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

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!