I've grossly neglected this blog, but all for good reason. Reading my previous posts its almost unfathomable how much has changed since the start. People have settled, work load has risen, and the atmosphere has tensed. I'm realizing at this point that dental school to many is the end all, be all of the next four years. From my housemates, undergraduate professors and my own life I've learned the exact opposite, and that has been the main struggle in the past weeks. Studying in my mind is a fact of any academic endeavor. It was in Binghamton, as it is in Buffalo. But we're all human. Complex and allosteric, if one will. Our states depend on many factors. We have desires, pet-peeves, personalities, rituals and routines. I feel the hardest thing yet is to find that balance for myself. Prioritizing has never been a problem, but acting on those set priorities is a totally different thing.
As of today we've had 2 Biochemistry Exams, 2 Waxing practicals, A histology exam, Dental Anatomy Midterm and Gross Block II is this Friday. Abdomen has been great, and anatomy is teaching me things far beyond the human body. For better or worse, the first year of dental school will most definitely be something to remember. At the end of it all, I can only hope to say I'll be able to hold it all together, on my own, no matter what, since I've come to realize it's a world of strangers and there's really no other option.
A dental student's journal.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
D1 - Week 1.
Tomorrow concludes the first week of year one and all I, and most my classmates are thinking is probably something along the lines of "...what?" I personally feel way more stressed than I should be, mainly because at this point, the work has been laid out, one week's worth that feels more like months worth. I was reflecting a little earlier on the classes we have, and what exactly to study for each so I think outlining them here will help get me a bit more organized:
Dental Biochemistry: Word from upperclassmen and the professor thus far is just study the (1)lectures. I've been recording what I can but I also have a notebook that will come in handy in test preparation.
Dental Anatomy: LOVE this class, but I love it way too much considering it's only worth 1.5 credits..which doesn't make sense to me but that's that. I've been reading the text mainly cause it's super cool, but the advice has been to stick to the (1)lectures and I'll start to skim the (2)text. This week we had our first lab - Mounting the typodont, which some completed in a timely and neat manner, while others struggled for hours, in some cases completly disassembling their plastered down mandible and repositioning, rewaxing, and replastering the articulator. I'm hoping to get a photo of mine on here soon :D.
Histology: Not one of my favorites thus far, but definitely necessary. I think with time the course will get more interesting when we actually get a feel for what structures look like more. Main study tools seem to be (1)laboratory slides and (2)lectures. The text may be worth a skim also but from what it seems, pictures will be priceless.
Intro to Profession: Something like a seminar course, grading is P/F. Really awesome so far with lectures from members of organized dentistry, ethics committees and more. Not much to study thus far.
Gross Anatomy: Said to be the killer of first year. My attack plan will include hours spent in the cadaver lab, (1)Rohen's Color Atlas of Anatomy, (2)Grant's Dissector and the (3)UB issued lab manual. Altogether should be a winning combo. But we'll see, having our first dissection tomorrow on the superficial back.
One piece of software I used to study for the DAT that has been coming in handy for memorizing amino acids, dental anatomy vocab and other things is Anki . The program allows you to make flashcards and tests you based on how long it takes you to turn over the card. Easier cards will show up less often than harder ones. It's free and there are some downloadable card sets already on there for dental anatomy and other topics.
So looking at all of this, its definitely a lot, but definitely manageable. One friend of mine said it well, in that most of the stress this week is the hype. That every moment we feel like we should be doing something, but in reality I've quickly realized that isn't healthy, or sustainable. I've also quickly learned that when people say "all you can do is give your best", that is ideal advice. Its easy to flood your schedule with the workload, let your spirits and health slip, and be a slave to the books. The key is really going to be learning to take a breath and keep the pace.
Cheers! :D
Dental Biochemistry: Word from upperclassmen and the professor thus far is just study the (1)lectures. I've been recording what I can but I also have a notebook that will come in handy in test preparation.
Dental Anatomy: LOVE this class, but I love it way too much considering it's only worth 1.5 credits..which doesn't make sense to me but that's that. I've been reading the text mainly cause it's super cool, but the advice has been to stick to the (1)lectures and I'll start to skim the (2)text. This week we had our first lab - Mounting the typodont, which some completed in a timely and neat manner, while others struggled for hours, in some cases completly disassembling their plastered down mandible and repositioning, rewaxing, and replastering the articulator. I'm hoping to get a photo of mine on here soon :D.
Histology: Not one of my favorites thus far, but definitely necessary. I think with time the course will get more interesting when we actually get a feel for what structures look like more. Main study tools seem to be (1)laboratory slides and (2)lectures. The text may be worth a skim also but from what it seems, pictures will be priceless.
Intro to Profession: Something like a seminar course, grading is P/F. Really awesome so far with lectures from members of organized dentistry, ethics committees and more. Not much to study thus far.
Gross Anatomy: Said to be the killer of first year. My attack plan will include hours spent in the cadaver lab, (1)Rohen's Color Atlas of Anatomy, (2)Grant's Dissector and the (3)UB issued lab manual. Altogether should be a winning combo. But we'll see, having our first dissection tomorrow on the superficial back.
One piece of software I used to study for the DAT that has been coming in handy for memorizing amino acids, dental anatomy vocab and other things is Anki . The program allows you to make flashcards and tests you based on how long it takes you to turn over the card. Easier cards will show up less often than harder ones. It's free and there are some downloadable card sets already on there for dental anatomy and other topics.
So looking at all of this, its definitely a lot, but definitely manageable. One friend of mine said it well, in that most of the stress this week is the hype. That every moment we feel like we should be doing something, but in reality I've quickly realized that isn't healthy, or sustainable. I've also quickly learned that when people say "all you can do is give your best", that is ideal advice. Its easy to flood your schedule with the workload, let your spirits and health slip, and be a slave to the books. The key is really going to be learning to take a breath and keep the pace.
Cheers! :D
Friday, August 12, 2011
Orientation Week
By no insane stretch of the imagination could I have foreseen the beginnings of dental school being what this week has been. From the formal and professional welcome breakfast, to open bar parties reminiscent of undergrad, orientation here is said to be the best week of first year.
Today we finally picked up what seems to be the last of our supplies for the first year courses. In what felt like an early Christmas (that we paid for dearly in advance), Henry Schein and Brasseler reps gave out boxes filled with models, instruments, and a ton of other stuff I'm yet to figure out what it is. Getting the scrubs I think was just icing on the cake, but to me felt unreal. Looking back to the interview when I met and spoke with the current 2nd year students, I remember them wearing their anatomy scrubs, and how much I wanted to be in their shoes. Now finally, I am :D.
The coolest thing thus far though had to have been the lecture on IT in Dentistry. A professor whose name totally escapes me talked about all the awesome new technology that's coming up, and things that we'll be working with by our 3rd year. Digital x-rays are a common change, but the use of Cone beam CT scans in dentistry is something that was new to me. Oral surgeons for instance can use them to get much, much better view of where nerves are and how to go about placing implant, or removing third molars for instance. He also presented a video about Invisalign and how the devices are made and all which was crazy cool.
Today was the white coat ceremony and family day picnic which was again unlike anything I could have imagined. Sure, being cloaked in a white coat feels great but it's much more than the act, the feelings and thoughts about the future, and how fortunate I am to be here made me almost teary eyed. I definitely cannot complain and as second year students have said, our lives won't ever be the same. At the picnic I spoke with a few friends' parents and got a lot of insight as to how different all our lives are, and had a ton of fun listening to older dentists' stories of celebrities, quirky patients and tales of dental school in years past. The entire experience was nothing short of honorable. When people talk about feeling honored, and or an individual or institution having prestige, I always thought of the high-nosed professional, looking down on the world. Buffalo has redefined those words for me today, with emotions of trust, character and wholeheartedly lust for life. Prestige being the characteristic that sets one apart from the crowd and honor being the pride and exaltation that comes with achievement.
Today we finally picked up what seems to be the last of our supplies for the first year courses. In what felt like an early Christmas (that we paid for dearly in advance), Henry Schein and Brasseler reps gave out boxes filled with models, instruments, and a ton of other stuff I'm yet to figure out what it is. Getting the scrubs I think was just icing on the cake, but to me felt unreal. Looking back to the interview when I met and spoke with the current 2nd year students, I remember them wearing their anatomy scrubs, and how much I wanted to be in their shoes. Now finally, I am :D.
The coolest thing thus far though had to have been the lecture on IT in Dentistry. A professor whose name totally escapes me talked about all the awesome new technology that's coming up, and things that we'll be working with by our 3rd year. Digital x-rays are a common change, but the use of Cone beam CT scans in dentistry is something that was new to me. Oral surgeons for instance can use them to get much, much better view of where nerves are and how to go about placing implant, or removing third molars for instance. He also presented a video about Invisalign and how the devices are made and all which was crazy cool.
Today was the white coat ceremony and family day picnic which was again unlike anything I could have imagined. Sure, being cloaked in a white coat feels great but it's much more than the act, the feelings and thoughts about the future, and how fortunate I am to be here made me almost teary eyed. I definitely cannot complain and as second year students have said, our lives won't ever be the same. At the picnic I spoke with a few friends' parents and got a lot of insight as to how different all our lives are, and had a ton of fun listening to older dentists' stories of celebrities, quirky patients and tales of dental school in years past. The entire experience was nothing short of honorable. When people talk about feeling honored, and or an individual or institution having prestige, I always thought of the high-nosed professional, looking down on the world. Buffalo has redefined those words for me today, with emotions of trust, character and wholeheartedly lust for life. Prestige being the characteristic that sets one apart from the crowd and honor being the pride and exaltation that comes with achievement.
UBSDM C/O 2015 White Coat Ceremony - 08.12.11
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
I'm Hereee!
Finally in the place I've wanted to be for years now and although the house is dead quiet, my agenda is exploding with things to get organized before classes start. Orientation is tomorrow, but there's already been a few opportunities to meet other classmates. Aside from the fun stuff, there's the challenges of cleaning, furnishing, making sure I have enough loans to eat, fixing my bed and a couple other things. I went running today around town hoping to get acquainted with the area. Twenty minutes in I was completely lost, parched and hungry. Luckily a pizza place was nice enough to give me some water and directions and I was on my way. Tomorrow will be better.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Summer Before
As of May 21st 2011, I'm officially a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. Although for me all the ceremonies and congratulations didn't mean too much as I'm looking forward to at least four more years of education. Nonetheless it's great to celebrate a stepping stone in the bigger scheme of things.
So with housing taken care of, I'm steadily chopping away at the "To-Do" list UB has posted for its incoming students. The sending transcripts, medical forms, ID photos and other paperwork was nothing, but finding somewhere to certify in Basic Life Support, and the hunt for extracted teeth is a bit more challenging. I've secured a handful for now, but I'll need WAY more than what I have currently. I know a fair amount of dentists though and I wouldn't be much of a Bioengineer if I didn't know how to utilize a network :). On top of that, undergraduate school did a great job of demonstrating the importance of preparedness. There truly is no such thing as "too prepared", when it comes to academia at least. Having spoken to some other dental students I've come to the belief that Gross Anatomy will be the killer first semester. In preparation I've got Rohen's Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body on the way. Until then I've been reading a couple of books that look at the not so technical parts of dentistry:
A Brief History of the Smile by Angus Trumble is by an art historian whose given talks to dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons and other related health care professionals. This book focuses on the importance of different facial features and how changing some of those features can have drastic effects that the provider may not be aware of. The book looks at different works of art and analyzes the smiles. The chapters are broken down by what may be conveyed by the smiles: Decorum, Lewdness, Desire, Mirth, Wisdom, Deceit and concludes with the question of Happiness? There's a little bit of anatomy and a few dental anecdotes embedded in the book as well. Trumble cites his sources but also brings up many aspects of dentistry that one may never think about. What I really love about this is that the author isn't just another dental professional - he's an outsider with a different perspective. As we often see, so called "experts" may sometimes be "too smart" to see discoveries that outsiders easily pick up on. Hence academia's stress on interdisciplinary education. Great read though for artists, dentists or anyone just interested in smiles (a total steal for 2 bucks on Amazon).
The Excruciating History Of Dentistry by James Wynbrandt is a book I haven't yet started but can say it sounded really interesting just by the back cover. Amazon gives a great description as well and as an upcoming dental professional I think it'd be nice to know where everything came from and what we were doing years before. UB has a museum that offers some insight to dentistry's barbaric beginnings but this book offers many more cool tales. So two dental history books. I think it's a good start. To borrow a quote I heard somewhere before, "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been."
Aside from all the tooth related things, I've got my seventh year of life guarding being kicked off on June 11th. It scares me a bit that one of these upcoming summers could be my last there as I'll probably want to find a research position or something dental related later on. We'll see though.
So with housing taken care of, I'm steadily chopping away at the "To-Do" list UB has posted for its incoming students. The sending transcripts, medical forms, ID photos and other paperwork was nothing, but finding somewhere to certify in Basic Life Support, and the hunt for extracted teeth is a bit more challenging. I've secured a handful for now, but I'll need WAY more than what I have currently. I know a fair amount of dentists though and I wouldn't be much of a Bioengineer if I didn't know how to utilize a network :). On top of that, undergraduate school did a great job of demonstrating the importance of preparedness. There truly is no such thing as "too prepared", when it comes to academia at least. Having spoken to some other dental students I've come to the belief that Gross Anatomy will be the killer first semester. In preparation I've got Rohen's Color Atlas of Anatomy: A Photographic Study of the Human Body on the way. Until then I've been reading a couple of books that look at the not so technical parts of dentistry:
A Brief History of the Smile by Angus Trumble is by an art historian whose given talks to dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons and other related health care professionals. This book focuses on the importance of different facial features and how changing some of those features can have drastic effects that the provider may not be aware of. The book looks at different works of art and analyzes the smiles. The chapters are broken down by what may be conveyed by the smiles: Decorum, Lewdness, Desire, Mirth, Wisdom, Deceit and concludes with the question of Happiness? There's a little bit of anatomy and a few dental anecdotes embedded in the book as well. Trumble cites his sources but also brings up many aspects of dentistry that one may never think about. What I really love about this is that the author isn't just another dental professional - he's an outsider with a different perspective. As we often see, so called "experts" may sometimes be "too smart" to see discoveries that outsiders easily pick up on. Hence academia's stress on interdisciplinary education. Great read though for artists, dentists or anyone just interested in smiles (a total steal for 2 bucks on Amazon).
The Excruciating History Of Dentistry by James Wynbrandt is a book I haven't yet started but can say it sounded really interesting just by the back cover. Amazon gives a great description as well and as an upcoming dental professional I think it'd be nice to know where everything came from and what we were doing years before. UB has a museum that offers some insight to dentistry's barbaric beginnings but this book offers many more cool tales. So two dental history books. I think it's a good start. To borrow a quote I heard somewhere before, "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been."
Aside from all the tooth related things, I've got my seventh year of life guarding being kicked off on June 11th. It scares me a bit that one of these upcoming summers could be my last there as I'll probably want to find a research position or something dental related later on. We'll see though.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Fourth Molar Takes Root.
Welcome! I've been blogging for years now and I've always wanted to start a blog that may be of meaning to others, rather than just rant about random topics. So here goes- first a little background.
I'm currently an undergraduate student at SUNY Binghamton University finishing up my B.S. in Bioengineering. This Fall I'll be attending my top choice school - SUNY Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine! I'm a little late starting this blog, as I wanted to document my studying for the DAT as well but as anyone studying for a major standardized test knows, its unbelievably time consuming. I don't expect dental school to be very time friendly either, but I feel posting about material will not only enrich others but may help my understanding as well.
It's funny how you think getting in is the hardest part when you haven't yet, but the devil really is in the details later on. I've recently overcome the first of many administrative hurdles - where and whom to live with. After frantically emailing other students in our Facebook group, and not having much luck, I came across another student's post looking for a roommate to fill a house of four. A couple phone calls and emails later, a deal is made. The main attributes I was looking for were cost, safety and distance to the school. This place I think has all of those, although it is a bit on the pricey side, nonetheless, I'm excited. A few things I learned through this whole housing search:
1. Visit! At LEAST once. If you're a dental/med student you've had an interview at the school already and you have some idea of what things are like. Hopefully you began thinking about potentially living there during your interview.
2. Scour the Internet - Facebook and Craigslist were my best friends honestly. I have a friend whose attending medical school next year and he's yet to have found an "Accepted Students" group for his class, which I think is nuts. Every school (especially professional schools) should have these. Students generally start them so if there isn't one, might as well start one! If all goes well, current students will join as well and connecting with them is perfect since they're the best source to go to. Craigslist helped me get an idea of what else was out there, if it did come down to my finding a place on my own. It also gives you an idea of what you'll be spending on housing. Google Maps street view was also quite handy to check out if houses I was considering were in super sketchy areas or not.
3. Shop Around - With housing there's always options. I know in Buffalo I heard of a number of student plazas, apartment complexes and communities where students are known to live. All these falling into a wide price range. Take a look around, but not for too long...
4. Be Open - Everyone's got preferences. Ideals for themselves, the people they want to be around, where they want to be, the list goes on. Regardless, what's more important than what we want is the attitude we take toward what we're presented with. Be positive, and positivity will likely follow along. As my professors have drilled into my head the past four years - embrace change - there's opportunity in every change.
UB has already sent out a "To-Do" list for us incoming students, which I am yet to get on, thanks to some intense senior level engineering courses. I think that's all for this first post. Looking forward to a fabulous next four years :D!
I'm currently an undergraduate student at SUNY Binghamton University finishing up my B.S. in Bioengineering. This Fall I'll be attending my top choice school - SUNY Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine! I'm a little late starting this blog, as I wanted to document my studying for the DAT as well but as anyone studying for a major standardized test knows, its unbelievably time consuming. I don't expect dental school to be very time friendly either, but I feel posting about material will not only enrich others but may help my understanding as well.
It's funny how you think getting in is the hardest part when you haven't yet, but the devil really is in the details later on. I've recently overcome the first of many administrative hurdles - where and whom to live with. After frantically emailing other students in our Facebook group, and not having much luck, I came across another student's post looking for a roommate to fill a house of four. A couple phone calls and emails later, a deal is made. The main attributes I was looking for were cost, safety and distance to the school. This place I think has all of those, although it is a bit on the pricey side, nonetheless, I'm excited. A few things I learned through this whole housing search:
1. Visit! At LEAST once. If you're a dental/med student you've had an interview at the school already and you have some idea of what things are like. Hopefully you began thinking about potentially living there during your interview.
2. Scour the Internet - Facebook and Craigslist were my best friends honestly. I have a friend whose attending medical school next year and he's yet to have found an "Accepted Students" group for his class, which I think is nuts. Every school (especially professional schools) should have these. Students generally start them so if there isn't one, might as well start one! If all goes well, current students will join as well and connecting with them is perfect since they're the best source to go to. Craigslist helped me get an idea of what else was out there, if it did come down to my finding a place on my own. It also gives you an idea of what you'll be spending on housing. Google Maps street view was also quite handy to check out if houses I was considering were in super sketchy areas or not.
3. Shop Around - With housing there's always options. I know in Buffalo I heard of a number of student plazas, apartment complexes and communities where students are known to live. All these falling into a wide price range. Take a look around, but not for too long...
4. Be Open - Everyone's got preferences. Ideals for themselves, the people they want to be around, where they want to be, the list goes on. Regardless, what's more important than what we want is the attitude we take toward what we're presented with. Be positive, and positivity will likely follow along. As my professors have drilled into my head the past four years - embrace change - there's opportunity in every change.
UB has already sent out a "To-Do" list for us incoming students, which I am yet to get on, thanks to some intense senior level engineering courses. I think that's all for this first post. Looking forward to a fabulous next four years :D!
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