What type of research should I do for my Dental School Application?

[Tk102]

I'm a pre-dental student at the moment and I'm also a freshmen. But, I would like to get started and I really need help with a lot of things. I was hoping you guys could help me figure out what kind of research I should do to put on my dental school applications? Am I supposed to do it while shadowing a local dentist? How does this work? Sorry, there is no dentist in my family and none of my friends are following the same path and I've been reading this forum for a long time and all of your conversations have helped me so much so far. Thanks. 🙂

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Vicviper]

Research is primarily done by finding a research professor at your undergrad who does research in an area you're interested in and asking if you can work in their lab with them. If you're lucky you can find one who does Dental research, if not, as long as its scientific research of any kind, it doesn't matter. Just no Art, English, History, Drama, or Dance research, hehe.

Normally people do research during their sophomore of junior year, but you can start whenever you can find a place for yourself. And no, you don't have to have your name on anything, but it sure is nice to bring a copy of a paper you've written and had published! 😀

 

[Andrew324]

Normally people do research during their sophomore of junior year

I dont know about that, but other than that it all looked like sound advice

 

[Vicviper]

I dont know about that, but other than that it all looked like sound advice

Hehe, people often try to do research before they have to do their AADSAS application 🙂 .

 

[GoetzItDone]

It is unwise to do research only for the purpose of putting it on your application. I understand you have a high motivation to get into dental school, but you should never use a research project as a means of getting into dental school. However, I like your goal-setting mindset, just please consider this advice:

Focus on participating in an extra curricular activities that you truly enjoy. If you like football, join an intramural flag football team; if you like children, join a mentoring organization; and/or if you like science, join whatever organization caters to students interested in that discipline. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy the activity before you consider what it will look like on your resume. Following these guidlines will introduce you to people you have something in common with, you'll make great friends, and it might even open the door to research project you actually enjoy.

I'm telling you to do this because this is what I did, and after 3 1/2 years, I am very happy with the way things turned out. Good luck.

 

[Vicviper]

It is unwise to do research only for the purpose of putting it on your application. I understand you have a high motivation to get into dental school, but you should never use a research project as a means of getting into dental school. However, I like your goal-setting mindset, just please consider this advice:

Focus on participating in an extra curricular activities that you truly enjoy. If you like football, join an intramural flag football team; if you like children, join a mentoring organization; and/or if you like science, join whatever organization caters to students interested in that discipline. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy the activity before you consider what it will look like on your resume. Following these guidlines will introduce you to people you have something in common with, you'll make great friends, and it might even open the door to research project you actually enjoy.

I'm telling you to do this because this is what I did, and after 3 1/2 years, I am very happy with the way things turned out. Good luck.

Oh of course, I thought that was clear. If you do something just to pad your app, it will show rather clearly. It's always good to find research you enjoy, but if you can't, try to find any research just to expose yourself to the field.