What if you hate chem/bio? Will you make it?

[MikeUSC]

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Basically, I'm a junior in undergrad and recently developed an interest in dentistry after a lot of research and talking to multiple friends and family members (including an MD who highly recommended looking into it!).

After researching it I found I liked a lot of aspects of the career. No need to go over those really, as most are obvious. But this isn't just a money thing, but also quality of life and satisfaction. Dentistry seems to provide these things as long as you're willing to work to get there.

Anyway, like I said, I'm a junior, and a business major. If I decide to pursue dentistry I will have to pack in a lot of the dental pre-reqs quickly, and would have to take two labs this semester, two next semester, and orgo 1 AND 2 over the summer (according to my pre-dental advisor - his plan is for me to take the DAT during summer after orgo while all that is fresh).

That's all well and good. However, after being back in chem lab today, I was reminded about how much I disliked it - especially the labs. Actually, bio is ok to me, but I dislike chem.

I can do well in the classes if I want, but it's like I just don't feel at home in those like I do in my business classes.

Am I wrong in assuming that one can dislike chem/bio etc. and still become a successful dentist? I realize that it will only get worse considering the first two years of dental school, but once you make it through, will you be dealing with those subjects a lot, besides what relates directly to your job? It seems like to me a dentist's main focus would be on running his business efficiently and staying up to date on current technology/procedures in his field, two things I would really enjoy doing.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to make sure. Today is the last day to drop/add at my school and I was struggling with whether I should drop the science for now, but I think any replies to this thread would help my decision.

 

[Meatwad]

If you can motivate yourself to do well in a subject you don't enjoy, than you'll be fine. Most people can't do this, though. As far as having to recall organic chemisty concepts and VSEPR theory after you become a practicing dentist, I wouldn't really count on it.

 

[IcemanDDS]

If you dont at least mildly enjoy/dont mind this stuff its gonna be a long road... but can be done.

 

[neurotic]

I hated general chemistry and biochemistry. I'm still about to finish my chem minor with good grades in all my classes.

You can do it if you want to become a dentist. I don't believe that as a dentist you will be doing ICE tables or anything 🙂 Everyone has classes they don't enjoy but they are required to take.

 

[rainbowman]

Basically, I'm a junior in undergrad and recently developed an interest in dentistry after a lot of research and talking to multiple friends and family members (including an MD who highly recommended looking into it!).

After researching it I found I liked a lot of aspects of the career. No need to go over those really, as most are obvious. But this isn't just a money thing, but also quality of life and satisfaction. Dentistry seems to provide these things as long as you're willing to work to get there.

Anyway, like I said, I'm a junior, and a business major. If I decide to pursue dentistry I will have to pack in a lot of the dental pre-reqs quickly, and would have to take two labs this semester, two next semester, and orgo 1 AND 2 over the summer (according to my pre-dental advisor - his plan is for me to take the DAT during summer after orgo while all that is fresh).

That's all well and good. However, after being back in chem lab today, I was reminded about how much I disliked it - especially the labs. Actually, bio is ok to me, but I dislike chem.

I can do well in the classes if I want, but it's like I just don't feel at home in those like I do in my business classes.

Am I wrong in assuming that one can dislike chem/bio etc. and still become a successful dentist? I realize that it will only get worse considering the first two years of dental school, but once you make it through, will you be dealing with those subjects a lot, besides what relates directly to your job? It seems like to me a dentist's main focus would be on running his business efficiently and staying up to date on current technology/procedures in his field, two things I would really enjoy doing.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to make sure. Today is the last day to drop/add at my school and I was struggling with whether I should drop the science for now, but I think any replies to this thread would help my decision.

I truly sympathize. All my science classes are at 8 or 9, so after 4 or 5 hours of sleep I ask myself Why? What possessed me to take these science classes, these 3 hour morning labs. For me I think it's just the stress and sleepiness talking

 

[Regmata]

You will have to finish the prereqs, the first 2 years of school are heavy on the basic sciences and then you have to study for the boards...just more chem and bio.

Do you consider physiology, histology, pathology etc...to be just like bio?

The problem is, is that you need a strong foundation in these sciences in order to understand what you will encounter later in your career. If it is just gen chem and evolutionary biology that you hate...then you should be ok...

However, if you really dislike all forms or chem and bio, then you are in for a very rough road

 

[AmoDientes]

Don't over-analyze things too much. If you don't like a subject, you don't like a subject. But if you want to keep yourself sane and do well in your classes, at least PRETEND to yourself or trick yourself into thinking that you're interested in the subject. I did this with Physics and some upper-level Bio classes that seemed far from interesting and I ended up getting A's in them. You never know, you might end up liking something you initially disliked. Best of luck.

 

[firecracked]

But if you want to keep yourself sane and do well in your classes, at least PRETEND to yourself or trick yourself into thinking that you're interested in the subject.

How do you trick yourself into liking a class?

I'm kind of in the same boat as the OP. I like bio, but I despise Gen Chem.

 

[NewMexDent]

I found for myself that the further along I got in my chem and bio courses the more I started to enjoy them.

I don't know if it's a maturity factor or just that the more you do something the better you get at it and the better you get at something the more you seem to enjoy it.

The intro bio and chem courses were definately less enjoyable to me than the later courses, so maybe just hold tight, get through a couple courses and see if things get better.

 

[dentstd]

Princeton University College of Medicine.

Pretty sure Princeton doesn't have a medical school. They're predominantly undergrad and some grad. No professional.

 

[rainbowman]

Basically, I'm a junior in undergrad and recently developed an interest in dentistry after a lot of research and talking to multiple friends and family members (including an MD who highly recommended looking into it!).

After researching it I found I liked a lot of aspects of the career. No need to go over those really, as most are obvious. But this isn't just a money thing, but also quality of life and satisfaction. Dentistry seems to provide these things as long as you're willing to work to get there.

Anyway, like I said, I'm a junior, and a business major. If I decide to pursue dentistry I will have to pack in a lot of the dental pre-reqs quickly, and would have to take two labs this semester, two next semester, and orgo 1 AND 2 over the summer (according to my pre-dental advisor - his plan is for me to take the DAT during summer after orgo while all that is fresh).

That's all well and good. However, after being back in chem lab today, I was reminded about how much I disliked it - especially the labs. Actually, bio is ok to me, but I dislike chem.

I can do well in the classes if I want, but it's like I just don't feel at home in those like I do in my business classes.

Am I wrong in assuming that one can dislike chem/bio etc. and still become a successful dentist? I realize that it will only get worse considering the first two years of dental school, but once you make it through, will you be dealing with those subjects a lot, besides what relates directly to your job? It seems like to me a dentist's main focus would be on running his business efficiently and staying up to date on current technology/procedures in his field, two things I would really enjoy doing.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to make sure. Today is the last day to drop/add at my school and I was struggling with whether I should drop the science for now, but I think any replies to this thread would help my decision.

And I guess the ends justify the means in a way. But still, I love science and I go through days of hell and self-doubt sometimes. I can't even imagine what it's like for someone who hates science.

 

[rainbowman]

Pretty sure Princeton doesn't have a medical school. They're predominantly undergrad and some grad. No professional.

It's clearly a joke. Sure, Princeton has the without question #1 undergraduate school. However, it is the only Ivy League school and pretty much only national university in its class without any professional schools. And arguably the weakest graduate program in the Ivy League.

But undergrad there is second to none

 

[ingemar]

It's clearly a joke. Sure, Princeton has the without question #1 undergraduate school. However, it is the only Ivy League school and pretty much only national university in its class without any professional schools. And arguably the weakest graduate program in the Ivy League.

But undergrad there is second to none

...i guess nobody's a fan of House?

 

[rainbowman]

...i guess nobody's a fan of House?

Actually I have all three seasons on DVD. It never mentions an affiliation with Princeton University.

And why are you suggesting I'm not a fan of House? The person I was responding to clearly did not recognize the sarcasm in the person's signature.

 

[firecracked]

Actually I have all three seasons on DVD. It never mentions an affiliation with Princeton University.

I think it takes place in Princeton, New Jersey, but it's not affiliated with the University.

 

[Meatwad]

It's clearly a joke. Sure, Princeton has the without question #1 undergraduate school. However, it is the only Ivy League school and pretty much only national university in its class without any professional schools. And arguably the weakest graduate program in the Ivy League.

But undergrad there is second to none

Bingo.

As far as the House-Princeton, NJ connection: I've never seen House. No idea where it takes place, and it's pure coincidence if my sig seems to have anything to do with that show.

Don't over-analyze things too much. If you don't like a subject, you don't like a subject. But if you want to keep yourself sane and do well in your classes, at least PRETEND to yourself or trick yourself into thinking that you're interested in the subject. I did this with Physics and some upper-level Bio classes that seemed far from interesting and I ended up getting A's in them. You never know, you might end up liking something you initially disliked. Best of luck.

Haha, I do the same thing; seems to work for me, too. I just tell myself that the stuff I'm learning is useful and relevant to my future, and I can force myself to read. This was particularly useful for Gen Chem I, which I thought was quite a useless class. Ended up with an A regardless.