Constantly worried about not meeting graduating requirements

[happy_6523]

Current D3 student. Honestly, I have plenty of patients and treatments planned. I’ve more patients than what my classmates have, but I can’t stop myself from worrying about not finishing my graduating requirements. I fill my schedule with patients every day because I don’t want to miss any opportunities to learn and fulfill my requirements. Also, I enjoy doing dentistry very much. I don’t want to see any openings in my schedule. I would rather doing lab works and scheduling after school, so that I don’t miss any time to see patient. I don’t like school breaks because I can’t see patients. I’m busy, but happy. I’m booked up for a month, and I can’t wait to see more patients. Seeing only 1 or 2 patients a day isn’t enough. I get pissed off whenever there are late cancellations and no shows because they waste my clinic time and delay other patient’ chances to get care. I understand that it takes time to fulfill requirements, and right now I’m pretty ahead of the game, but I still can’t stop worrying about meeting the requirements. I can’t wait to finish them asap. I’m stressing myself too much. What should I do?

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[PerioDont]

Stop overthinking things

 

[Chief's Pineapple]

I have plenty of patients and treatments planned. I’ve more patients than what my classmates have...I fill my schedule with patients every day...I enjoy doing dentistry very much...I’m busy, but happy. I’m booked up for a month

Okay...so what exactly is the problem???

Snarky attitude of mine aside, you said it yourself that you're stressing yourself out. I would argue it's over nothing. I mean, you're worrying about an issue that may or may not even happen in the future. It's not happening now, is it (as in, you're at risk of not meeting graduation requirements)? Worry about it when (if) it happens, and then deal with it accordingly. Stop wasting your mental energy on this. Learn to prioritize what's worth stressing over in the moment NOW.

 

[Lemillion]

It will all work out! I remember experiencing similar feelings at one point. I would continue booking the patients you have, looking for cases that you are needing and taking good care of them. Typically as you move along your 4th year, you'll have classmates who will be ahead in some areas and will be looking to swap cases. (I.e they have all their crown requirements completed and will trade you a ready to go crown case for a removable case because they are falling behind pace in that area).

 

[dentalchamp98]

Be happy that you’re booked out for a month. I’m only seeing 1/2 patients a day too split with my partner and we barely are booked a week in advance just due to disorganization of the school and now I’m worried if I’ll graduate on time

 

[UCLA MCDB]

Be happy that you’re booked out for a month. I’m only seeing 1/2 patients a day too split with my partner and we barely are booked a week in advance just due to disorganization of the school and now I’m worried if I’ll graduate on time

Which dental school if you don't mind sharing??

 

[Life of Pablo]

Honestly it's good that you're worried about finishing your requirements - it means you'll finish on time. The people in my class who were super nonchalant and relaxed about everything were the ones who finished late.

 

[Chief's Pineapple]

Honestly it's good that you're worried about finishing your requirements - it means you'll finish on time. The people in my class who were super nonchalant and relaxed about everything were the ones who finished late.

Like Dr Cox said on Scrubs, "fear is good". As long as it's at an appropriate level, it will motivate you to do what you need to do. You don't want to be the guy or gal who doesn't care; then, like it was said above, you can run into issues.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Warning to all the pre-dents that think going to a school with high requirements - thinking they’ll be better trained - is a bad idea.

 

[dentalchamp98]

Warning to all the pre-dents that think going to a school with high requirements - thinking they’ll be better trained - is a bad idea.

Wish I had known that.

Like Dr Cox said on Scrubs, "fear is good". As long as it's at an appropriate level, it will motivate you to do what you need to do. You don't want to be the guy or gal who doesn't care; then, like it was said above, you can run into issues.

its motivating me out of fear which is giving me depression

 

[Chief's Pineapple]

its motivating me out of fear which is giving me depression

Fear is a powerful tool, yet it can easily tip over the line and become debilitating. Hard to get that balance.