Should I pursue dentistry or cognitive neuroscience?

[Anonymous321]

Hi,

I am a senior high-school student, and I need to apply for university courses in 2 or so weeks (the system is a bit different where I live, so ignore that particular factor). However, I am very torn between two careers - dentistry (specifically, orthodontics), and neuroscience (cognitive).

I am very sure that I am suitable for both fields, but there's a couple of problems here and there. Basically, neuroscience is the field I'm most interested in. I do study and read about the brain and nervous system in my spare time because as I said, I really do enjoy it. But the thing is that it lacks job security. I really do want to pursue research, and I really do not want to end up becoming a professor at a university or something - basically, I don't want to end up doing something that is not related to research. Plus, even if you do land a job, you'll have to depend on grants.

With dentistry, I'm not as interested in the field, but I can still see myself enjoying this career to a certain degree (since I find it very rewarding to increase someone's self-esteem). It's also secure, but if I do end up pursing it, then it'll be because of security, really. Also, if I do land a job as a dentist, then I'll most likely be working under someone or in a hospital (I.e. I am not willing to have my own clinic and such). Though I might enjoy it, it's definitely nowhere as much as I enjoy the neuroscience field.

If anyone can provide me with some sort of advice, then I'd appreciate it quite a lot.

(Quick note, my parents will be paying for my university fees (yes, I do know that I am very lucky), so that factor won't be a very big issue).

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[Gilakend]

Only a freshly graduated high school senior myself so take what I say for what it's worth and I'll let others help you with your main issue but something I feel you should consider from what I've learned through being on this forum. Orthodontics is very competitive, it's generally said that you shouldn't go to dental school if you can't see yourself being happy with being a general dentist and you would only be happy in orthodontics because many who go in hoping to be orthodontists don't end up being one. I'm not sure if you would enjoy dentistry or not, just something I feel it is important to consider.

 

[mcatjelly]

You won't know what you like doing until you actually experience it firsthand. Shadow a dentist, work in a cogneuro lab in college.

 

[Dreamstoo]

Agreed with mcatjelly. Also I know a few pre meds who did research in cogneuro labs in college. Both of them enjoyed it a lot. One of them actually decided to pursue research for the next couple of years and possibly revisit the idea of going to med school.

 

[ndafife]

The beauty of this is the fact that you are in high school, not college. You have time to shadow and work in labs, time to get involved in clubs for both fields. Your early classes (basic pre-reqs) will have a lot of overlap, and even then, you can be a pre-dental student majoring in neuroscience and working in a neuroscience lab.

Regarding your plans for research, you are 4 years of undergrad, years working toward a Ph D, years working in a post doc before you actually have to make a decision about going into university or private research.

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

...use neuroscience as pre-dental? Also, why dental and not neurology/psych?

 

[Screwtape]

I have nothing else to add, all good advice here so far.

 

[Anonymous321]

...use neuroscience as pre-dental? Also, why dental and not neurology/psych?

Neurology was actually something that I looked into as well - I decided to cross it out since it takes a very long time to become fully qualified.

 

[efle]

Neurology was actually something that I looked into as well - I decided to cross it out since it takes a very long time to become fully qualified.

It takes a long time to become a cogneuro PhD too...plus then postdoc and hunting for PI opportunities, you end up hitting your real potential the same time a Neuro MD does.

But as others have said, go into college, take psych/cogpsych/neuro courses plus the prereqs that are common to dentistry and medicine, shadow doctors, dentists, and try working in a cogneuro lab. These are some VERY different careers you are talking about, I imagine one will be much much more appealing to you

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

It takes a long time to become a cogneuro PhD too...plus then postdoc and hunting for PI opportunities, you end up hitting your real potential the same time a Neuro MD does.

And when you factor in salary...

 

[efle]

And when you factor in salary...

WHAAAT??!?! You would consider salary in choice of career? You don't feel it as a calling that you would do for FREE?! Get off SDN

 

[Anonymous321]

It takes a long time to become a cogneuro PhD too...plus then postdoc and hunting for PI opportunities, you end up hitting your real potential the same time a Neuro MD does.

But as others have said, go into college, take psych/cogpsych/neuro courses plus the prereqs that are common to dentistry and medicine, shadow doctors, dentists, and try working in a cogneuro lab. These are some VERY different careers you are talking about, I imagine one will be much much more appealing to you

Yes, it indeed does take a long time to pursue neuroscience as well, but there are factors that count into Neurology. With neuroscience, you can begin to pursue research immediately after your education, but it takes a long time to become a consultant in neurology.

 

[Anonymous321]

And when you factor in salary...

Yeah, you do have a point - neurology is a lot more secure and is worth it (though if you want a rewarding salary, it'll take a while), considering all of the years of education that goes into it. Neuroscience, on the other hand, doesn't really offer that. If I do end up majoring in neuroscience then it'll be due to the fact that I'm interested in it, but I do feel like I will most likely discard it and keep it as a hobby, since it's got way too many cons as oppose to orthodontics and neurology.

 

[Anonymous321]

Only a freshly graduated high school senior myself so take what I say for what it's worth and I'll let others help you with your main issue but something I feel you should consider from what I've learned through being on this forum. Orthodontics is very competitive, it's generally said that you shouldn't go to dental school if you can't see yourself being happy with being a general dentist and you would only be happy in orthodontics because many who go in hoping to be orthodontists don't end up being one. I'm not sure if you would enjoy dentistry or not, just something I feel it is important to consider.

I most likely wouldn't enjoy it that much, but I still would enjoy it, so I'll definitely keep your advice in mind. Speaking of competitiveness, do you have any idea on how competitive orthodontics/general dentistry is in places such as Australia and America? (neglecting factors like state)

 

[TEETH2424]

You said it right here: "Basically, neuroscience is the field I'm most interested in."

At the end of the day - you gotta do what you love!
That being said, it would be very easy for me to instead try to convince you to join the dental clan (I am applying to dental schools right now!).

The advice that @Gilakend gave was sound - in order to be an orthodontist, you have to first have your heart set on becoming a dentist. Orthodontics is the most highly competitive dental specialty (only somewhere around 300 out of more than 10,000 dentists get accepted into orthodontics programs each cycle). Not to be a debbie downer, but by the end of dental school - the burnout and large amounts of debt deter many who initially planned on specializing from continuing on to specialize! Shadow a dentist so you can get a feel for whether you would genuinely enjoy dentistry (not just ortho)...

The two pathways are quite different - going the dental route, you have to want to be involved in patient care - you have to see yourself helping people directly in other words. Going the neuro route, you will still be helping people/humanity - but indirectly through research. That is a big consideration! Direct vs Indirect involvement with patients.

The great thing is that you seem to be definitely interested in a science field - therefore, when you go to register for courses soon, getting your basic sciences (bio, chem, physics) out of the way will be useful for either path you ultimately choose! Take one step at a time - see how the sciences go for you...as you go through school and hopefully can take more neuro classes - you can get a better feel for whether neuro is your real passion, which I suspect is the case from what you said in your post. Do what you REALLY love - the $ and all the practical bits will follow.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions about dentistry and I can try my best to answer them!

 

[smalltownpsych]

You might also look at neuropsychology as a possibility. You could be involved in both research and practice and tailor that to whatever fits your eventual goals.

 

[jeffk805dent]

Congrats on taking the initiative towards the next step in your career.

I have no comment about cognitive neuroscience other than the fact that I enjoyed my neuroscience classes at USC (thank you Dr. Quick).

Now on the dentistry front:
If possible shadow 4 dentists each for 25 hours. Reason for shadowing different dentists is that it allows you to see how different dentists tackle situations and more importantly, their etiquette towards patients. The stereotype of people hating the dentist still exists, so getting to see how dentists will get you ideas on how you yourself can be as a friendly dentist (I'm assuming you're a nice person but even nice people can have a difficult time with patients).

Another reason to shadow different dentists is to see all the types of dentistry that is done in the real world. I would say shadow 1 orthodontist, 1 oral surgeon (this might be more difficult to get), 1 pediatric dentist (also hard to shadow), 1 general dentist. By netting a wide range of dental specialties, you'll be able to see which type of dentist you would aspire to be. Do note that oral surgeon is very tough to crack into but my fiance is one and she has time over time, its dedication more than anything else, no luck, no trickery.

Despite saturation in certain areas, dentistry is still a "secure" career. The cool part is depending on which jobs you apply to, you can work as much or as less as you like.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

I majored in neuroscience in undergrad, worked full-time for four years in cog neurosci research, and am now in medical school where I do cognitive neurology research. So if you're really interested in neuroscience, there's no reason why you can't integrate it into medicine. I cannot speak to dentistry, however.

I would recommend you get a little exposure to both fields first, as neuroscience research may not be exactly what you expect it to be (and the same may go with dentistry). Specifically, I'm not sure exactly what you plan to do with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience if not academics -- I know only a handful of people who did not end up going into academia; industry options are pretty limited and my most successful colleague outside of academia is in neuromarketing (a pretty small field with limited applicability to "real" cog neuro). Anyhow, try to keep an open mind!