Dental to MD?

[nev]

I have heard that dentists can become M.Ds without doing all the 4 years at medical school? Is this true?
Thanks
Nev

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[unlvdmd]

Umm... yes, i guess. what you are refering to is the oral surgery specialty. There is a program that includs an MD degree with 2 years of regular med school. The entire program is 6 years, though. There is also another program to get an oral surgery license that is 4 years with no MD.

 

[ISU_Steve]

Umm... yes, i guess. what you are refering to is the oral surgery specialty. There is a program that includs an MD degree with 2 years of regular med school. The entire program is 6 years, though. There is also another program to get an oral surgery license that is 4 years with no MD.

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he just wants a backdoor into his MD.

 

[lnn2]

I have heard that dentists can become M.Ds without doing all the 4 years at medical school? Is this true?
Thanks
Nev

Not true. Here's how it works:
4 yrs dental school with good grades and board score then
6 yrs dental & med schools dual degree program ( 2 of which are in med school)
so you're looking at 9-10 yrs to become a MD but you're still practicing as a dentist because that's their "bread and butter"

 

[nev]

Thanks for the replies. I was amazed to know that dentists could get an M.D ina an alternate way.Even though it is kinda hard I like the idea of having two degrees. Is there such programs available in Texas?
Thanks
Nev

 

[toofache32]

There are a few places that, historically, would let you simply take the USMLE step 1 and proceed directly into the 3rd year of med school. Then the 4th year of med school is really only about half a year (even for real med students). None of the school really advertise it, so you would have to just start writing letters and asking.

Why do you ask? It's definately not a good back-door way in to medical school, because dental school is much more tortuous, painful, and time-consuming. Also, the requirements for dental school are basically the same as med school, so if you don't get into one you probably won't get into the other either.

 

[lnn2]

Thanks for the replies. I was amazed to know that dentists could get an M.D ina an alternate way. Even though it is kinda hard I like the idea of having two degrees. Is there such programs available in Texas?
Thanks
Nev

Baylor has that program.
I found this at their website:

It IS hard! Even if they were to offer me a full scholarship to the program, I don't think that I can do it! Not that I'm arguably too dumb, but it requires a lot of hard work and dedication! One OS resident in my apartment had to drop out of the 6 yrs program due to financial situation, 1 y.o kid, wife, his family to support! His wife couldn't handle his residency anymore. Yeah, by the time I had finished the program, my wife probably said that she's pregnant for the 3rd time, and I just found out that I were sterile!
Getting through dental school (with good grades and board score) is one thing. Getting in and going through OS program is a whole another thing!
<putting my hands up and down while saying "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy" (Wayne's World thing)>

 

[I Surgeon]

There are a few places that, historically, would let you simply take the USMLE step 1 and proceed directly into the 3rd year of med school. Then the 4th year of med school is really only about half a year (even for real med students). None of the school really advertise it, so you would have to just start writing letters and asking.

Why do you ask? It's definately not a good back-door way in to medical school, because dental school is much more tortuous, painful, and time-consuming. Also, the requirements for dental school are basically the same as med school, so if you don't get into one you probably won't get into the other either.

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth. Basic science courses are more in depth in medical school than dentistry, if it were not so, then we would take classes together. Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency. Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

 

[ajmacgregor]

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth. Basic science courses are more in depth in medical school than dentistry, if it were not so, then we would take classes together. Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency. Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

This isn't exactly true. There are a number dental schools where the dental students take basic science classes with the medical students (Harvard, Columbia, UConn come to mind). Heck, my friends at Harvard have to take the entire med school curriculum for the first two years (replete with rectal and GYN exams).

Also - have you been to dental school? If not, what makes you an authority as to which is harder? The only people who can provide an opinion about this are people who have been to BOTH dental school and medical school.

So which is harder? Who knows, who cares? If it helps your ego, then I'll be the first to say that medical school is the most difficult professional school to get into, and that everyone in dental, optometry, pharmacy, etc. is only there because they couldn't get into medical school. None of these people have a genuine interest in these fields; they just want to be "fake doctors".

Oh yeah, and you have a huge p****.

Now, for everyone else, I'll agree that dental school is easier to get into than medical school, but the gap is narrowing.

 

[ISU_Steve]

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth. Basic science courses are more in depth in medical school than dentistry, if it were not so, then we would take classes together. Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency. Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

Spoken like the arrogant, condescending self-absorbed little bastards I have come to know as the premed gunners. Pull your head out of your ass and take a look at the curriculum for dental school before saying that what 1st and 2nd year medical students go through is tougher. Some places make the medical and dental students take classes together (Harvard comes to mind for some reason).

 

[toofache32]

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth. Basic science courses are more in depth in medical school than dentistry, if it were not so, then we would take classes together. Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency. Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

You obviously don't know what you're talking about, and your short-sighted assumptions about dental school are almost as annoying as your arrogance. Where did you do your dental and medical school training for such a thoughtful comparison? I went to dental school in Tennessee and med school in Texas. That's the basis of my statement. I have yet to meet a person who did both med and dental school who thought differently. I don't feel like listing all the reasons, but if you want me to I will.

Skimming through your other posts, you obviously have some self-esteem issues or something, because all you do is bash other professions. Just another punk med student shooting his mouth off before he knows what he's talking about.

 

[tjb]

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth. Basic science courses are more in depth in medical school than dentistry, if it were not so, then we would take classes together. Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency. Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

Relax!! Toofache is speaking by experience. By the way, there are a number of dental schools which take basic science courses combined with the med students. Not only do the dental students have to compete with the med students they also have to find time to complete all their lab work and clinical skills.

OMFS residents not only complete dental school but they easily complete medical school, in as little as 18 months at some of the best med schools in the country such as Harvard, Mayo, UPenn, UCSF, UMich, Vanderbilt, etc. Most will probably get their MD's at better institutions than you. They also remain on service and take call while in school. The medical schools obviously think our basic sciences in dental school are adequate, since most OMS residents can skip the first 2 years of med school.

Relax, I'm sure mom and dad and everyone else here is proud of you, I mean, you're actually going to be a real doctor, Wow!!

tjb

 

[TucsonDDS]

You obviously don't know what you're talking about, and your short-sighted assumptions about dental school are almost as annoying as your arrogance. Where did you do your dental and medical school training for such a thoughtful comparison? I went to dental school in Tennessee and med school in Texas. That's the basis of my statement. I have yet to meet a person who did both med and dental school who thought differently. I don't feel like listing all the reasons, but if you want me to I will.

Skimming through your other posts, you obviously have some self-esteem issues or something, because all you do is bash other professions. Just another punk med student shooting his mouth off before he knows what he's talking about.

Hey Toofache, do you think that med school may have been easier for you because you already had 4 years of dental school. I am by no means saying that med school is harder or questioning your experience but I was just curious if there were repeat classes or if you feel that you had a jump on the rest of the med students because of your time in Dental school?

 

[toofache32]

Hey Toofache, do you think that med school may have been easier for you because you already had 4 years of dental school. I am by no means saying that med school is harder or questioning your experience but I was just curious if there were repeat classes or if you feel that you had a jump on the rest of the med students because of your time in Dental school?

Thats actually a really good question. Even though I had at least seen most of the material before, I definately didn't remember all that crazy minutia they like to test on. So I did have to re-read all that 2nd year stuff. They used the same Robbins Pathology text I used in dental school, so I just used my old book. The med students only had 17-20 hours of lecture per week! That's like college again! It doesn't even approach the average 30 hours of lecture per week I had in dental school. This is mainly because med students only take 2-3 courses at a time. It's not that the material is more difficult in dental school (it's not), but the volume of material they ask you to digest is larger in dental school...you're taking all the biochem, path, etc and still have to take your dental courses on top of it all. This is why the argument that "MDs treat the whole body and dentists just treat teeth" is irrelevant here, and it's also the reason med students have to do a residency.


The clinical years were much less stressful in med school than dental school. It's basically standing around, watching other people work, and trying to act interested. You have no real responsibilities because in a team of 10 people, you're #10. If you didn't show up one day, the patients would still get taken care of. Dental school taught me much more about clinical decision making, independence and initiative, because my patients were assigned to me and me only. So if they needed some procedure done I had to make it happen, whether I did it or found some resident to do it. If a patient didn't show up in dental school some people cried because you may not graduate. If a patient did show up in med school you cried because you couldn't go home early. Dental school clinics always had the wolves at your heels looking for a reason to kick you out of school. In med school clinics, as long as you show up on time you will pass...read a little and you will do well.

 

[toofache32]

I had another thought but I can't make the edit feature work. Probably because I'm just a dumb dentist.

I worked as a general dentist 20-30 hours a week in med school during clinical and classroom years. There is no way I would have had the time for this in dental school.

The one advantage I can think of doing med after dental is that I already knew how to study from day 1 in med school, and I had a much better sense of what was important to learn vs. what was just trivia. But this still doesn't account for all the other differences I mentioned.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Are you kidding me? You are saying dental school is much harder than medical school! It makes no sense that dental school is harder when in medical school we concentrate on the whole body and dental students concentrate primarily on the teeth.

Dude, just a word of advice, that poster has COMPLETED both dental school and medical school.

I think he's qualified to offer up his opinion.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Since we also have to complete residency, admission committees choose applicants that have the dedication and motivation to complete a residency.

Strong argument. Residencies and transitional years in internal medicine are hella tough.

 

[dWiz]

toothfache, I am just curious why you went to medical school after completing dental school. Was it for the oral surgery dual degree

 

[toofache32]

toothfache, I am just curious why you went to medical school after completing dental school. Was it for the oral surgery dual degree

Yep. They made me.

 

[dinesh]

It's not only in the US that dental courses/med courses are similar.
Here in the caribbean where I am starting, Dental students take year 1 and 2 with medical students, not only that they have some clinical classes in addition to a few other dental courses to do in the SAME time.
So the first 2 years are much more stressful for dentists.

 

[ikwu_Dental2006]

How is the dental schools in the caribbean working? Do you still need to go to dental school in USA to be able to practice? Please let me know.

It's not only in the US that dental courses/med courses are similar.
Here in the caribbean where I am starting, Dental students take year 1 and 2 with medical students, not only that they have some clinical classes in addition to a few other dental courses to do in the SAME time.
So the first 2 years are much more stressful for dentists.

 

[EyeAmCommi]

Yep. They made me.

You've definitely achieved a lot but now that you're completed it, was it worth it to spend 10 years in school +4 years of undergrad to get to where you are? What happened in dental school to make you pursue OMFS?

 

[toofache32]

You've definitely achieved a lot but now that you're completed it, was it worth it to spend 10 years in school +4 years of undergrad to get to where you are?

Well, I haven't completed my residency yet, but I'll still give my opinion. It's definately worth all the effort, but sometimes I wonder if I should have done a 4-year instead of 6-year OMFS residency. You still learn the same stuff, if not more, as it relates to the specialty. I chose a 6-year because I want to go into academics. 2 more letters after your name helps in the academic world, even though it's definately not required. Only 1 out of about 9 full-time faculty in my program are dual-degree, which includes 3 past-presidents of AAOMS and a couple of studs who have published countless articles/texts for our specialty, and who actually perform the treatments they write about (which isn't always the case). I like that because it demonstrates the adequacy of our dental background, regardless of what our 2 competing MD specialties like to think. You have to remember that residency is not like more school. I'm doing OMFS all the time, except in my residency instead of my own office/practice. If you look at it that way, it doesn't seem so long. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

What happened in dental school to make you pursue OMFS?

I went into dental school with the mentality that I would serve my 4 years, get my DDS, and hit the door. During my first year, one of the oral surgeons back home who was collecting teeth for me let me spend a day in his office. I thought he did the coolest stuff and I made a mental note that I would do whatever it took to get to that point. It's funny because a few weeks before then I was one of only 3 people who failed our first test in dental school (histology). I came out of the test thinking "damn they really did want us to know all that stuff". I finished the first semester in the lower 50% of the class (in rank). But then I pulled out the guns and started working my tail off. I was one of those closet-gunners where nobody knew I was doing as good as I was. By the end of 3rd year (which is when residencies see your numbers) I was able to be in the competitive ballpark for OMFS (top 10%, over 90 on part I). The OMFS residents at my school were always really nice and let me hang around and pester them with questions. They gave me a lot of good insight into the training, and gave me advice on externships and my application.

 

[ItsGavinC]

How is the dental schools in the caribbean working? Do you still need to go to dental school in USA to be able to practice? Please let me know.

I believe the answer to that is "yes". The international dental forum would have some better answers than I, for sure.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Well, I haven't completed my residency yet, but I'll still give my opinion. It's definately worth all the effort, but sometimes I wonder if I should have done a 4-year instead of 6-year OMFS residency. You still learn the same stuff, if not more, as it relates to the specialty. I chose a 6-year because I want to go into academics. 2 more letters after your name helps in the academic world, even though it's definately not required. Only 1 out of about 9 full-time faculty in my program are dual-degree, which includes 3 past-presidents of AAOMS and a couple of studs who have published countless articles/texts for our specialty, and who actually perform the treatments they write about (which isn't always the case). I like that because it demonstrates the adequacy of our dental background, regardless of what our 2 competing MD specialties like to think. You have to remember that residency is not like more school. I'm doing OMFS all the time, except in my residency instead of my own office/practice. If you look at it that way, it doesn't seem so long. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Way solid post, great stuff. I dunno where the other OMFS residents have run off to, but it's great to still have you around with background info like this up for grabs.

 

[I Surgeon]

You obviously don't know what you're talking about, and your short-sighted assumptions about dental school are almost as annoying as your arrogance. Where did you do your dental and medical school training for such a thoughtful comparison? I went to dental school in Tennessee and med school in Texas. That's the basis of my statement. I have yet to meet a person who did both med and dental school who thought differently. I don't feel like listing all the reasons, but if you want me to I will.

Skimming through your other posts, you obviously have some self-esteem issues or something, because all you do is bash other professions. Just another punk med student shooting his mouth off before he knows what he's talking about.

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.


You know why medical students don't have much responsibility during third and fourth years, because it is life and death in medicine unlike dentistry is. I would not want a third year med student making decisions for my grandfather on life support. This is why we go through at least 3 years of residency, so when your family member is in the ICU, a third year medicine resident can deliver proper care and save his life.

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

 

[I Surgeon]

Spoken like the arrogant, condescending self-absorbed little bastards I have come to know as the premed gunners. Pull your head out of your ass and take a look at the curriculum for dental school before saying that what 1st and 2nd year medical students go through is tougher. Some places make the medical and dental students take classes together (Harvard comes to mind for some reason).

I'm a medical graduate from a top 25 medical school...get accepted to dental school and will talk. Maybe you need to look at the curriculum to medical school and wonder why you will never have the opportunity to go to medical school unless you of course go through the back door through dental school.

Oh and stop cursing...please

 

[EyeAmCommi]

You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.

You represent this "medical community?" It's not any easier to get into a OMFS program than it is to go through medical school to become a general surgeon. That's the misconception. Usually, only the top dental students are allowed the opportunity to specialize in OMFS i believe. Now, you need to ask yourself this: is it correct to say that medical students in general surgery are better than the best dental students?

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are doctors. They earned their MDs through the same med school didactics and through residency like any traditional MD. The only difference is on TOP of being an MD, getting to prescribe all the different drugs, and performing surgery pertaining to the upper half of the body, they are also professionals and experts of the mouth/teeth (hence the oral cavity). They spend more time in school and learning about the human anatomy than most MDs do...so I put my hands up for toofache, his goals, and his awesome post.

 

[dWiz]

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.


You know why medical students don't have much responsibility during third and fourth years, because it is life and death in medicine unlike dentistry is. I would not want a third year med student making decisions for my grandfather on life support. This is why we go through at least 3 years of residency, so when your family member is in the ICU, a third year medicine resident can deliver proper care and save his life.

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

wow, this guy is a jerk. who needs respect from the "medical community", if it's comprised of low lifes like yourself

 

[EyeAmCommi]

I'm a medical graduate from a top 25 medical school...

Unless you come from one of three schools, Harvard, Hopkins, or UCSF. You're not that special...sorry.

 

[AUG2UAG]

harvard med and dent take classes together

 

[aphistis]

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.


You know why medical students don't have much responsibility during third and fourth years, because it is life and death in medicine unlike dentistry is. I would not want a third year med student making decisions for my grandfather on life support. This is why we go through at least 3 years of residency, so when your family member is in the ICU, a third year medicine resident can deliver proper care and save his life.

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

"Mid level profession."

That's cute.

 

[tjb]

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.


You know why medical students don't have much responsibility during third and fourth years, because it is life and death in medicine unlike dentistry is. I would not want a third year med student making decisions for my grandfather on life support. This is why we go through at least 3 years of residency, so when your family member is in the ICU, a third year medicine resident can deliver proper care and save his life.

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

Mid-level professions? I didn't know life was a competition. You live such a meaningless life. Remember, in life people do not care what you do or what you've accomplished so I hope you're satisfied with yourself.

With your previous posts in other forums it seems you may have an interest in ophthamology, should save alot of lives there!!

I'll take my "watered down" MD degree from Mayo any day over yours from Alabama.

I don't know why I even waste the time in response to you. I'm sure everyone prays we don't come accross or have to be treated by a doctor like you, I think I'd rather die! As for the medical community you obviously haven't heard of many OMFS guys. (Dr. Posnick, Costello, Ghali just to name a few, I'm sure even you'd respect them if you spent a day observing what they can do in an OR, but I guess they're just dentists, right?)

No need to respond, I don't want to take away from you saving lives, the hospital probably needs you, since there is such a shortage of intelligent physicians nowdays. Remember there is always someone smarter, stronger and richer. I know it's hard for you to comprehend.

tjb

 

[lnn2]

I didn't know life was a competition. You live such a meaningless life. Remember, in life people do not care what you do or what you've accomplished so I hope you're satisfied with yourself.

I second that! This kid seems to be CLUELESS! He might just be another snit, full of zits still in undergrad!

With your previous posts in other forums it seems you may have an interest in ophthamology, should save alot of lives there!!

Saving lives?! just hope he won't kill any patient first!!! That's going to be a huge challenge!

I'll take my "watered down" MD degree from Mayo any day over yours from Alabama.

A-LA-BAMMM-A?! I bet you that he's never been out of A-la-bammm-a with a narrow-minded thinking like that!

I don't know why I even waste the time in response to you. I'm sure everyone prays we don't come accross or have to be treated by a doctor like you, I think I'd rather die! As for the medical community you obviously haven't heard of many OMFS guys. (Dr. Posnick, Costello, Ghali just to name a few, I'm sure even you'd respect them if you spent a day observing what they can do in an OR, but I guess they're just dentists, right?)

No need to respond, I don't want to take away from you saving lives, the hospital probably needs you, since there is such a shortage of intelligent physicians nowdays. Remember there is always someone smarter, stronger and richer. I know it's hard for you to comprehend.

tjb

I wish that I could slap some senses into this fool! You know, you try to teach this kid right from wrong, be nice to him, babysit him, being patient with him...but what do you get in return? That kid is still an ignorant fool! You have to give up trying because there's no hope when you've realized that what he really needs is a brain transplant!

 

[ajmacgregor]

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

Does anyone else find the above statement completely contradictory? He says that he has never bashed any profession, but then goes on to say that dentistry is a "mid-level profession" whose practitioners are "trying to equate themselves with Doctors." That certainly sounds like he bashing dentistry to me.

I'd say that we should just ignore this guy - he obviously is dealing with some massive superiority complex.

 

[LSR1979]

I'm a medical graduate from a top 25 medical school...get accepted to dental school and will talk. Maybe you need to look at the curriculum to medical school and wonder why you will never have the opportunity to go to medical school unless you of course go through the back door through dental school.

Oh and stop cursing...please

We make more money than you and work less hours. Stuff that in your pipe and smoke it champ.

 

[Extraction]

Requirements for medical school are different...along with high GPA, extracurricular involvement, leadership...its a little test called the MCAT, which weeds out future doctors twice a year and changes plans for many students and forces them into dentistry, optometry, and even law school. I'm sorry to burst you bubble, but dental school is not much harder than medical school and requirements are not the same.

NEWSFLASH: not everyone wants to be a physician. To further 'burst your bubble' I know someone in med school who didn't get into dental school. And YES medical school is easier than dental school. I have finished dental school and am in medical school now. They spoon feed you the material and hold your hand. And to further bother your ego, many general dentists work 4 days a week and make more than physician working 5 days a week. Get the chip off your shoulder and respect other peoples career decisions. There are alot of very smart people who make career choices outside of health care and choose other health professions based on their particular interests. If you are going into medicine to bolster your ego and patch a hole in your self esteem, then you are going to have a miserable career.

 

[toofache32]

Way solid post, great stuff. I dunno where the other OMFS residents have run off to, but it's great to still have you around with background info like this up for grabs.

Maybe they were asked to leave their programs...they weren't getting anything done because they were sitting around on SDN.

Nice new picture Gavin. Are those your kids? The boy looks familiar from the other picture.

 

[I Surgeon]

"Mid level profession."

That's cute.

In context of my previous posts, I never called Dentistry a mid level profession. I'm sorry if thats what you thought. Midlevel = Nurse practitioners, Physician assistants, Nurse anesthetists, optometrists, etc. I understand that Dental school is hard, but I just don't see how one can say it is harder than medical school without completing all 4 years.

I respect Dentists and their training...they are very much needed.

 

[toofache32]

Unbelievable. Trolls are best left ignored, but this guy is just too much fun. I never meant to belittle your accomplishments dude...I was only bringing light to a common misconception about dental school assumed by many people (such as you) who know nothing about the dental specialty or our education, but must still shoot off their mouths even though they don't know what they're talking about. For some reason, when this topic is brought up there is always some loud-mouth MD who starts hollering, beating his chest, and showing the silver stripe down his back.

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school.

Waaaaaa!!!!! He hit me first! Waaaaa!!!

You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school.

This is more than you've seen of dental school. You still have no way of validating your previous arrogant claims about the dental school curriculum.
You obviously didn't read what I wrote about my 2nd year of med school where we also take 2 first-year courses at the same time. Hardly watered-down. Go to dental school, then you'll have a valid opinion on this argument. Or better yet, just ask any dual-degree OMFS resident you know.

Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service.

That's because the 4th year of med school in only about half a year long. The rest of the time you guys go on vacation, and take "electives" like derm and radiology where they don't even make you show up. You guys even take off time for interviews. All this spare time is when we go back to OMS.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist.

I don't get it. I think that's the point. We're a dental specialty, not medical. That's why med school is optional for our specialty.

...but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.

Huh? You obviously have no idea what you're blathering about. Refer to the picture above.

 

[toofache32]

I understand that Dental school is hard, but I just don't see how one can say it is harder than medical school without completing all 4 years.

Then how do you validate your assumptions about dental school in your first post? Not by going to dental school I assume.

 

[HumbledDDS]

I think that ended the debate right there.

Then how do you validate your assumptions about dental school in your first post? Not by going to dental school I assume.

 

[fishindr]

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.


You know why medical students don't have much responsibility during third and fourth years, because it is life and death in medicine unlike dentistry is. I would not want a third year med student making decisions for my grandfather on life support. This is why we go through at least 3 years of residency, so when your family member is in the ICU, a third year medicine resident can deliver proper care and save his life.

PS. you need to read my posts in context, I have never bashed any profession. I'm just tired of mid level professions trying to equate themselves with Doctors with the lack of training and practicing out of their scope.

I love these debates!!! I work in a hospital, I have been doing so for the past 6 years (in the summer during undergrad). I just had the doctor I work currently work for, a specialist that graduated from John's Hopkin's, take a look at some of your posts. He started laughing uncontrollably.

HE SAID, "This guy doesn't know what he's talking about." He went on to explain how if he had to do it all over again, he would have been an orthodontist!

It's great working in a hospital! Whenever I tell any of the docs what I'm doing, they always say, "Great choice! I wish I would've done that!" I've literally had AT LEAST 8-10 MD's tell me that they wished they would've gone to dental school instead of med. school. Hell, it's a BIG part of the reason I chose dentistry. All the doctors I worked for told me to go to dental school rather than med school.

Look, I truly appreciate the work you MD's do, don't get me wrong. But in the end, I'll be laughing at you all the way to the bank, or my kids baseball practice, or my anniversary dinner, or on the beach in the Bahama's..........

 

[toofache32]

I love these debates!!! I work in a hospital, I have been doing so for the past 6 years (in the summer during undergrad). I just had the doctor I work currently work for, a specialist that graduated from John's Hopkin's, take a look at some of your posts. He started laughing uncontrollably.

HE SAID, "This guy doesn't know what he's talking about." He went on to explain how if he had to do it all over again, he would have been an orthodontist!

It's great working in a hospital! Whenever I tell any of the docs what I'm doing, they always say, "Great choice! I wish I would've done that!" I've literally had AT LEAST 8-10 MD's tell me that they wished they would've gone to dental school instead of med. school. Hell, it's a BIG part of the reason I chose dentistry. All the doctors I worked for told me to go to dental school rather than med school.

Look, I truly appreciate the work you MD's do, don't get me wrong. But in the end, I'll be laughing at you all the way to the bank, or my kids baseball practice, or my anniversary dinner, or on the beach in the Bahama's..........

My dental school class was full of kids whose MD parents told them to go to dental school.

It doesn't even matter which pathway is more difficult because these are 2 different specialties...the only thing in common is the patients. In the end, all that counts is that you're doing what you want to do.

 

[north2southOMFS]

Maybe they were asked to leave their programs...they weren't getting anything done because they were sitting around on SDN.

Nice new picture Gavin. Are those your kids? The boy looks familiar from the other picture.

No, the temp here is Louisianna has gotten above the threshhold ASS-BEATING temperature so were too damn busy wiring jaws shut to sit around and read posts. You see we only have 1 or 2 residents per year, not the cush 4-5 residents big programs like parkland have.

I heard they have so many residents at parkland that they only work in 2-3 hour shifts and have call 2 times a month.

Or it is because I just found out i passed Step 1 HAVING NEVER HAD YOUR PRECIOUS MED SCHOOL YOU CHOAD I2I!

 

[toofache32]

...I heard they have so many residents at parkland that they only work in 2-3 hour shifts and have call 2 times a month.

THREE times a month...get it right, buddy!

I knew that you guys would come back around here once I poked you with a sharp stick.

 

[tx oms]

So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

I tell you why med school is easy: I passed the USMLE part I without going to the first two years of med school. All I had to do was study. 17 out of my 95 or so classmates didn't pass the step I, even with your wonderful first two years. I don't need your classes to pass that test, just a book and half my brain.

Your point that we don't do the first two years so we don't anything about med school is stupid. You're stupid for trying to make it. What are you, about a junior in the local community college?

Next, what do my "medical" coleagues think of me? Well, they know I have both degrees (technically, twice the knowledge--but who's splitting hairs?) and, at least at my hospital, they know we're the go to guys for anything between the pleura and dura.

Who does general surgery call when they need a massive carotid body tumor removed? ENT? Noooo, my friend, they speed dial OMFS. Who does peds call when they need a cranial vault reshaping for synostosis (look it up)? Plastics what? Cranio-facial who? That's right, OMFS. Who does the chairman of psych call when a family member needs their thyroid taken out? General surgery? ENT? Hell no, he call's the man, OMFS. Who does your mom call when she..., never mind, that's another topic.

 

[toofache32]

...anything between the pleura and dura.

Who does general surgery call when they need a massive carotid body tumor removed? ENT? Noooo, my friend, they speed dial OMFS. Who does peds call when they need a cranial vault reshaping for synostosis (look it up)? Plastics what? Cranio-facial who? That's right, OMFS. Who does the chairman of psych call when a family member needs their thyroid taken out? General surgery? ENT? Hell no, he call's the man, OMFS. Who does your mom call when she..., never mind, that's another topic.

They sure as he!! don't call optometry...

 

[ISU_Steve]

At least at my hospital, they know we're the go to guys for anything between the pleura and dura.

Who does your mom call when she..., never mind, that's another topic.

On both points....

Think the question now is: Who's going I2I going to call to remove his foot from his mouth, and his head from his ass?

 

[ItsGavinC]

First of all you started this mess when you ran your mouth off saying Dental school is harder than Medical school. You can't say it is harder than Medical school especially since you have a "watered down" medical degree, who basically completed only the 3rd year of medical school while not really experiencing the 1st and 2nd year of medical school. Fourth year is spent mostly on OMS service. So tell me sir, how do you know dental school is harder than medical school when you did not complete the first 2 years of medical school? You can't! You are definately in denial.

Oh and by the way, ask any doctor in a medical residency, you are still considered a dentist. You make look like a hero to these dental students on the forum, but in real life you get no respect from the medical community.

Sounds as though you had better contact the AAMC and let them know you disagree with their accreditation policies. If you pass all steps of the USMLE, then you receive the degree. It's simple.

But this argument ended a while ago it appears.