dental vs medical school reddit
Fast forward to cramming for the DAT and late applications- i’m finishing up my first semester of D1 and couldn’t be happier, ay. Hope you make a good decision based on you choices. Yes!! If you think he's a douche then do medical school. I'm not in this for the money but I don't see how dentists make more. Do you want to focus on teeth the rest of your professional career? To see which UCLA courses satisfy the most common course requirements, refer to the UCLA Pre-Health Requirements Worksheet. I’m sorry if this isn’t what you’re looking for but I thought it would be a good idea to mention it. I used to think about possibly going to dental school, but I ultimately chose this route because after doing some shadowing I felt like dentistry gets so monotonous. All the best! “At UCSF, the purpose of medical … Family medicine on average is 227,000 according to Google, and that's if you land one of the lowest paying residency, unfortunately, despite its importance. Do you want to stick your hands in people's bodies and feel their organs? Ended up with, just 8 seats behind the final merit seat for MBBS in a government college (couldn't afford private). Med school is long. After those two years the EM doc make $150,000 more A YEAR than the DMD. For me, I realized that I had no compelling reasons for dental, but many compelling reasons that excited me for medicine. Made the decision easy. Dental school isn't more competitive than medical school. I'm applying next cycle and am unsure of which route to pursue. $300,000 median salary of the MD vs. 150,000 of the DMD. They are both healthcare providers and take similar classes but dentistry is more small business centered than medicine. Medical school and dental school are 2 different things. I was premed up until my junior year of undergrad when I went through the same thing. The day to day schedules for med students in the first two years are shorter, but they have to deal with 3+ years of residency. The MD makes ~$350,000 more a year than the DMD so after less than 2 years the MD has caught up. If you just do the bare minimum to get by in clinic, it doesn't matter what school you go to. Has anyone else faced this dilemma? So it would take the EM physician 2 years to catch up to the DMD. If you want to specialize that's only a few more years but either way you get to start your life a lot sooner and can pay back your loans sooner. Let's crunch the numbers. If you have the time and money, my advice would be to take the admissions tests and figure out where you stand for both types of programs. The original reason I wanted to go into medicine was my fascination with the human body and want to help people. Sure you don't come out of residency necessarily making those salaries but overall the MD/DO will make more than the DMD/DDS no matter how you look at it. I’ve had multiple doctors tell me word for word, “If you see yourself happy in any other profession, do that and DO NOT become a doctor.” All of this has led me to start researching dental schools. It may seem a bit confusing at first, but with practice and training, you can learn to identify which of your procedures are being used to treat medical conditions. Interview Feedback is the original databank of real interview questions from medical, dental, and other health professional schools. 14, BRM's point was not that medical school classes aren't still stronger. I started looking into dentistry and it was everything I wanted medicine to be plus the complexities of the art/dexterous component. For many considering dental school, a dentist’s high earning potential is a big draw. and taking the MCAT is the final step. Now, my passion isn't there for dentistry and I'm worried if I continue to be in dental school, I will be unhappy/stressed/not really enjoying life, my mental health will tank, I will continue to perform poorly in classes, accumulate a lot of debt ($600,000-$700,000 after 4 years), and may end up dropping out anyway/repeating a year. Good luck! I have done almost everything to prepare (research, patient care hours, volunteering, leadership, great GPA, etc.) At a few schools, including mine, dentistry students take the same pre-clincial science classes as medical students. and none of the doctors I work for seem happy. That was my dream. Not only the work hours and all, but personally, I ended up likin, I'm glad it worked out for you! Dental schools have to train you extra hard in that 4 years because dentists are able to practice right out of school. Curiously, both spend 4 years in training not including residency. Also, that's family practice, one of the lowest paying practices. And now I am about to finish my final year, with just IN LOVE WITH THIS FIELD. I recently got a job as an MA, which has had a big impact on my recent reconsideration. I talked to a PA and she said it’s very family friendly. Do you mind that I message you? Getting into the residency you want is also not a guarantee. Importance of a good statement . instagram (studywiththedentist) for my dental blog and planning on even making a blogging site. Most-applied-to medical school in the country. When you use Interview Feedback, you will find common questions asked during medical school interviews as submitted by previous interviewees. 6 Red Flags Medical School Isn't the Right Choice A lack of interest in volunteering is one reason you may not want to pursue a medical degree. Looking back, I have no regrets having made that decision - I know it was right for me. So now the DMD has a $300,000 dollar advantage. Medicine is a calling, and as you seem aware of, it takes huge sacrifices, both during training and afterward (heck, even during the application process), to make it work. Tack on an average person’s debt from their undergraduate studies, a car, a house, etc. I always wanted to be a "real" doctor as maybe a cardiologist someday. But again, nobody should be having this argument because dentistry is super different from traditional medicine. It's a very decent lifestyle, and you don't have to do residency. I'd like a work life balance and it seems like being a dentist would provide that. I talked to a PA and she said it’s very family friendly. Reddit's home for wholesome discussion related to pre-medical studies. That's awesome. Going through some conflict between med and dent. Med school is more intensive academically, dental school is more frustrating/stressful. What small object of yours is your wife meticulous with again? Best of luck! Let’s look into the reasons why dental school is so much more […] It's probably a good time to do some soul searching and figure out what you value and what you hope to do with your career. You're the first. Debt vs. ROI. Applicant Pool Total Initial (AMCAS) applicants: 13,348 Total Completed Applications: 12,014 Applicants Interviewed: 843 Applicants Admitted: 502 Applicants Enrolled: 200 Academic Program Enrollment Traditional MD: 162 MD/MPH: 23 MD/MBA: 11 MD/PhD: 3 MD/MA: 1 Clinical Track Enrollment Regular Track: 161 Maine Track: 39 Entering Class Grades and Scores Mean … I can honestly say that no one in my class ever considered being a dentist vs a physician. Clinically, I think I had a better experience than my BU counter parts but a lot of dental school is what you make of it. 1 year ago In a way, dental school is just the concentrated version of med school + residency. Orthopedic surgery? I’m not sure if I still want to go to medical school. If you like to be in a daily routine, dentistry seems like a great route! If I have to be honest, I never wanted to go in Dentistry field. Dental school pools now differentiate themselves earlier than (perhaps) they might have in the past, and it's no longer viable to apply through AMCAS, get rejected, and then take the DAT's and expect to be admitted to highly-powered dental schools. If you think this sounds cool then do dental school. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) for a medical degree from either LECOM’s School of Dental Medicine or its College of Osteopathic Medicine; About LECOM. The average poster seems to be forced into applying to medical school by their family. Visit the American Dental Association (ADA) to see the course requirements at your schools of interest, as they vary slightly for each medical school. I've only ever estimated the numbers in my head after seeing debates on SDN but let's see. Feel free to PM if you want to chat more! Have you shadowed dental? and your debt quickly rises. Use of correct personal statement format is significant. Both dental and medical are good professions. Meet with an academic advisor at UCLA for advice on course planning for dental school. I’m worried about not having time to start a family. Even a family medicine physician makes more than a dentist for the same hours. Maybe because of the clinical work, maybe because of seeing the satisfaction in the eyes of your patients, or maybe just the study itself... Just started a Youtube Channel (study with the dentist) for Dental students, have a instagram (studywiththedentist) for my dental blog and planning on even making a blogging site. You either really like the pearly bois or you don't. The flip side though is they won't necessarily be going at it as long if you factor in residency. If your key motivation is to make money and have work-life balance, and you want to be in the realm of healthcare, dental might be a good option. he question but have you ever considered being a Physician Assistant. I love being presented with an issue, problem solving by using physiology, and in return increasing someone’s quality of life. Then I got bored thinking about teeth that long. I shadowed 8+ doctors of different specialties and they all seemed miserable. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. If not, I'd recommend doing this - try to look at a few specialties if possible. You also get good hours and definitely more patient interaction then just being a doctor. Press J to jump to the feed. The Ohio State University Medical Center offers a CODA-accredited 36 month anesthesiology residency for dentists which meets all the criteria for examination by the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology. If you would rather not then choose med for a host of other reasons. An average dental student will graduate with around $250,000 in debt from dental school. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic’s limiting of physical contact has changed the final recruitment weeks … Does anyone have more info about dental school? If you have a strong interest in dentistry, then 1000% that. Most people practice in the realm of decades so a 6 year head start doesnt mean much. According to a 2012 report in The Journal of the American Medical Association, the average hourly wage of a dentist in America is $69.60 vs. $67.30 for a physician. On the 7th year that advantage is gone. If you don't have the intrinsic motivation to push through that and make those sacrifices - and there's absolutely no judgement if you don't feel passionate about becoming a physician - then this is a good time to reconsider. It requires tremendous organisation skills. My buddy going to dental school freaking loves even just cleaning teeth though because he likes being incredibly meticulous on small objects (just like my wife). I’d also like to mention (and I️ didn’t see it here so if it’s already been said, forgive me) that dentists are essentially surgeons. Honestly I thought about being a dentist at first, because my aunt's an orthodontist. The most expensive dental schools will put you at around $500,000 in debt upon graduating from them. Ended up with just, 8 seats behind the final merit seat for MBBS in a government college (couldn't afford private). If you don't mind working four days a week making 120+ and just "put up with work" then it's a good plan. I don't recommend it, lol. You may or may not be surprised to learn that dental graduates owe on average $80K more than their medical counterparts. “I think the costs of dental school are worth the benefits — you can make a very good living of it,” said Jason Cabler, DDS, a dentist who’s been practicing for 24 years and oversees the personal finance blog Celebrating Financial Freedom. I would say that they actually have it harder than we do, because they have a more stringent grading system. But this is all my personal opinion and experience. Dentists have much better lifestyle. It doesn’t require a ton of intellect or talent to do either. I know this doesn’t answer the question but have you ever considered being a Physician Assistant. I thought about it for like 2 minutes, considering the same aspect as you did on work life balance. I am a MA float and go around to many different clinics (rheumatology, family medicine, nephrology, allergy, etc.) They require significant manual dexterity that like half of physician specialities don’t really need. Many dentists own their own clinics. I never got why people keep saying the DMD/DDS people make more money. Not my strong point. And now I am about to finish my final year, with just IN LOVE WITH THIS FIELD. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. What actions did you take to figure it out? I briefly considered dental, and after a lot of shadowing and talking to dental students at my alma mater, I decided medical school was for me. Basically, I guess I never realized the role a doctor plays in healthcare has changed in recent years: lots of time spent completing paperwork/documentation at the end of each day, long hours (in basically every specialty), hate to mention it but the lack of financial compensation after the shear amount of schooling, not spending quality time with patients due to patient quotas put on by insurance companies/health administrators. I’m planning on shadowing a dentist soon. As far as dental schools go, I would say they are the most similar. I’m currently in my gap year studying for the MCAT and am having a bit of a quarter life crisis. That is how much I ended up liking this field. Although this does not count as much especially if you are really … Got a BDS seat, which I didn't wanted to take and was determined to improve another but my father counseled me into taking it. I’m sorry if this isn’t what you’re looking for but I thought it would be a good idea to mention it. 4 years of school, work an average of 35 hours a week vs. 50 being a physician, make around the same amount of money, which leads to more free time to have hobbies/spend time with family. But this is all my personal opinion and experience. $460,000 for a residency of 5 years. Again, that happens here too, but to a much greater extent on Reddit. That is not me knocking it, I’m just trying to reassure anyone who is interested that it takes hard work and … For the 2020 application cycle, schools with rolling admissions have filled most of their spots. All of this has led me to start researching dental schools. More posts from the DentalSchool community, Press J to jump to the feed. Since I have attended BOTH dental AND medical school I am ready to talk about some of the BIG differences. Meanwhile dentists make 158,000 according to a few sources. Now, my passion isn't there for dentistry and I'm worried if I continue to be in dental school, I will be unhappy/stressed/not really enjoying life, my mental health will tank, I will continue to perform poorly in classes, accumulate a lot of debt ($600,000-$700,000 after 4 years), and may end up dropping out anyway/repeating a year. Not only the work hours and all, but personally, I ended up liking it even more as the months and yeara went passed by. Dentists get a 3 year advantage over the MD (residency) but the MD makes $150,000 in those three years while the DMD makes $450,000. With dental you study for 4 years then you're making money right when you're done. We use cookies on our websites for a number of purposes, including analytics and performance, functionality and advertising. Family medicine on average is 227,000 according to Google, and that's if you land one of the lowest paying residency, unfortunately, despite its importance. That's a highly guarded back door (re: the surgery residency). Sure Family medicine is a 3 year residency (I believe) but dental school also tends to be more expensive. 4 years of school, work an average of 35 hours a week vs. 50 being a physician, make around the same amount of money, which leads to more free time to have hobbies/spend time with family. Feel free to PM me if you want to go more in depth - but overall I think it's a question of your motivation. i would have gone that route if i were more interested in teeth. Has anyone struggled with this issue before? I will note that tuition for dental schools tends to be higher than medical school. If you want a job that keeps you working constantly with your hands utilizing fine motor skills, dentistry is a great alternative to having to complete medical school and a hella long (and competitive) surgical residency. Medical school personal statement examples are not proper when applying for law school. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It just doesn't seem true. MD - $200,000 a year DMD - $150,000 a year. Devote as much time as possible to compose it. One of the most common themes I see is the subject about dealing with overbearing parents. How about a mid-level (competitive-wise) one? Grades matter too but a brilliant piece of writing may win you a place in high school. I think there's also an avenue to get an MD through the backdoor (maxillofacial surgery residency), if that's your sort of thing. I know three or four people who made the pivot from premed to dental school. UCSF was also the only medical school ranked in the top five in all eight of the specialty areas covered by the survey this year: third in anesthesiology, internal medicine, obstetrics & gynecology, and radiology; and fifth in pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, and family medicine, a specialty ranked by U.S. News for the first time this year. Hey guys. Ranked among the best medical schools for primary care by U.S. News & World Report. Sure Family medicine is a 3 year residency (I believe) but dental school also tends to be more expensive. Previously we ran side-by-side comparisons of dental school and medical school cost of attendance. I’d love to hear any advice! Any thoughts? His point was that the overlap no longer exists between the pools. I had given this a lot of thought three years ago. The DAT is far more memorization-intensive in the biology section and also includes a spatial reasoning section and a math section that covers high school-level algebra and geometry. Hope you make a good decision based on your choices. Got a BDS seat, which I didn't wanted to take and was absolutely determined to improve another year but my father counseled me into taking it. EM. They work 9-5, drive Merc, and make people envy them, Physicians sacrifice their own time for the patients and make people respect them. Even a family medicine physician makes more than a dentist for the same hours. My dentist charged me $50 for 30 seconds of his time, and had a Maserati parked in the parking lot. From the student vantage point, the American Medical College Application Service sets a deadline for students to narrow their acceptances down to a single medical school by the end of April. So in those 5 years the MD makes $250,000 while the DMD makes $750,000 so a $500,000 difference. Geographical Location. That was my dream. Hopefully I'll find my passion soon :). Then I realized that I floss probably once every 3 months so I thought dental school would be a bad idea. The average gpa for dental school is like 3.5 and the Dat is significantly easier than the Mcat ( a lot of dentists here who've taken both will agree with this). All the best! I’m worried that being a dentist might become mundane, but almost every other aspect seems more appealing. You also get good hours and definitely more patient interaction then just being a doctor. “Abscessed tooth” is a medical condition and a dental condition. Best of luck! “Diabetes” is a medical condition. Nobody should be weighing the pros and cons of the two with money as a priority or even a pro or con.