Why and how i chose dentistry over medicine
I knew I always wanted to wear a white coat and be called “Doctor,” but I wasn’t always sure what letters I wanted behind my name and what I wanted to practice.
I wasn't always pre-dental. Really, throughout my undergraduate career I worked with the goal of one day becoming a physician. I loved to the idea of learning how to save the lives of strangers with my mortal hands, being responsible for making split-second decisions mid-surgery, and being recognized for my hard work. But then life happened, and my dreams shifted. Luckily for me, life granted me with the opportunity to experience a profession that was everything I never knew I wanted.
I wasn't always pre-dental. Really, throughout my undergraduate career I worked with the goal of one day becoming a physician. I loved to the idea of learning how to save the lives of strangers with my mortal hands, being responsible for making split-second decisions mid-surgery, and being recognized for my hard work. But then life happened, and my dreams shifted. Luckily for me, life granted me with the opportunity to experience a profession that was everything I never knew I wanted.
Here’s how and why I decided to switch my professional journey. I hope it helps you along your path.
Driven to become the best applicant for medical school, I became an EMT in college. My plan was to learn about medicine as an EMT for a year before applying to school with a more heartfelt and impressive resume. Fresh out of college and with little work experience, I didn't get the EMT position I had hoped for, but I was offered a medical assistant job at a local urgent care center. I accepted the offer believing this was the first step to wearing the white coat. I hadn’t yet taken the MCAT, so I had to study before and after work. My daily routine looked like this:
5AM: Wake up time
5:30AM-6:30AM: Study for MCAT
6:30-7:15AM: Get ready for work
8AM: Arrive for an 8 hour workday
5PM: Leave work
6-8PM: Get home/ dinner
8-11PM: Study more MCAT material
After a few weeks, I began to feel drained. I wasn’t absorbing any of the material I was reviewing because I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I began to question if this was something I really wanted and was willing to give up everything for.
Then came THE moment. The one that changed my life.
I don't know exactly how the switch of what I was passionate about becoming happened to be honest. It was a slow process that took be really questioning myself to finally recognize that I was depriving myself because I didn't know what else was out there. I was trying to balance studying for the MCAT/ work a full time job/ and commute 45 minutes each way to work at the urgent care center that I was employed by. I was so miserably tired every single night.And every day I barely focus on OChem when I was trying to simultaneously eat during lunch break because I was just so overworked.
One day, one of the physicians came by and asked me if I could imagine doing something like this until I was in my mid 30s, and then begin being an independently practicing physician. I laughed and told him heck no, but that eventually it would be worth it because I was absolutely determined to pursue a dream I was so stubborn about until that point. And he told me that as much as he loved medicine, he wouldn't chose it again if he were in my position (and he REALLY loved it bc he was still practicing at 94, walker in tow). He told me that I needed to honestly sit down and decide what was important to me in a career. I guess I hadn't really though about what characteristics I wanted in a profession besides helping people and improving their lives. I just always assumed that this is what I was supposed to do bc I never had anyone put me on the spot and question me.
So that night I went home and made up a list of Things I Wanted vs. Didn't Want in a career. On the "want side" I had things like autonomy, personal time for myself/ maybe a family one day, patients not dying on my watch and being able to truly make a difference in many people's lives. And when I compared that to medicine, I didn't really think that that fit my perception of the field. I didn't know that I wanted to do dentistry per se, but I realized that I was thinking that I wanted to do medicine without really considering the pros and cons of the field and what my life would be like over the next decade.
Sure, in medicine you definitely get to help a ton of people, you're respected, and you get awesome benefits. But for me, I had to determine if the 7+ year sacrifice was worth it. I had an acquaintance that knew a dentist, and he suggested that I try shadowing dentistry. And honestly within hours I knew that was the field I was supposed to go into. I loved the way that he transformed not only the superficial aspects of the person (i.e. their teeth and smiles), but moreso their deeper selves--their confidence and sense of self-worth. I loved the idea of being able to clock out at 5pm on a Thursday and then be done until Monday morning. I liked being the boss of my own schedule one day. And I really liked the idea of being able to be done in 4 years and beginning my career immediately afterwards.
So it wasn't a "flip of the light switch" decision. I was definitely struggling with the thought of medicine vs. any-other-field way before that physician asked me that question, but I always shrugged it off and chalked up my doubts to just being tired and stressed. I think that being put on the spot like that was really good and life changing for me though because it made me answer honestly the question of what I truly wanted to do vs. what I had imagined to be true of a field/what others had always believed me to become one day. And that's an important thing to know because it's not only going to come up during interviews, but also will be the thing that motivates you long-term when you're pulling all-nighters during exam week. And it'll really set the stage for how you're going to approach how you practice post-graduation.
Looking back, I’m glad that I arrived to dentistry the way that I did. It made my journey more meaningful. I was able to find what I wanted organically and without the opinions of others. I hope that this blog reflects my journey accurately and helps you discover your path.
If you have any questions or want to reach me, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’ll try my best to respond as quickly as possible. It is my sincere wish to help you as those that helped me.
5AM: Wake up time
5:30AM-6:30AM: Study for MCAT
6:30-7:15AM: Get ready for work
8AM: Arrive for an 8 hour workday
5PM: Leave work
6-8PM: Get home/ dinner
8-11PM: Study more MCAT material
After a few weeks, I began to feel drained. I wasn’t absorbing any of the material I was reviewing because I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I began to question if this was something I really wanted and was willing to give up everything for.
Then came THE moment. The one that changed my life.
I don't know exactly how the switch of what I was passionate about becoming happened to be honest. It was a slow process that took be really questioning myself to finally recognize that I was depriving myself because I didn't know what else was out there. I was trying to balance studying for the MCAT/ work a full time job/ and commute 45 minutes each way to work at the urgent care center that I was employed by. I was so miserably tired every single night.And every day I barely focus on OChem when I was trying to simultaneously eat during lunch break because I was just so overworked.
One day, one of the physicians came by and asked me if I could imagine doing something like this until I was in my mid 30s, and then begin being an independently practicing physician. I laughed and told him heck no, but that eventually it would be worth it because I was absolutely determined to pursue a dream I was so stubborn about until that point. And he told me that as much as he loved medicine, he wouldn't chose it again if he were in my position (and he REALLY loved it bc he was still practicing at 94, walker in tow). He told me that I needed to honestly sit down and decide what was important to me in a career. I guess I hadn't really though about what characteristics I wanted in a profession besides helping people and improving their lives. I just always assumed that this is what I was supposed to do bc I never had anyone put me on the spot and question me.
So that night I went home and made up a list of Things I Wanted vs. Didn't Want in a career. On the "want side" I had things like autonomy, personal time for myself/ maybe a family one day, patients not dying on my watch and being able to truly make a difference in many people's lives. And when I compared that to medicine, I didn't really think that that fit my perception of the field. I didn't know that I wanted to do dentistry per se, but I realized that I was thinking that I wanted to do medicine without really considering the pros and cons of the field and what my life would be like over the next decade.
Sure, in medicine you definitely get to help a ton of people, you're respected, and you get awesome benefits. But for me, I had to determine if the 7+ year sacrifice was worth it. I had an acquaintance that knew a dentist, and he suggested that I try shadowing dentistry. And honestly within hours I knew that was the field I was supposed to go into. I loved the way that he transformed not only the superficial aspects of the person (i.e. their teeth and smiles), but moreso their deeper selves--their confidence and sense of self-worth. I loved the idea of being able to clock out at 5pm on a Thursday and then be done until Monday morning. I liked being the boss of my own schedule one day. And I really liked the idea of being able to be done in 4 years and beginning my career immediately afterwards.
So it wasn't a "flip of the light switch" decision. I was definitely struggling with the thought of medicine vs. any-other-field way before that physician asked me that question, but I always shrugged it off and chalked up my doubts to just being tired and stressed. I think that being put on the spot like that was really good and life changing for me though because it made me answer honestly the question of what I truly wanted to do vs. what I had imagined to be true of a field/what others had always believed me to become one day. And that's an important thing to know because it's not only going to come up during interviews, but also will be the thing that motivates you long-term when you're pulling all-nighters during exam week. And it'll really set the stage for how you're going to approach how you practice post-graduation.
Looking back, I’m glad that I arrived to dentistry the way that I did. It made my journey more meaningful. I was able to find what I wanted organically and without the opinions of others. I hope that this blog reflects my journey accurately and helps you discover your path.
If you have any questions or want to reach me, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’ll try my best to respond as quickly as possible. It is my sincere wish to help you as those that helped me.