was to protect against dismissal due to a fairly complicated issue in professionalism prior to matriculation. It's not appropriate for me to discuss it publicly in greater depth.

I thought about dentistry in the past but ended up pursuing medicine for the variety and nature of patient interactions. I'm not saying that I will definitely pursue dentistry, but I do need to explore all career options, starting with those that are related to my experience, preparation, and interests.

So again, is it worth my and others' time to speak with dentists and decide if I want to pursue a career in dentistry? Or has this door completely closed?

 

[PlasmaMembrane]

My reason for withdrawing was to protect against dismissal due to a fairly complicated issue in professionalism prior to matriculation. It's not appropriate for me to discuss it publicly in greater depth.

I thought about dentistry in the past but ended up pursuing medicine for the variety and nature of patient interactions. I'm not saying that I will definitely pursue dentistry, but I do need to explore all career options, starting with those that are related to my experience, preparation, and interests.

So again, is it worth my and others' time to speak with dentists and decide if I want to pursue a career in dentistry? Or has this door completely closed?

So basically you're about to get kicked out of medical school and thought you'd try to jump that sinking ship to dentistry.

 

[CraigHack]

My reason for withdrawing was to protect against dismissal due to a fairly complicated issue in professionalism prior to matriculation. It's not appropriate for me to discuss it publicly in greater depth.

I thought about dentistry in the past but ended up pursuing medicine for the variety and nature of patient interactions. I'm not saying that I will definitely pursue dentistry, but I do need to explore all career options, starting with those that are related to my experience, preparation, and interests.

So again, is it worth my and others' time to speak with dentists and decide if I want to pursue a career in dentistry? Or has this door completely closed?

You're probably not going to get a lot of constructive advice here. This is the sort of question best directed at admissions directors. I would recommend calling a school or two that you're interested in applying to.

 

[NiHK]

You're probably not going to get a lot of constructive advice here. This is the sort of question best directed at admissions directors. I would recommend calling a school or two that you're interested in applying to.

Thanks, I'll do that. And do you know to what extent I'd have to describe a withdrawal in the initial application? ie is it simply a matter of checking "yes/no" for whether one has been in professional school before?

 

[hellofuturedentists]

Thanks, I'll do that. And do you know to what extent I'd have to describe a withdrawal in the initial application? ie is it simply a matter of checking "yes/no" for whether one has been in professional school before?

From the AADSAS Application:
"Have you ever been found to have violated a school rule, policy or procedure, or an honor code; or have you otherwise been disqualified, put on probation, suspended, dismissed, expelled, or otherwise been subject to disciplinary action at any college/university in connection to misconduct? Please include any and all instances of misconduct, regardless of whether the school maintains a record of such misconduct or formal action, or whether it appears on your transcript"

 

[doc toothache]

Thanks, I'll do that. And do you know to what extent I'd have to describe a withdrawal in the initial application? ie is it simply a matter of checking "yes/no" for whether one has been in professional school before?

When switching professional school, there is always the question of whether there is a chance of a repeat performance. Your case is complicated by your ambivalence.

 

[NiHK]

When switching professional school, there is always the question of whether there is a chance of a repeat performance. Your case is complicated by your ambivalence.

Can you please elaborate on the ambivalence you perceive? I think you're referring to the situation leading to withdrawal, but maybe you're referring to my interest in dentistry or the withdrawal itself (maybe all three?).

Thanks

 

[doc toothache]

Before even starting informational interviews and shadowing, I need to know if I even have a shot.

I thought about dentistry in the past but ended up pursuing medicine for the variety and nature of patient interactions. I'm not saying that I will definitely pursue dentistry, but I do need to explore all career options, starting with those that are related to my experience, preparation, and interests. So again, is it worth my and others' time to speak with dentists and decide if I want to pursue a career in dentistry? Or has this door completely closed?

.

 

[ajj70]

The short answer is whatever caused your issues in Med School will be under the same scrutiny in dental school. If it was enough to get you kicked out of med school, you won't get considered for dental school either. The same ethical standards are needed in both professions.

 

[tturchi51]

Dental schools do not like to be a back up for those that don't do well in med school or on the MCAT. Yes, your grades and MCAT are nice, but dropping out of med school for any reason is going to be a huge black mark on your dental school application. What are your reasons for wanting to go to dental school all of the sudden?

How do you know this? Are you on the adcom somewhere? Do you know his specific situation? I'm in the same boat as him, except I left because I had family issues at home. God>>Family>> anything and everybody else. ]

When switching professional school, there is always the question of whether there is a chance of a repeat performance. Your case is complicated by your ambivalence.

It blows my mind how people with multiple felonies and/or convictions of doing the most unethical things you don't even want to think of get a second chance, but someone who is in a professional school doesn't get the same opportunity for something MUCH MUCH MUCH less severe.

 

[doc toothache]

It blows my mind how people with multiple felonies and/or convictions of doing the most unethical things you don't even want to think of get a second chance, but someone who is in a professional school doesn't get the same opportunity for something MUCH MUCH MUCH less severe.

Your conclusion that Manson is more likely to be accepted into a prof school over another prof school drop out may be an exaggeration, but keep in mind that ds are highly sensitive to anyone who may be a potential candidate for quitting their program mid stream.

 

[ajj70]

How do you know this? Are you on the adcom somewhere? Do you know his specific situation? I'm in the same boat as him, except I left because I had family issues at home. God>>Family>> anything and everybody else. ]




It blows my mind how people with multiple felonies and/or convictions of doing the most unethical things you don't even want to think of get a second chance, but someone who is in a professional school doesn't get the same opportunity for something MUCH MUCH MUCH less severe.

It doesn't take being an adcomm to know this, just read these boards for other people's experiences. It's not the crime that is the issue, it's that it got him kicked out of medical school and now he wants to go to dental school because he can't go to medical school. If dental schools only had 1000 applicants for 1000 seats, it wouldn't be an issue, but they don't. There are plenty of very qualified candidates to choose from and they aren't going to take a chance on someone that has already proven they probably won't stay or has a background that is questionable. I don't care why you left medical school, it's a huge, big, enormous black mark on your record and there are 100 other people that have the same stats as you that don't have that issue on their record. You can figure that much out.

 

[Cello]

How do you know this? Are you on the adcom somewhere? Do you know his specific situation? I'm in the same boat as him, except I left because I had family issues at home. God>>Family>> anything and everybody else.

Not to derail this thread, but if you were my dentist and talked like that I would take my business elsewhere. You are entitled to your beliefs, but as a healthcare practitioner I would hope that you would put my interests higher than just "everybody else" at the end of your priority list...