Am I screwed? Help please

[fan2342]

I am going to be applying for dental school and truly thought about it and now want to switch to medicine. I am out of time and have to apply to dental school and take the DAT because I haven't taken courses for mcat yet. Would DO/DMD be a good option if program was offered? What are career outlooks for that?

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[AlteredScale]

I am going to be applying for dental school and truly thought about it and now want to switch to medicine. I am out of time and have to apply to dental school and take the DAT because I haven't taken courses for mcat yet. Would DO/DMD be a good option if program was offered? What are career outlooks for that?

Do you still want to be a dentist? If not, just drop out of the dental race and just study for the MCAT?

Don't know much about the DO/DMD route. I do know the MD/DMD route (through an OMFS training track) usually lends itself to a very fruitful career on the side of compensation. It's a long arduous road though. http://osteopathic.nova.edu/dodmd/acceptance-process.html

 

[fan2342]

Do you still want to be a dentist? If not, just drop out of the dental race and just study for the MCAT?

Don't know much about the DO/DMD route. I do know the MD/DMD route (through an OMFS training track) usually lends itself to a very fruitful career on the side of compensation. It's a long arduous road though. http://osteopathic.nova.edu/dodmd/acceptance-process.html

I am still interested in dentistry but I'm also interested in medicine. The tie breaker I guess is going to the financials just because I don't want to go into huge debt and not be able to enjoy my life until mid 30s or late 30s

 

[AlteredScale]

I am still interested in dentistry but I'm also interested in medicine. The tie breaker I guess is going to the financials just because I don't want to go into huge debt and not be able to enjoy my life until mid 30s or late 30s

There's the kicker. If you want time and don't want to burn it through training, don't focus in on adding additional years of training with medicine. Go dental especially if you have the in post-grad (your parents or close friends already own a dental practice etc etc). It really all comes down to what you want with your life.

The very first thing I would do would be to contact a DO/DMD or an MD/DMD (or DDS?) and ask to shadow them. See what they do. Ask if it was worth the extra years of training.

Even if time isn't on your side right now, you would NOT want to apply to these dual degree programs on a whim (Nova's website states they only accept students of the highest academic caliber).

Here's another good thread on it: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...ial-surgeons-doctors-is-shadowing-ok.1189487/

 

[fan2342]

Do I need to take a physics and biochem class or am I able to learn enough from studying for the mcat?

 

[AlteredScale]

Do I need to take a physics and biochem class or am I able to learn enough from studying for the mcat?

I believe physics is a definite prerequisite for all medical schools while biochemistry is highly suggested and sometimes required. So whether or not you use it to help you for the MCAT you'll need to take them.


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[fan2342]

I believe physics is a definite prerequisite for all medical schools while biochemistry is highly suggested and sometimes required. So whether or not you use it to help you for the MCAT you'll need to take them.


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I plan on taking it because it's required for dental school. I meant, do I need to take them to do well on the MCAT?

 

[Goro]

Just be a dentist already.

 

[confidentandgood]

The tie breaker I guess is going to the financials just because I don't want to go into huge debt and not be able to enjoy my life until mid 30s or late 30s

Both dental and medical schools will slap you with debt. In dentistry, almost all specializations are without residency, but you will spend a few years working to get your feet on the ground, especially if you plan to run your own practice. Both careers will involve you paying off $100k+ in debt and neither is an instant guarantee of enjoyment or misery in your thirties.

You don't have to do anything. If you don't see yourself completely dedicated to dentistry, why waste the time and money on an application cycle?

I would recommend shadowing both fields and taking advantage of all the threads on SDN written by medical/dental school students and graduates. Don't rush a decision like this.

 

[kelminak]

You're having cold feet about committing to dentistry. It sounds like you've set yourself up for that profession in every regard and aren't interested in the extra training to be a doctor. Just commit and be a dentist friendo.