Shadowing Abroad?

[idunnowhattonamemyself]

Hello - sorry if this is a dumb question! But, to begin, I recently decided to become pre-dental as of the end of last semester (Dec 2018), so this led me to not have as many hours as I want. I will be a junior this year, so I plan on applying next year and starting dental school in 2021.

By the end of the summer, I should have around 40 hours of shadowing and 75 hours of volunteering. During this fall semester, I know I will be able to have around 150 hours of volunteering, but I don't believe I would be able to obtain shadowing hours. I have work and/or class from 9-5, so it would be impossible to shadow at clinics during the semester. I would also be preparing for the DAT this upcoming semester and take it in December.

I plan on studying abroad in Spain during the spring semester and then applying to dental schools when I get back in the summer. I definitely know that 40 hours is not enough and the usual recommendation is 100 hours. I was wondering if it is okay to shadow abroad in different countries so I can up my hours.

I would plan to shadow in Spain, so I can continue to learn Spanish in a dental setting which could be useful as I am from Texas and plan to practice in Texas. I will also be traveling to South Asia with my family next month, so I was thinking would it be beneficial to shadow dentists there? It is a third world country, so I think it would be a unique perspective.

Would these be valid as shadowing experience or do dental schools expect shadowing hours from the US? I just don't want to withhold sending in an application for a year in order to increase my shadowing hours, but I also don't want to apply if 40 hours will be detrimental and I waste money on the application and not get accepted.

I would say my stats are average. GPA: 3.65. sGPA: 3.6. I haven't taken the DAT yet, but plan to do so in December. I ideally want to attend a Texas dental school, but will apply everywhere.

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[idunnowhattonamemyself]

bump

 

[setdoc7]

Why not? The American Dental Association is having it's national meeting this year with the FDI, Federation Dentaire Internacional. There are dentist all over the world, and this experience might set you apart. Personally, I think you might have a very interesting time, and learn more than just regular shadowing.

 

[doc toothache]

Shadowing in another country might give a different perspective, but it should not be used in lieu of requirements/recommendations for US dental schools, unless the ultimate plan is setting up shop in another country.

 

[setdoc7]

What’s the difference? Here/there? I thought human teeth were the same everywhere.

 

[doc toothache]

What’s the difference? Here/there? I thought human teeth were the same everywhere.

This is probably not what adcoms had in mind for shadowing.

 

[setdoc7]

It is true that there is a great disparity in the level of care in different parts of the world. That alone would be an education. Do you really think shadowing is that educational in a small private office in Anywhere, USA? Without any solid dental education in even the basics, it is simply watching a dentist work. If the applicant is lucky enough to have a mentor dentist who is capable of teaching on a basic level, then it may be of some use, but IMHO, this is not what I have heard occurs from the dental students and residents I have asked. It becomes even more evident after reading the PS's I have reviewed from applicants. They focus on doctor patient relationships and patient satisfaction, but rarely the technical side of dentistry, because they were not taught any of this during shadowing.` Out of USA shadowing can be quite interesting, as I have visited many of my colleagues all over the world, and you would be quite impressed at how far they have eclipsed our USA/Canadian standards.

 

[doc toothache]

It is true that there is a great disparity in the level of care in different parts of the world. That alone would be an education. Do you really think shadowing is that educational in a small private office in Anywhere, USA? Without any solid dental education in even the basics, it is simply watching a dentist work. If the applicant is lucky enough to have a mentor dentist who is capable of teaching on a basic level, then it may be of some use, but IMHO, this is not what I have heard occurs from the dental students and residents I have asked. It becomes even more evident after reading the PS's I have reviewed from applicants. They focus on doctor patient relationships and patient satisfaction, but rarely the technical side of dentistry, because they were not taught any of this during shadowing.` Out of USA shadowing can be quite interesting, as I have visited many of my colleagues all over the world, and you would be quite impressed at how far they have eclipsed our USA/Canadian standards.

from 2015 Guide to Dental School Admission
JOB SHADOWING

The single most important factor before deciding on any professional career option is job shadowing, which ranks among the most misunderstood topic for dental school admission. Shadowing is intended to acquaint the prospective applicant with the day-to-day life of a dentist. It is about observing the atmosphere in a dental office, the interaction between staff, practitioner and patient and, more importantly, about the procedures performed in a dental office. It is reasonable to expect an applicant to have done some shadowing before an application for admission is submitted. Shadowing is not intended for on the job training. Ideally, an applicant should shadow a general dentist for 4-8 hours a day for 3-4 days. Since not all offices are created equal, whenever possible, shadowing should not be limited to a single office, especially when a practice may be limited in scope. Observing the entire spectrum of dental procedures-restorative, oral surgery, prosthodontic, endodontic, periodontic, pedodontic, and orthodontic- would be ideal. Shadowing a specialist is a good choice, but not a substitute. With a limited number of applicants that schools can accommodate, ambivalence is not a quality in high demand.

 

[setdoc7]

Not all offices are created equally is quite an understatement. I in no way meant to infer that shadowing was on the job training, but on the other hand, simply observing procedures is commensurate with going to the OR to see general surgery. It may look interesting, but the actual process which led to the surgery may not be clear, nor all of the pre op work that needs to be done to land the patient on the OR table. I have had students observe at the hospital dental center, and I am never clear what they get out of it except to fulfill this AADSAS requirement. My point is that without the dentist making some type of explanation about what is actually happening, the whole process seems pointless, and there is no way for a student to evaluate if they have chosen a good office to shadow in.