Transcription
Welcome to the Dental School Guide Podcast, your ultimate destination for all things Dentistry. I'm Dr. Tanner Tazm, your guide through the complex world of dental education. Join us as we uncover the secrets of acing dental school admissions, navigating residency programs, and exploring career opportunities. Please share and enjoy.
Real quick, just wanted to make all you predental students out there aware of a resource. If you've ever been worried about getting into dental school or wanting to get into that school of your dreams, then you definitely want to check out a program called Dental School Guide. In the program, we walk you through how to save money, time, and hard work when applying to dental school. There's so much fluff out there when it comes to resources for getting into school, and we are streamlining all of that with our comprehensive digital course, expert mentorship, and personalized application review services. You'll have everything you need to stand out to admission committees. Take advantage of this amazing resource that will help you increase your chances of getting into dental school. You'll want to check out DentalSchoolGuide.com. Check it out.
It's Dr. Townsen. I am your host, and today we have Cameron on the show, who is a D1 at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry. Cameron, welcome on the show.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited.
Well, we're excited to have you as well. So Cameron, like we said, she is in her first year at dental school, and so we're going to get a little insight on how she got into dental school, that kind of process, and just a little bit more about the school in Colorado. So Cameron, tell us first, how did you get into Dentistry? How did you decide you wanted to do dental, and how did you end up at the University of Colorado?
Yes, so I always knew I wanted to do healthcare. I just wasn't exactly sure what avenue I was going to be the best fit for. So when I was kind of shadowing and researching, I realized it's kind of a cliche answer, but I love working with my hands, I love science, and I love working with people. So I was actually at my dentist and kind of a nerd, but I always loved going to the dentist because I was like, getting a good report card. Yeah, with my hometown dentist, and she was like, "Well, like, come and shadow me a little bit." First time I shadowed, I was like, "This is really boring. I can't see anything. I'm like, standing in the back." And so I'm like, "Maybe I should like search other things." And then she was like, "That was a really bad day. Like, come back. We'll have you sit closer to the assistant so you can see what we're doing." Because Dentistry isn't exactly a spectator sport. So once she kind of did a better job of like, or not heard a better job, but like, showed me X-ray, kind of talked through, made sure I was able to see, I was like, "Oh, this is actually really cool." And because I'm someone that has never had any restorations done, so I've only ever had cleanings when I've gone to the dentist. So I was like, "Oh, I didn't understand what a dentist even did until I actually got into the office."
Well, that's really cool. I think that's really cool that you've had that experience where I think anyone that has shattered has had that experience before where they're standing too far away and they're like, "I literally can see nothing." And then when you get in closer, like, "Holy cow, there's a lot going on here."
Yeah. So and then once you get into school and you actually start doing those things with your hands, you're like, "Wow, my dentist was pretty good. It's impressive." So that's cool that you kind of had that experience right off the bat. So you had your dentist at home that kind of brought you into dental in a sense. Um, what kind of got you to the University of Colorado?
Yes, so I actually started working as a sterilization tech under that dentist. And when I was actually in the office, I was like, "Oh, this is really what I want to do." So in undergrad, I started working at an office as an assistant. And so when I was talking to her about exploring dental school options, I kind of applied all over the country. And I was trying to figure out or go through the process as if I was also interviewing the schools, hoping that I had the option to select a school at the end. I've always loved the state of Colorado, but I was also wanting to go to a school with a really good curriculum, practitioner I would upon graduation and prepare me to a lifelong of learning and just becoming a better dentist. So when I was going through the interview process, I interviewed, um, I think I may have said eight with you, I believe it was nine different schools I interviewed with. And I was kind of making a checklist of things that I really liked and things that I'm like, "Okay, this isn't something that I prefer, but is it something I could deal with in school?" So when I was interviewing at Colorado, the faculty is what really stood out to me. Um, it really seemed like they advocated for their students and they were going to push us to be the best that we could be. And they really look at the students in a holistic approach, not just as a number or, um, stats. So that's something that really stood out. I like the curriculum. I know a lot of dentists come out as really good dentists, which I really liked as well.
Okay, that's excellent. So we're going to kind of dive into that right now, just because you kind of led us down that path, that's great. So you said the faculty kind of, you noticed that they took a holistic approach, they really cared about the students and developing them into good dentists. How were you able to kind of extrapolate that during your interview, and what were the tactics that you took when you went and interviewed to other schools to kind of determine that?
Yes, I would always ask students how they felt about faculty because once you, if you ask faculty how the relationship is between faculty and students, you're going to probably get a pretty similar answer everywhere you go. Um, so asking students for their honest opinion was one tactic I used. And then as I was interviewing, one of the faculty members explained a situation where a student was in clinic and a patient was really agitated because the procedure wasn't going well, called the student incompetent. And the faculty stepped in, was like, "Of course they're incompetent, you came to a school, this is a learning facility. If you do not want to be in a procedure that will take longer, that will have breaks in it for the student to learn, you can go elsewhere because you're not going to speak to our students like that." Um, that is not a conducive learning environment. And that really stood out because of course, we're going to go into clinic being incompetent, we will not be competent yet. But for a faculty to be able to acknowledge that, but then also advocate for us in front of a patient and not make us feel dumb or belittle for not being a great dentist yet was something that I really liked.
So something that you said that, that I really like that we encourage a lot of our students that we work with to do is to talk to those other students and faculty when they're on those interviews because, just like you found out, people aren't perfect, but we can learn a lot about how people are going to respond under pressure. And we want our classmates to have our back, as well as the faculty, especially the faculty. And knowing that the faculty is on your side and is going to be your friend in a time of need, whether it's, "Hey, something didn't go right with this patient," or it's helping you to do better on a test or a practical, or learn how to cut a crown or do a root canal. There's so many things that if the faculty is approachable, makes your school experience so much better. So I'm really glad that you touched on that right off the bat. That's awesome.
So tell, tell us a little bit about your D1 year so far. Few months, been like for your first few semesters, as well as like, what was that very first week of school like for you at the University of Colorado?
Yes, our first semester is primarily didactic. And for anyone that listening that doesn't know what didactic means, it's like classroom-based learning. Um, I remember that word being thrown out and I was like, "Well, I don't know what that means for a while." Like, "Who, what is that?" So, primarily, our first semester is didactic or classroom-based learning. And then we also have wax lab. Um, so it's not too many hand skills, but we get a lot of our classroom-based learning out of the way that first semester. Um, so it's really heavy in just the general sciences. We have a course called Body Systems, which is physiology, microanatomy, and then what's the last one? Clinical something. Clinical, but learning about what we're learning in the other classes and applying it to a didactic-based or a patient-based situation. So that is like our bulk of the first semester. And we also had quite a few other classes. Dental Anatomy was another larger component of the first semester. And so we were in class primarily five, Monday through Friday for the first couple months. And then we started finishing classes. The finals were staggered. So our courses finished up at a staggered time, which was nice. And then by the end of the semester, we had a lot of half days, and then we could just utilize those for studying. And then the second semester that I'm in now is a lot more hands-on. We have a lot more free time, which we have talked to faculty about switching that because the semesters are really, really light, and D2 is a really heavy year. So they are switching it for the incoming class, so it's a little bit more balanced. Because right now, we took a couple finals this semester. So now until beginning of May, we're Monday through Wednesday. So we just have too much free time.
That's a lot of free time.
Yes. But we are in operative, so we've been working hands-on in sim lab with preparations and restorations. And then we also have a few more didactic classes, but a lot more hands-on this semester.
Gotcha. So in terms of your operative classes, that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then we have usually two days a week, so two four-hour blocks. Okay. And then I'm assuming you're learning class ones, class twos. What are some of the the practicals and competencies that they have have you check off during that second semester in that class?
Yes, um, our first practical, it was a class five prep and restoration. Then we just took a class two prep and restoration practical. And then our last one is an amalgam class one prep and restoration.
Okay. Well, I hope those are going well for you. I remember the first couple class twos that I did, I was like, "Oh my goodness, I'm going to hit the adjacent tooth." You know what I mean? Like, and they have the guards and all those things, so you're like, "I'm not going to hit the tooth. I'm not going to hit the tooth." So it's a lot of fun that beginning stage. So tell us a little bit more about as you progress past your D1 year. You had mentioned that D2 year is really heavy, which is a really common thing among schools. And that's cool that the faculty is willing to take your guys' suggestion and kind of adapt because that is a critical thing where that D2 can feel just absolutely overwhelming. But as you move into D2, what do some of the courses look like? How much lab time do you have, and what are the things that you're learning during that year?
Yes, in D2 year, it will be a really heavy lab year. You'll still be doing some didactic, but it's almost all dental-based. Then we're done with all of the basic sciences by then. Oh, they'll have pro lab, advance into operative two and operative three, direct restorations, direct restoration class and lab. I also have Endo lab, right now, ortho. So they kind of have it all to here.
Okay. Well, that's great. So they're in the lab a ton. So you had mentioned they don't have tons of didactic classes, but I would imagine they'd probably still have like a few sprinkled in here and there.
Yes. And that is a super common thing where that D2 year, you're really developing those hand skills because you're typically entering the clinic your third year. So are they getting you in Colorado? Are they getting you into the clinic during your second year? Are they getting you primarily in your third year and fourth year?
Yes, so we actually started the semester assisting in the clinic. Um, and we have an assist requirement. So we have to finish a certain amount of assist sessions, assist sessions each semester. And then in the fall of D2, you start with your perio, or your cleanings. So they'll get your first patient in October, and then you will have perio patients all the way through. And then at the beginning of March, you get to do your first either restorations or oral diagnostic exams.
Okay. So that's really cool. They get you into the clinic relatively soon that second year, get you going on the cleanings, and then in the spring, get you going with the the restorations. That's great. Yeah. So in Colorado, I know a lot of schools do external rotations, especially like during your third and fourth year. Most of the time, it's your fourth year where they'll let you go out in the community and let you kind of practice with other either like public health clinics or private practices. Does Colorado offer anything for their students, and what does that look like? I know you're not yet, but you will be shortly.
Yes, yes. So Colorado does something called the AX program, which is Advanced Care Training and Services, I believe. Which, so your fourth year, you spend half of your time in externship locations, different federally qualified health centers. And so they're three-week blocks. So you'll spend three weeks offsite, and then three weeks in the school clinic. And while you're offsite, you will be seeing six to eight patients a day, and your preceptors will just, um, oversee your work. You don't have to go through all the hoops where you need your start check and then each point, point, you have to have a faculty come. It's really meant to create more efficiency and speed while still getting that quality care for the patients. So talking to fourth-year students, they absolutely love AX. And that is something that also drew me to Colorado because I knew I would be able to see a lot more patients and get that experience of outside dentistry while still in school my fourth year.
That's a huge thing. Um, the school I went to, I went to Virginia Commonwealth University, and we had a number of external rotations. And that's where you, I feel like you really blossom and you're like, "Okay, I can do this. I can really do dentistry and do it on my own." And I'm confident. There's still days where you don't feel as competent as others, but it's a huge growth. So that's cool that they spend half their time your fourth year doing that. So on those rotations, I'm imagining that they're probably all around the Denver area and in surrounding areas in Colorado. Do they provide housing for you guys? Do they give you guys a stipend? How does that work? And you may not know that, but what does that kind of look like if you do know?
Yes, so a lot of the sites are around the school and in the Denver area. So then you're just commuting each. I can't remember the exact like radius, but there is a mile radius where they're considered like close locations. And then away sites. They do provide housing or if you don't want to do the provided housing, I think it's like a $20 stipend a day for housing. So it really wouldn't do anything if you don't choose to do their provided housing. But most of the students will just stay. It's usually like a community member that will offer a room or, um, sites because our campus is a medical campus. So it might be like with a PA student or a medical student in an apartment. So a lot of the fourth years will provide insight for like which site to avoid if you're like, if you're raising a family or something like that. Which, so just talking to the fourth years, you are able to get a really good idea of which ones offer good housing or which ones you should maybe avoid. And they let you pick your, your rotations.
In huh? They let you kind of say, "Hey, you can come to this one or you can apply to this one." Is that kind of how that works?
Yes, you get to rank your sites based on which ones you want. They do give priority to people with families. So if you have a family and you're trying to raise kids and stuff, you don't want to be forced to go to an away site if you don't have to. So they do give priority to those students. But there's a lot of sites, away sites that students want to go to because they might be in a cool mountain town or something like that too.
Yeah, like Steamboat Springs or something like that. Like some place there. Site in Steamboat. Wow, man, that would be a fun site in the winter time. Like, I'm going to go for three weeks.
In terms of, let's kind of shift gears just a little bit. We'll talk a little bit about clinic requirements. Does your school have residencies? And what does the sim lab kind of look like in these next bundle of questions? But in terms of your clinic requirements, once you're in clinic, are there certain numbers that you guys all have to hit? Usually schools all have like a certain number of restorations, a certain number of crowns, so on and so forth, that you have to hit in order to graduate.
Yes, we do have number requirements. One that we do not, you do not have to do an amalgam competency. You can challenge one. You don't have to anymore, just because that kind of dying out in the real world. But so there are, you cannot, this is kind of something interesting, you can't do a competency for a number in an extraction. A lot of students will finish all of their competencies by the end of their third year if they are really gung-ho about finishing the graduation requirements. Um, so a lot of students will be like, "I did 12 extractions at this one AX site," but none of them will count towards their school requirements. It's just like extra practice.
Okay. Well, that's good to know. So those extra sites that you guys rotate to, they don't count towards your requirement numbers.
Okay. Well, that's good to know as, as you're applying there, just that you have those external rotations, but it sounds like if you're ambitious, you can get all those requirements done your third year, that way you can enjoy your fourth year and focus on just improving yourself and getting better. So at the University of Colorado, a lot of schools have residency programs, whether that's an oral surgery program attached to the school, an ortho, perio, or prosthodontic departments. Are there different residency programs at your school that kind of limit the amount of bigger cases that you guys will get to do in the future? Like, does your school get to place implants? Some dental schools let their students place implants, others don't have perio residents, perio, and then not at the school, but the school has a children's hospital right next to it. So there are pediatric residents at that hospital. And there's another one in Colorado. I don't know if there's any more than that.
School usually, students do not get to place implants. If you are really inclined to, you can go down to the GPRs and either assist or sub-in. They'll let you place it. For like, the normal student that isn't trying to do that, you probably won't get the opportunity unless you go seek it out.
Okay. And that's really common amongst schools where if you want to do something in particular that's a little bit above and beyond of what a typical dental school curriculum's like, if you go above and beyond and seek that out and make friends with the residents, that is a great way to get added experience that will hopefully help prepare you for the future. So that is really good to know. In terms of, as we're transitioning a little bit more back to to pre-clinical things, how does your sim lab work? Do they provide you guys with materials? Do you guys have to buy your own burs and teeth? I know at my school, they would give us a certain number of burs and teeth and things like that to get started, but then after you hit like five teeth that you use that you practice for for your class two practically, you had to go buy more teeth. Is that the same case at Colorado, or do you guys get an excess number of teeth and you guys can just go get teeth whenever you want?
Yes, thank goodness, no. Our burs and our teeth are set out for us, so we can practice as many times as we want. The one rule is like, you can't hoard them. So take your tooth, practice with it, and then you can grab another one if need be. The burs, um, some of the common burs are always out. All of the extra ones, they're just out when there is one of the helpers in the lab. But yes, so we get all the burs and teeth we want. But thank goodness, because otherwise, I think that would limit my practice.
So I had to pay for each tooth.
Yeah, I can tell you, I spent probably a couple thousand dollars down in that Henry Schein store at our school. So that's good that they give you teeth. That is a huge thing that I wish I would have known as I was applying to different dental schools that, "Hey, are there extra hidden fees or costs that kind of get incurred as you're going to school that you're like, 'Oh my goodness, like I'm going to spend an arm and a leg here.'" So that's really good to know. All right, well, that's kind of like the heavy things about school itself. Let's talk about some of the lighter things, whether the social life and how things are in the community around Denver and Aurora, where the school is. So first, is the area a safe place to live? Do you feel like you've enjoyed your time so far at the University of Colorado?
Yes, I've loved it so far. Thing with Aurora is you do have to be conscious about where you're choosing to live. The Aurora area is not the, or in certain parts, not the best. However, they're very transparent about that, and they were during the interview process as well. So they had specifically said, "Like, if you have a family, let us know, and we'll let you know which are really good school districts to be in, um, great areas or neighborhoods to raise a family." They were also very, um, conscientious about, "Like, do not just go get a random cheap apartment in Aurora. Um, talk to either current students or faculty about which one you're choosing in the area." Um, on campus is super safe. Never, I never have, never felt like uncomfortable walking to my car in the dark or anything like that. However, as soon as you get off campus, there are a little bit sketchy areas, but they were pretty transparent about that, like I said, and they just made sure that students were like, "Asking before they went and signed a lease just to, it was cheap." And I think that is the case for a lot of dental schools because they're often in urban areas that are a little bit lower income because that's the kind of people you'd get as patients during school.
So in terms of housing, you had mentioned that the school often suggests certain places to live, especially for people with families and children. Um, but what are some good areas that you know of or apartments if you're single that people are currently living in that go to school with you currently?
Yes, so there's a couple on campus. 21 Fitzsimons is a really common one. It's like a five-minute walk to the dental school or the buildings that we're in for class. Um, the Fremont is right next to it. It's like the same leasing or the same company that runs in both. Fremont is also like a five-minute walk. Um, I live in the Denver Tech Center, so it's about a 20-minute drive in the morning. Super safe neighborhood. It's not very residential, so there's a lot of businesses around and like little shops. Um, but I feel very safe of going on walks, runs alone. The Glenwood area is another nice neighborhood. Lowry is a great neighborhood. Central Park. I have a lot of friends there. Yeah, so there's a lot of really nice neighborhoods if you ask, you can definitely find good, good housing.
Okay. Well, that's really good to know. In terms of the parking situation, you had mentioned you don't feel nervous walking to your car at night. Uh, every school handles their parking a little bit differently. Do you guys have to pay for your parking? Do you get your parking free, and how far is it from the dental school? Like, how far of a walk is it?
Yes, so we have to pay for parking. It is $40 a month. Um, so that is something that's nice with people that live on campus, they don't have to pay for parking. Um, but it's depending on which building I'm in, it's a three-minute walk to the dental school, and it's just through like a courtyard. Otherwise, it's literally adjacent to the building that we have a lot of our didactic courses in.
Okay. Well, that's really nice that it's super close because sometimes you got to walk a little further, you're like, "Oh my goodness, it's like a 15-minute walk to my car." So you guys have a gym on campus? A lot of schools will have like their undergrad gym or like a medical student or professional student gym that's kind of offsite, like super close to school. I've even had some dental schools have gyms in their school, which I think is crazy cool. Is that the case at University of Colorado?
We have a gym on campus. Um, however, the dental students do not get an automatic membership. It is $35 a month. We used to have a membership, I guess, but because not enough students were using it, they like asked for it to be removed from our costs. So now you have to seek out a membership. But both of the apartments on campus have beautiful gyms. Um, so I know a lot of students just work out at their apartments. I do the same. I work out at my apartment gym. So I know that's pretty common. Otherwise, some will go to like cheaper gym options.
Okay. Well, that's really good to know. In terms of, like, if you're out of state, which is your case, you're an out-of-state student. Is there ever an option for you to become an in-state student and get in-state tuition?
I wish. So that was one decision that I really had to, um, think about as I was choosing Colorado. As an out-of-state student, we are locked into the out-of-state cost when we sign that we're coming. So I'm locked into the out-of-state cost, which is unfortunate. Um, however, if I change residency to Colorado, there are different grant options available, which I still need to do because that would be very nice. Going in, if I would, this is another thing I wish I would have changed my residency to North Dakota because then I could have had opportunities to apply for North Dakota grants going to dental school because North Dakota doesn't have a dental school. All things that I didn't know and no one had told me when I was applying, which would have been really nice and saved a lot of money.
Well, walk us through a little bit of that. How, if you were to go back and you were to apply for North Dakota residency, how would you go about seeking those grants? Were they through your university or were they through the state?
Through the state. So if I would have switched residency when I became an undergraduate student, I would have had the opportunity to apply for the WICHE program, which is a grant program for students in a state that does not have a dental school. In some states, it requires you to go back to that home state where you have residency to provide services for the number of years that they provide support in dental school. Right now, I do not believe North Dakota requires that. It has switched a couple times, so maybe they do now require you to go back, excuse me. So ideally, if I would have known this, I would have applied for residency, became a North Dakota resident, and then applied. Maybe I would have got it, maybe I wouldn't have, but just having that opportunity to maybe either become or pay for in-state through the WICHE programs. Will they have to pay in-state tuition or maybe cut the cost in half between out-of-state and in-state?
Yeah, so there's a lot of different, um, states in especially that Northwest area, like Montana, Idaho, Utah, used to be one before they got a couple dental schools, where they would have agreements with certain schools like University of Colorado or Creighton, for example, where they would send students and they'd get them in-state tuition, which is really nice. Um, so that's cool to know that that program is still alive and well, especially in North Dakota. So that is one thing to look into that each state is different depending on where you're from, if they make you go back there and practice for a while or give you just kind of like a scholarship or a grant for $50,000 for each year in return for service. So those are all things to kind of look into a little bit deeper if you're in a situation like that. So yes, that is awesome. I'm glad you brought up the WICHE program. It's a, it's a very common program, especially for those different states that lack a dental school. So in terms of scholarships, each school often offers scholarships, and sometimes there are a lot of times they're like alumni scholarships where alumni will sponsor up to a certain dollar amount. Um, what does the scholarship situation look like like at the University of Colorado, and is it a feasible thing for students to get scholarships at the school, or is it like there's only a few that people that actually get the scholarship?
Yes, I'm not super familiar, so I don't want to misspeak, but I know that a lot of my classmates do have scholarships, either a certain dollar amount per year, um, or like a first-year like a Dean scholarship where it might be like $5,000 off per semester. And then each semester, there's also an application that goes up for additional scholarships, whether it be from alumni or different organizations. So you can fill that out, and then that can help supplement if you do not get a consistent time.
Okay. Well, that is excellent to know because a lot of times those scholarships, they vary so much from school to school. Uh, some schools have a couple scholarships that'll cover up to the full tuition amount, but you have to reapply for them every single year. So they try to spread the wealth between the students. Others are a yearly thing where that locks them in for the four years. And then of course, there's your military and National Health Service Corps scholarship. All right, so tell us, what is there to do for fun in the area where you live? How is the interaction? What's the culture like between the dental students in your time away from?
Yeah, so I'm sure you can probably guess that the dental students in Colorado get outside a lot. Um, hiking is really common. Skiing is very common, especially right now. Now, a lot of my class are skiing every Thursday, Friday, so we're taking full advantage of our days off. Skiing is super common, like I said. Um, a lot of people mountain bike. What else do people do? All sorts of things, really. Um, but if you're not an outdoorsy person, Denver has a ton of different things. The concert scene's really fun. There's a lot of concerts at outdoor amphitheaters, which we've enjoyed. Otherwise, there's a ton of breweries. That is also probably a common guest for Colorado. A lot of people love to go to the little microbreweries everywhere. I feel like those are some of the big ones.
They sound like an awesome place to attend. And especially with the skiing and having those couple days, which might not be a thing in the future for new students, but man, that is a pretty cool opportunity for D1s in their second semester to go skiing Thursday, Fridays. It's been really fun. Um, in terms of the culture, how is the diversity? How is your classmates? You guys feel like you're close to your other classmates, and you feel like there is a group unity effort where everyone's kind of building each other up?
Yeah, absolutely. I feel like it's definitely different for each class. Like, that class gets to choose their class culture, and that usually happens pretty quick. But our class is really supportive. We have a, um, group chat where everyone will send like, if they made a Quizlet or a study guide. Um, otherwise, like some people just rewrite notes or rewrite study guides. Um, almost for every exam, someone will send something in the group chat, and it's just like, "I already made it, so if anyone else can benefit from it, that's great." So there's a, a couple classmates that are like the Quizlet gurus, those are the go-to Quizlets, which is really nice. There's a couple of our classmates that want to go into academia, and I can already see it because they are so helpful. Like, if someone's not understanding, and they're brilliant, so they'll take the time and like, talk us through. And it's not in any way that's like condescending or like, "How don't you understand this?" It's very, very supportive, which I really appreciate.
Well, that is awesome. And that is so true. Every single class and administrators and admissions people will tell you the same thing. Every class has their own unique culture, and sometimes you'll get a culture that kind of runs through the school that kind of, you see like a trend. Uh, but it's really interesting to see the different dynamics each class brings to the school, and it kind of changes the culture in their own little way and adds to it. So it's cool that your class, you've already got your culture and that's kind of established. So as we move into, let's go back a little bit and talk about interviews. And let's talk about your interview experience at the nine schools that you interviewed at. What was your experience interviewing at Colorado, and then what was your experience like interviewing at the other places that you interviewed as well?
Yes, so my experience will be a little bit different from predental students that are going to be interviewing because I was still at the tail end of COVID. So a lot of my interviews were still online. Which Colorado now does in-person interviews. I don't know if they have the option to do online, but ours was required to be virtual. So when I interviewed with Colorado, it was virtual. And then we had different like help sessions or informative sessions set up throughout the months, and you could pick which one you could attend. So there's a financial session, like a general info session, and one more, I think, maybe like a Q&A with students. And then as I was interviewing at other schools, a few of them were in person. Midwestern, Arizona, I got to go interview in person and tour the facility at the same time. Still Arizona, I also interviewed in person. Lincoln, Nebraska, I interviewed in person. Those might have been the only three. Otherwise, they were all virtual interviews. And then some offered the opportunity to go in person. So I did come visit Colorado in person, Minnesota, I visited in person following the interview. Um, and then a couple, they were completely virtual.
That is great. So I think a lot of schools, they almost all of them had to go the virtual route during the COVID era, and I think a lot of them are realizing there's a huge benefit to doing certain things online, but there's a certain dynamic that you get when a student comes in person to interview in person. You can really tell a lot more about an applicant when they're there in person, and it also helps the applicant appear better in their eyes when you do decide to go in person. You can make better connections, meet the faculty, meet the students, and make a better lasting impression. So we always encourage our our students whenever possible to either go in person for the formal interview or take a trip yourself and go check things out. So at Colorado, what stood out to you besides kind of what you had already mentioned about the faculty having your back in the very beginning? What are some things that stood out to you about that interview that you didn't have in other interviews that you took?
So actually, during the interview, it was, I have heard from classmates that mine was a little bit unique, but it was very one-on-one. It was two 25-minute interviews with just one faculty member. So the first one, it was just question-answer with very little feedback. And then the second session I had was a few questions, but very conversational, which I felt I was a better interviewer in that, um, regard versus just question without seeing any feedback. I couldn't, I didn't know how to gauge how I was doing. So sometimes I would get in my head in those interviews. So after that, I was like, "Okay, I don't really know the school yet. I just interviewed." So then in the informative sessions, I got a little bit more. And then when I actually was able to go to campus, that is when I was able to connect with current students and talk with them about how their experience has been, how they're enjoying it. And I talked with a few that were very similar to me, where they're like, "It is difficult. It will challenge you. It will be stressful at times, but it is doable." And if you're going in with the mindset that you can achieve it, and you have to still be a person, and if you completely let who you are as a person go and your whole identity as a student, then it won't be fun. It can get the best of you. And having that conversation, I realized that that is something that is really encouraged by faculty members, that yes, you have to put in the work, it will not be easy, but if your entire identity is your school and your test scores, you won't be the best student because you lose everything else about you. And just having those conversations that were really raw and honestly challenging because any predental student, we like to make our identity school and our test scores. So hearing that and getting that feedback, I kind of like took a step back. And then I was able to talk with more students and they were like, "Maybe this is like incorrect going, but it's easier because I heard from so many students that you won't have any other time, but if you make time, you can have that time to still go skiing or work out, all of those things." And having those conversations with current students, I was like, "Oh, this is doable." We're at some other schools, and it could have just been the students I talked to as well, but they were like, "Yeah, you can't miss for anything or like, all we do is school. We don't really have free time." And yes, for some students, that is another thing that stood out to me in Colorado is a student was talking, she was like, "If you lose a dog or you lose a family member, you will not be taking a test the next day." Like, faculty recognizes that you are a person and you have life outside of school. They will make accommodations. And hearing that as someone with a large family, I was like, "Okay, I don't have to miss everything the next four years." That really stood out to me too.
I think it's really easy. Dental students, their whole life up to that point has been school, and you almost, like you had said, define yourself as a student. And it's really easy to get kind of locked in and realize you have a life outside of school, whether that's with hobbies, working out, family, so on and so forth. And it's really important that that school, wherever you go, does encourage you to have a life because there is life outside of dental school. Even if certain students and faculty may not agree, but it is very important. So I'm glad you brought up that point because it is absolutely critical to have a life outside of school and have people that have your back that will support you in that. So focus on school, do well in school, but also make sure to to make time for the things that matter in your life that will help you be a better person because you're going to be a better student if you are spending that some time on yourself and your family as well. So I love that. Absolutely.
All right, so does your school have a D5 program? And that's kind of worded a little bit different depending on schools. Not every school has one. What that typically looks like, it's a program where students didn't get in fully one year, but they might might be a part of your class for a little bit if they take certain classes, and then they're automatically admitted next year. Does your school have anything like that?
I don't believe so. Um, if we do, I'm not familiar with it. However, speaking with faculty, they do place a lot of value on students that reapply. They recognize that it takes a lot of courage to be rejected and then put in the work and apply again. So I don't know if we do have that program, but I have talked with faculty that are part of admissions boards, and they do look at reapplicants. And if they are willing to put in the work, get the feedback, and improve their application in areas that maybe were lacking, they do place a lot of emphasis on that.
That is great because a lot of schools, they, they like to see that you improve and you grow. So that's great to hear that Colorado is one of those schools. Does your, do a lot of your classmates, did they do master's programs, post-baccalaureate programs, kind of help them get over the hump if you're aware of that? If not, that's totally fine too.
Yes, I know a lot of our class does have master programs. I don't, or masters. I don't know if I guess a lot, but a handful at least. Quite a few did do some school beyond their Bachelors. Others just took a longer break and worked in a dental office for three, four, five years. My situation is a little bit unique. I did my undergrad in three years and then went directly into dental school. So I don't have personal insight on that, but a lot of my classmates did take a gap year or two, um, to strengthen their their applications.
Okay. Well, that is excellent to hear. All right, well, that we're kind of wrapping up here, Cameron, but do you have any final words of advice for anyone applying to the University of Colorado or applying to dental school in general?
Yes, so I mentioned it earlier, but our admissions team really does look at each applicant as a person. So do your best to be involved in things that you're really passionate about. It's really evident when anyone talks about something they're passionate about. So if you can go into an interview or you can write in your application about things that were really meaningful to you and were able to grow you as a person, so that you will be a better, um, dentist. That is really valuable. I always encourage, um, predental students to get into a dental office as well. Like I mentioned, I didn't not know the role of a dentist until I was working alongside a dentist. So I think that's another really valuable thing to be able to see it, but then also just grow your communication skills with patients as well.
Well, that is great. And that is such a good point where schools want to see that you understand the profession you want. They want to see that you understand what you're getting into. So we highly encourage that as well. That is excellent. Well, Cameron, thank you so much for coming on the show today. We've enjoyed talking with you and get to know a little bit more about yourself and the University of Colorado, and we will talk to you later.
Yes, thank you so much for having me.
Okay, thank you. That's all for today's episode of the Dental School Guide Podcast. We hope you've gained valuable insights and inspiration to fuel your journey into Dentistry. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast for more expert advice, inside tips, and engaging discussions. If you enjoyed today's episode, please leave us a review. It would mean the world to us. Until next time, keep smiling, keep striving, and remember, your dental dreams are closer than you think. Thanks for tuning in to the Dental School Guide Podcast.