1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,360 Hey guys, before this episode begins, I just want to let you all know that I partnered with 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,200 DOT Bootcamp to offer a 10% discount code on all Bootcamp products. 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:12,080 Whilst learning from my DOT, I found that DOT Bootcamp took the best resource during my preparation. 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,200 Their extensive review videos and practice exams are second to none. 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:20,800 Use code DOD10 at checkout for a 10% discount, applicable to all programs Bootcamp has to offer. 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:39,200 Again, that's DOD10 at checkout. 7 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,720 Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of the DOSEDental Podcast. 8 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,160 The focus of this podcast is to share undergraduate and dental school experiences 9 00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:48,800 from dental students and dental professionals through valuable discussions. 10 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,720 Through sharing the journeys and stories of current dental students and dental professionals, 11 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,680 our goals help you find answers or guidance for your own pre-dental journeys. 12 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,400 I'm very excited to have a Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine 13 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,720 student Eli Hiller with us today. Eli graduated from the University of Maryland, 14 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,520 is now an incoming D3 student at GSDN. 15 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,760 What's up Eli? How you been? Welcome to the podcast. 16 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,200 Small and odd with your dental school journey so far. 17 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:21,200 Yeah, I'm good. Still finishing up the second year. Our semester doesn't end until July 7th, 18 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:27,360 so technically still a D2 until then. But it's been going good so far. 19 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,440 It's nice to hear. So again, welcome to the podcast. So why don't you tell us a little bit 20 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,560 about yourself, like where you're from, you know, where you grew up, where you like to do for fun. 21 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,400 All right. So yeah, my name is Eli. I'm from Baltimore, Maryland. 22 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,160 And that's where I grew up, like born and raised. 23 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,560 I went to University of Maryland College Park for undergrad, like you said. 24 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,240 So kind of been in Maryland my whole life until I came to dental school. 25 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,640 Yeah. I mean, what I like to do for fun, I like to hang out with friends a lot, work out a lot, 26 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:05,840 and work on my YouTube channel, honestly. Yeah. I mean, so I actually found Eli from YouTube. 27 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:11,840 So I mean, he, I just applied to dental school last week, and I watched a video of yours, 28 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,480 and it was like, what to do after you submit your access application. 29 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,120 Because that's super popular one. I love that one. I mean, it's just, 30 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,440 you're just talking about like, just don't worry about it. Just kind of do anything you can besides 31 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:30,640 looking at your status update. But like, why is it a stressful process to say the least? And like, 32 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:35,440 if anybody knows I do, like as someone that didn't hear back on the first day, 33 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,040 I feel like you kind of, when you don't hear back on the first day, you're kind of like, 34 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,880 all right, well, I don't know if I'm going to get in. Even though it's just the first day, 35 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:50,160 like you start having that feeling of doubt already, especially if you had interviews before that. 36 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,720 Right. Yeah. I just, I know how I get it's like, 37 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:02,720 up until that day, I was basically pretty sure I was going to get in. So when I, and I was just like, 38 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:09,600 oh, I don't know what's going on yet. And things worked out. But, you know, when you're applying, 39 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,880 you don't really know that, and you don't know if things are going to work out. So it's very 40 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,080 stressful to say the least. I know I submitted my stuff to my parents, 41 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,840 they're just like, all right, so you're done. Like, no, like, not even close. Still got to wait 42 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:25,440 for like another two months, maybe three or four months, however long it's going to take. So I mean, 43 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,720 but we'll get into all that stuff. So like, everyone needs, everyone needs some kind of 44 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,280 feel for the journey, right? So like, we want to ask you, you know, why'd you end up deciding to 45 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,840 pursue dentistry? What kind of inspired you? When did you got to get inspired to start going on this 46 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:44,480 path? Yeah. So I've always been like an avid sports player growing up and stuff. So when I, 47 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:50,480 when it came time for me to apply to college, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. But like, 48 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,560 since I was going to be done with sports, I was like, all right, maybe like a team 49 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,960 physician or something like, I don't know what I was always said or running like, 50 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,440 I was like, okay, I got a major in biology and go to med school and 51 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:10,640 action, the orthopedic surgery and all that good stuff. So I started like taking the steps towards 52 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:17,920 that shadowing, volunteering at a physical therapy or inpatient hospital type of thing. 53 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:28,560 And after a while, I just sat back. Well, during my time as like a pre-med student, I didn't really 54 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:35,680 feel that like passionate about it. Like, I was like, oh, being a team physician would be cool 55 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:41,120 because I like sports and I'm pretty good at science. So this is kind of just the way I'm 56 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:48,240 naturally supposed to go. But I definitely never had that true passion for medicine. And I feel like 57 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:54,080 that reflected in my grades and stuff because I just really wasn't that into it. So when I 58 00:04:54,080 --> 00:05:00,080 graduated college, I was still pre-med. But I started working at NIH, doing like a full-time 59 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:06,080 research position. And when I started getting a little lay in my pocket, the first thing I decided 60 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:11,680 was that I wanted to go back and get braces again for the second time. And I would just pay for it 61 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:18,480 myself this time. So I went back and got braces. And the orthodontist I went to was a black woman. 62 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:25,760 That's actually like the first black healthcare provider I had in my life. And I just like, 63 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:31,680 naturally like took an interest towards like my braces journey and stuff. Like it just kind of 64 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:38,000 naturally happened. And it helped like also seeing someone that looked like me in the field, 65 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:44,560 like it just became a much more attainable dream. And yeah, I decided to switch from pre-med to 66 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:50,720 pre-med. I went and shadowed my cousin is actually a dentist and she owns a practice down in Georgia. 67 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,800 So I asked her if I could come shadowed. And I think like one of the really beneficial things 68 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:03,040 about my shadow experience is that I got to see the dentistry side as well as the business 69 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:08,560 over there side, as well as like her entire life since I was staying in her house and stuff. 70 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,680 Like I got to see what life was like outside of the work game. And I think like all that stuff 71 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:20,320 kind of definitely solidified my decision to switch like seeing the work life balance, 72 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:26,240 seeing like the kind of autonomy you get at being a practice owner and stuff like that. 73 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:32,000 And then like just a whole bunch of other things. But it like, it just made the most sense to me 74 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,200 at that time. And like, I'm 100% happy with the decision that I made for sure. 75 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,600 Did you take a gap year? Like how many did you take multiple gap years? You just kind of take 76 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:49,520 one and then go for it. Or had you waited college in 2017 in December of 2017? Right. 77 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:54,400 And then start dental school until 2021. So I was working at NIH for a year and a half. 78 00:06:54,960 --> 00:07:01,600 And then I did a post back program for a year. And then another gap year for like the application 79 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:07,360 cycle. Gotcha. I mean, that's, I mean, we have an whole episode on gap years, but if what is your 80 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:14,720 like advice to people like not necessarily want to take a gap year, but like they're afraid that 81 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:19,520 it might like her application or like, it might be like a waste of time or something like that. I 82 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:28,400 feel like the more listen to people, it feels like it just benefits you. I feel like that. 83 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:34,080 That's what I was going to say. At this point, a gap year should be almost necessary, I think. 84 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:41,520 I think like one, without taking that time off, you're going to experience burnout a lot quicker. 85 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:50,080 And I just don't think, honestly, like me personally, I'm glad it's a big gap year because 86 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:56,960 at 22 years old when I graduate college, I wasn't like mentally mature enough to handle 87 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:02,400 school. And I feel like a lot of 22 year olds aren't like it's, it's way different than college. 88 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:08,080 And it's honestly, in my opinion, not necessarily that much harder. It's a matter of 89 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:14,400 how you react to adversity, how well you manage your time. A lot of that stuff plays into how hard 90 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:19,440 you think dental school is. And I think that me starting dental school when I did being a lot, 91 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:25,760 I wasn't even like a lot older, but I started at 25 and like, I just feel like I was a lot more ready 92 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:32,400 for it at that point than I would have been at 22. And I saw it firsthand, majority of the people 93 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,320 that end up dropping out taking a leave of absence, repeating a year. 94 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:41,680 Or the ones that come straight from undergrad, it's just a lot to handle for them. And I don't 95 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:48,160 blame them like, I would, I 100% would not have been able to do it. And I think that a lot of people 96 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:54,480 benefit from taking a gap year. Right. There's life aspects about it too. Some people, like they 97 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:59,280 genuinely are missing out on life. They don't know what it's like. They see all their friends 98 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,640 graduating, starting real jobs, making real money. And like, in the short term, that looks really 99 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:10,640 good. But like for me as someone that has been there and experienced that already, I know I'm 100 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:17,280 not missing anything. So it's a whole different perspective as far as life comes as well. And 101 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,880 all that stuff plays into your dental school experience. 102 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:25,200 Right. I mean, I'm a bunch of friends who are like, business and consulting and stuff like that. So 103 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,120 they're already like, well, I'm a junior now. So, they're all getting jobs, internships, 104 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,960 like stuff that I can see them just doing right after they graduate. 105 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,440 And like, yeah, sometimes I'm like, damn, it's gonna take like another 106 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:43,280 serious seven years. But like, I work in an office too, sometimes patients will like ask me, 107 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,120 like, are you like a student or something? Like, yeah. And they would ask like, so when you 108 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:52,800 just started like, what are you gonna be a dentist? Like six, seven years a year? I don't know. Yeah, 109 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:58,560 I'm just like, damn. But like, but then you got to take a step back. And like, in your case, 110 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:03,840 you already know like what that feels like. Like, what it feels like to work and like kind of have 111 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:08,800 some free time after you graduate. It's far really beneficial. So can you talk a little bit about 112 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:14,160 how you got that NIH? Was it Interim Shipper? Just like a job? It was a, it's like a, 113 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:25,040 I won't say a fellowship. It was called. But it was like, basically, it's a one year fellowship. 114 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:30,560 Some, some labs do like two years just because they're lazy and don't like to turn over of a new 115 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:40,480 person coming every year. But it's called the NIH Post-Bag Intrural Research Training Assistant. 116 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:45,920 I don't know. It's called Purse Bag or, or to I forget what the A stands for, but it's essentially 117 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:50,480 for like people that are just graduating that are looking for research experience. Most people that 118 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:57,200 do it are either pre-med or going or planning to like start going to school for a PhD. 119 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:03,520 And they're just like getting some more intensive research experience than you really could have 120 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:08,720 gotten in undergrad. Cause like, I did research in undergrad, but it was for like half a summer or 121 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:14,160 something like that. Way different than like what it was at, what it was like at NIH. But 122 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:20,960 in reality and in retrospect, I probably should have just like graduated and just did a post-bag 123 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:26,160 like I did after working at NIH for a year and a half. I mean, I wouldn't, I don't take away the 124 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:32,400 experience for anything. I think it was beneficial for me. Maybe not something I necessarily needed, 125 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,480 but I did get something out of it. 126 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:38,240 Did you end up like publishing your project or did you kind of just look? 127 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:45,360 Yeah, as though, so I worked there like the whole year, 2018 and a half of 2019. I mean, 128 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,800 I was working on there actually like just got published maybe like two months ago. 129 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,560 Oh, yeah. It takes a little bit of time sometimes, right? To do all that stuff. 130 00:11:55,280 --> 00:12:01,440 So, you know, you finished working at a ticket post-bag. How'd you go about the application 131 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:06,880 cycle? Cause I know when you shadowed your, was it your cousin at Georgia? When you shadowed her 132 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:11,200 and you kind of wanted to decide the dentistry for you, at what point you started kind of thinking 133 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,320 like, all right, so I gotta get this done, this done, just apply it down in school. 134 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:21,680 Honestly, I started thinking about that as soon as I started my post-bag. So like I basically 135 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:26,880 switched during that summer, right before I started my post-bag. So I immediately started 136 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:34,480 studying for the DAT. I had taken the MCAT in March of 2019 and then I switched probably in like 137 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:41,280 June and just immediately started studying. I bought DAT boot camp because that's what everyone 138 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:47,360 was saying to you and I just stuck to the study schedule that was on there and planned to, I 139 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:52,880 was hoping to take my DAT like Labor Day again. So like right when I started my post-bag kind of 140 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:57,360 thing, but I ended up pushing it back a little bit cause school was getting in the way. So I 141 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:02,640 didn't take it till October, but yeah, I took the MCAT and the DAT in the same year, 2019. 142 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:07,760 And most of the stuff like Wargo camp like should have been kind of fresh in your brain, 143 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:13,040 right? From MCAT or it was a little different? So the MCAT is definitely a different exam, 144 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:20,960 mainly because it's like passage based. So I felt like the DAT was very straightforward. 145 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:26,240 Either you know it or you don't. Whereas the MCAT, you might know it or you might know like one 146 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,960 aspect of it, but like you also have to understand what the passage is saying, what the question 147 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:35,440 is asking you. And there's probably like multiple different things that you have to know to be able 148 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:42,560 to answer one question. So as far as like studying for content went, like things were fresh in my 149 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:49,360 head kind of like after I took the MCAT, I had no intention of taking the DAT. And like we all 150 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:54,480 know usually like when you study for an exam, the information leaves your brain within the next 151 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,720 couple of days. And it was a couple of months before I started studying for the DAT. So 152 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:06,880 it wasn't as fresh in my head as I would have liked it to be. But I do think like studying for 153 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:13,280 the MCAT prepared me for like how I'm supposed to study for the DAT and made DAT studying a lot 154 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:19,760 easier for me in that sense. I mean definitely. I mean, so you took the DAT in October, you 155 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:24,160 get your score right away. Did you already have like your personal statement all this other stuff 156 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:29,840 like ready to go by the time you applied? By the time I applied, yeah, because I waited until 157 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:40,400 the next application cycle. So June 2020, right? Yeah. In retrospect, like in my post-bac program, 158 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:46,400 it was, I don't know, I want to say maybe like 60 to 80 of us, I really can't remember. But there 159 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:54,000 were only like 10 or 11 pre-dense. So just about all the pre-dense that were in my class were 160 00:14:54,000 --> 00:15:00,240 in that application cycle. Like they applied and like did the post-bac during the application cycle. 161 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:05,760 And in retrospect, like that is what I should have done too, but I didn't really think of that. 162 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:12,480 Like even after I took my DAT in October and I was telling my friends like when they were like, 163 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,560 you should just apply right now. And I was like, it's already October, like it's kind of late. They 164 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:21,200 were like, no, you should apply right now. And I honestly probably should have. Like 165 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:27,760 October is not too late to apply to be quite honest. I know people that have applied in like 166 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:34,800 November and gotten in. So, but you know, it is what it is. I felt like I had better chances 167 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:41,360 if I waited. And so I waited and COVID came. So just everything at least. 168 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:47,360 I know if COVID happened. So how did them, you know, what, where'd you like kind of think about 169 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:52,160 where to apply at? So you live in, you live in Maryland, right? Or in Baltimore. So 170 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,880 where'd you kind of think about in terms of dental school, like where would you apply out? 171 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:03,600 You know, what gave you the best chance? Yeah. So I knew that I wanted to leave Maryland for 172 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:09,920 once. Like I used to always say, like if I was mature enough, applying to undergrad, I would have 173 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:16,240 left the state for undergrad. Right. But like I was 17 when I graduated high school. Like I just, 174 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:21,360 I wasn't ready for that. Now I was ready. So I knew I wanted to leave, but it would have been 175 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:28,000 done for me to not apply to Maryland because of the price. So honestly, I looked at the list of, 176 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,640 my post-bac program had like a list of success, like alumni success stories and like where they 177 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:43,280 went. So I looked at a list of all the dental schools and I really just picked anyone that like 178 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:51,600 I'd met the cutoff for or heard of before or was like somewhere that I would want to live. So 179 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,640 basically the only ones I didn't choose on there were like the ones that were on the West Coast 180 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:02,160 and the ones that were like in like Wisconsin or Nebraska and stuff like places I've never been or 181 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:08,080 never thought about living. Yeah. And I mean, that same thing went for Boston as well. I only 182 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:14,000 applied to BU because it was on the list and like one of my childhood friends was already 183 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,560 going to go to BU because she had applied that year, but didn't get in and did the master's 184 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:26,080 program here. So like she basically knew she was going to be in my class if I applied and got in. 185 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:30,720 So she was like, you should apply here. And I did. I mean, it works though. It works out. So when 186 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:37,040 you applied, so that was like what you said June 2020, then you'd start, but when was like after 187 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:42,320 that what happened? So like, what was your? Yeah. So I got my first interview, which was BU. 188 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:48,160 Like I think my interview was the first week of September. Like I got invited for an interview 189 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:54,800 really early, but I hadn't heard from any other schools until after like that December, 190 00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:00,640 when the first round of the big sentences go out. Now didn't hear back from BU when that first 191 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:05,520 round of the big sentences went out. So that's when I was like starting to take a little bit 192 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:11,280 of it. Cause I thought BU was a lot for sure. Like I thought I was getting that email at 12.01 193 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:20,640 the way my interview went. But you know, I found out at a later time that BU only really accepts 194 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:27,040 like 10 or 15 people in the first day. So most people that thought they were going to BU like 195 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:33,840 me were in the same boat. Right. But yeah, after that I was kind of like, okay, well the one school 196 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:42,880 I interviewed at, I didn't hear back from. So what's next? And I pretty much for the whole 197 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:48,880 month of January, I was starting to think of what my other options were. I knew that like 198 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:56,560 my post bag program had an option to like finish the masters. And I decided not, I decided that 199 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:01,040 would be my backup plan if I dig in the dental school, right? Cause I didn't want to waste the 200 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:07,520 money. And so like, you know, the whole month of January, I'm like, okay, how am I going to set that 201 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:14,080 up? Cause that's the next step. Cause I'm not getting in this cycle. And then like maybe 202 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:23,120 January 25th or so. It's a crazy story, but I actually like woke up that morning 203 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:30,640 and I submitted a prayer request on like my church's website. And then later that day, 204 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:35,680 like when I was at work, I think I came back from lunch and I looked at my email and I had 205 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:40,240 another interview invite. So I'm like, okay, cool. Like all hope is in law. And it's like, 206 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:48,160 I have another interview invite literally as soon as I respond to that email and schedule the interview 207 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:54,080 VU calls me. And they're like, you're like, you should be getting your acceptance within the next 208 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:59,600 couple of days. So while I wanted to be excited, I was like, I mean, I was supposed to get accepted 209 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:06,720 like a month ago. So I'm like, I hear you, but I'm going to go on this interview just in case, 210 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:13,280 because you know, but yeah, you know, I ended up working out. I got into BU. I still went on the 211 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:20,320 other interview, but I didn't really enjoy it. So after that, I got more interview invites, 212 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:25,760 but I ended up denying all of them just because the second interview just felt like such a waste 213 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:32,480 of time. And then after that, I put my deposit for BU. So all the other schools, that was like no 214 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,480 thanks. But I was getting interviews all the way up until April. I think my latest interview 215 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:43,360 invite was in April. So they like when people say like the cycle keeps going, you're like, 216 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:49,840 they don't say no to you, then they're still a chance. That's facts. Like that's very much facts. 217 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:53,360 I mean, because I guess at that point, like people are like accepting other offers, you know, 218 00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:57,200 so that like spots might open up, you know, this label, I'm going to interview, like real 219 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,240 probably like next to the line or something. They don't tell you that probably. But yeah, 220 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:06,160 I mean, like honestly, I have a friend that's now a D4 at Maryland. And when he was applying, 221 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:12,960 he interviewed at Maryland in like February and just never, he ended up committing to Howard. 222 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:20,880 He moved to DC and everything. And like a day before orientation at Howard, Maryland calls 223 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:26,000 and like, we have a spot for you. And then like I said, he's a D4 at Maryland now. 224 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:33,600 He just left? Yeah, he just left. I mean, like he's from Maryland. And like, yeah, the way that it 225 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:38,720 ended up working, I was like, one of his really close friends had just bought a house that's like 226 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:44,080 five minutes walking distance from Maryland dental schools. So he broke the lease with the apartment 227 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:50,640 that he bought in DC and like got like $500 a month rent down the street from Maryland. So 228 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:57,760 it kind of worked out plus like tuition for in state is like $25 a week. You might be the cheapest 229 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:02,080 dental school in the United States. I don't know, but probably is like $25 a week. 230 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:09,040 I know Texas has like $30,000. But none of us can get to the fact that school was in West 231 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:13,600 DC. Oh no, the out of state is like to buy a plier there. So if y'all hear me, come on. 232 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,400 Yeah, they're bothered when I found out they had a separate application. 233 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:24,560 Yeah, I mean, they have the TMD, whatever it is, SAS, but like they have the you can submit 234 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:30,240 through ads as but oh, you can. But like, I feel like they don't look at those like that's the 235 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:34,880 ad that you're on a man because they want to in state, they want to say kid. I thought you had 236 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,840 just applied with the I don't know if that's like a recent thing, but I don't know if they just made 237 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:45,280 that happen. But I'm not sure. But like, I'm curious about how did the BU interview go itself? 238 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:50,320 Like, how was the format? Was it was a virtual? Yeah, it was very to all the interviews are 239 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:59,760 virtual. I don't know. But it was it was just a casual conversation. I think maybe one question 240 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:06,080 was asked. Maybe maybe two questions were asked. Like, I know they asked, like, why did I want to 241 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:12,080 come to BU or maybe like why I wanted to be a dentist, right, wanted to come to BU and like, 242 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:18,400 what was the most like relevant experience that I I had, like in my journey to 243 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:25,600 dentistry kind of those right. So did you do like any like interview prep before you went on? 244 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:32,400 I tried because like my post back program offered like mock interviews and stuff. 245 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:38,960 But like, I didn't have enough time. I found out about the interview, like, scheduled it for like 246 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:45,840 three or four days later. And like, honestly, my my biggest advice for prepping for interviews is 247 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:50,240 to just look over your application. And I mean, like, see, that's kind of it. Like, 248 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:56,240 I've heard some schools are like crazy with the interviews, specifically University of Florida, 249 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:04,080 in case anyone's applying. But any other school like interviews are honestly chill, like, it's a 250 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:09,360 way for the school to get to know you beyond your application. And my other biggest piece of advice 251 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:15,520 is to use it as your way to get to know the school. I feel like that's your chance to ask questions, 252 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:21,040 sense of what the faculty is like, get a sense of what kind of education you're going to be 253 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:25,600 getting if you go there. It's important to ask those kind of questions during your interview, 254 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,480 because if you're faced with the lucky enough problem to have multiple dental school 255 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:35,600 acceptance, is it choose from, you're going to want to think about how your interview went, 256 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,840 what kind of vibe you got from the faculty, what kind of vibe you got from the school. 257 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,560 Do you think you're going to get like, you know, your money's worth in education, all that kind 258 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:51,600 of stuff. Definitely use your interview as your chance to feel out the school and kind of interview 259 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:56,640 the school to it kind of goes both ways. I think some schools, I don't know if they do this, but 260 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,960 like they have like closed application. I don't know if that's for med schools mainly, or I don't 261 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,920 know if dental schools do that, but they don't even look at your application. They just talk. 262 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:11,680 I've heard about first-hand dental school, specifically which ones, but I know like, 263 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:17,600 still we're going to be open. So I mean, just look over your application, just kind of know. 264 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,840 We're not going to ask you about grades or anything. They're not, they can see your transcript, 265 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:29,440 like, they're just going to ask you about like the experiences that you put on your ads, 266 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:34,560 sass and stuff. Like, just get a feel for who you are and like the stuff you wrote. 267 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:38,560 Did the school have like a presentation during the interview, like of what their school is and 268 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:45,680 stuff or was just kind of, well, so my interview cycle was a little different. The way that they 269 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:50,400 did it, which I want to say like, all of these different sessions were just like combined into 270 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:58,480 one interview day back when in-person interviews, but we had like one interview and then they had 271 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:05,440 a separate session with like the Dean of Student Affairs and this was like probably a month or two 272 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,760 months after my interview. So this was maybe like October, still, or you can get in, but 273 00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:17,360 separate and they would do like a virtual tour of the school. You get to like have a quick 274 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:23,680 conversation with like the Dean of Student Affairs and stuff and like the Dean of Admissions and 275 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:28,960 they were just kind of like an open house type of thing, but virtually. But it's specifically for 276 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:36,960 people that have already interviewed and my school still does that now, but they do that in person. 277 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,600 So like they'll have the virtual interview and they'll give you the option to come in person 278 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:48,000 for like that open house. And then I remember there being another session that we had, 279 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:54,560 but remember what it was, but there were definitely like two supplemental sessions 280 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,800 after the actual interview and God shit. It's interesting. I mean, yeah, I don't know, 281 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:03,760 like I was just wondering about the, like now everything's probably like in person. 282 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:08,800 Besides some school is still at virtual interviews, but I guess we'll find out later. 283 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,320 So I mean, you got your interview, you're accepted. What are you feeling right now? 284 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,880 And what are you expecting going into your D1? You're basically, 285 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:21,440 honestly, after I got the acceptance, like I felt just so much relief. Like just, 286 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,920 I have to worry about whether I was going to dental school or not the next year. Yeah. 287 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,080 So I could really tell like my parents and my age and stuff. 288 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:37,840 And honestly, like I quit my job and I just chilled. Like I just, 289 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:40,240 What were you working as at that moment? 290 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,720 I was working as a research assistant at University of Maryland School of Medicine. 291 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:51,440 And I really didn't enjoy the job, but it was better than working at Best Buy. 292 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,640 Well, better money than working at Best Buy. I enjoyed working at Best Buy, 293 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:02,240 but it was better money than working at Best Buy. And I thought it would be a helpful stepping 294 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,320 stone in case I didn't get into dental school that year, like another resume booster. 295 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:13,600 But yeah, after I got in, I quit my job and just, I was honestly just chilling. 296 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,720 Like I just wanted to enjoy my life before starting dental school. And 297 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:22,240 I think everyone should do that. Because once you start dental school, your life is gone. 298 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:29,200 That's crazy. So I mean, so what would you expect when you're D1? Were you kind of 299 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:34,720 like expecting like a really hard transition? And how was the transition since you've already 300 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:40,480 gone through it? So I would say like, I don't really know what I was expecting. 301 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:46,160 I tried to get a feel from it by asking like different D1s, like people from my postbag 302 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:53,280 program that went straight in after. And honestly, like, you know, everyone's like, 303 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:59,760 oh yeah, get ready. Like it's super hard. I feel like the transition wasn't as bad because I did 304 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:05,680 a postbag. And like in my postbag, we were taking like the Georgetown med school classes, like 305 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:11,520 already had an idea of like how rigorous the courses would be and like how to manage my time 306 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:17,600 pretty well. And like that time management is like the most important thing in dental school. 307 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:22,640 Like that's gonna, that's basically gonna determine how miserable you are. Oh, well, 308 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:29,600 you manage the time. And I happen to have a really good time management skills. And I'm very 309 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:36,240 thankful for that. So my D1 year went pretty smoothly. Honestly, like, I mean, I personally 310 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:44,320 didn't think it was like super crazy. I was enjoying myself. What is like the Boston like, 311 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:50,000 what is the GSTL like curriculum like? Is it, is it with med school students or not? 312 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:55,040 No, it's not. It's just straight dental school. You take class, your whole class. 313 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:04,000 The way the curriculum is set up, well, it's like you take maybe 45 credits your first year 314 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:12,960 or something like that. Basically all basic size courses and one, like, I guess like two courses 315 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:19,120 in the sim lab dental anatomy and general dentistry. I liked that like you get really 316 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:24,240 early hands on experience and be you like you start in the sim lab at like early September, 317 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:32,880 I think. And yeah, I mean, like you have sim lab every Thursday. The rest of the days of the week, 318 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:40,320 you have your basic science classes, biochem, physiology, anatomy. Second semester, you take 319 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:47,200 stuff like microbiogenetics was first semester. There's a whole bunch of different classes, 320 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:54,080 but our schedule is like staggered. So you're like, a lot of the classes don't last the whole 321 00:30:54,080 --> 00:31:00,000 semester. Like they'll start maybe like a month after the semester starts or like some that start 322 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:05,760 the beginning semester will end in November. Right. Courses will only be like six weeks of the semester. 323 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:15,040 It's a really weird like to explain it to anyone. But like, in my opinion, it makes school a little 324 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:22,800 more bearable. Like it doesn't feel like such a heavy workload all the time. Like a month or like 325 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:28,880 six weeks out of each semester that actually feel like a super heavy workload. Right. So I mean, 326 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:33,280 so basically the first whole year of your down school was kind of more like, is that called 327 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:38,640 didactics? Like, is that what you would so like, how was, what was like the first kind of things 328 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,160 you guys did like in the same lab? And how'd you guys kind of progress throughout your D1 year? 329 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:48,240 What did you guys like end up doing project? We were doing all like feelings type of thing, 330 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:55,120 like class one, perhaps class two, perhaps that's all you're doing in a sub lab in a D1 year in my 331 00:31:55,120 --> 00:32:02,080 year in my school. I have heard of some schools that like first year they're doing fix like they're 332 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:07,200 doing crown pressure and stuff, which I think is amazing. Like the earlier you start with that's 333 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:12,400 that's the hard stuff. That's what you should be starting with earlier to be honest. But yeah, 334 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:18,560 first year is like just all like cavity preps pretty much. And for dental anatomy, we were doing 335 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:25,520 like wax ups like every school does. Honestly, my least favorite thing in the world, but you got 336 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:33,440 to do it. Yeah. No one really does wax ups. Well, I won't say that, but people like you do a wax 337 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:38,240 up your first year and then you never do it again. Right. I think it's just to learn the anatomy of 338 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:43,280 teeth right and like the whole thing. So I mean, how'd you kind of like, did you find yourself 339 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:49,040 really good at it in the beginning or now like how old skill like? Not at all. It was definitely a 340 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:55,120 learning. It wasn't too bad, but like, I mean, it's learning a new skill. And I feel like the 341 00:32:55,120 --> 00:33:01,200 important thing to remember is that like eight times out of 10, when you start, you're going to think 342 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:08,880 you suck. And you probably do. So does everyone else. Like there's nobody in your class that's 343 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:13,200 been a dentist before. There may be a few people in your class that have prept teeth before, but 344 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:19,440 that's probably because they're repeating D one. So you should very soon to them. Honestly, like, 345 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:25,040 you just got put into work and practice and you will get better. But, you know, it's going to be a 346 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:31,680 learning curve for every one of your class. So if you suck, it's okay. I'm personally glad. Like, 347 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:37,120 I decided to vlog my first day in SIL lab and like, I go back and watch that video often because 348 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:43,040 like it just reminds me how far I've come. But also like my classmates as well, because I like, 349 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:47,520 when we took lunch, I decided like interview people asked them like how I was going. And we all thought 350 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:53,760 we suck. And I mean, we all did, but we all got a lot better over the year. So yeah, I think I saw 351 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:59,840 that one. And so like from D one year, what do you guys do? Like, what is the transition between D 352 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:04,960 one D two year? Like what is like the step up? Are you guys more ecstatic now at that point? 353 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:12,960 So D two year at my school, we're way more in the SIM lab taking like all your didactic courses, 354 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:19,920 not all of them, but 75% of them are accompanied with the SIM lab and like a SIM lab course. 355 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,840 We're taking like process all the dentistry classes now, frosted, donnings, endodontics, 356 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:30,960 all that stuff. And then we're taking those classes in the SIM lab as well. You still have like some 357 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:40,640 didactic courses like pharmacology. What else is there? There's some other stuff, but I came in 358 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:46,960 really can't remember that well, it's been such a long year, like every seriously long year. But 359 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:56,240 it's a nice transition, I would say it's the only hard part about it is again, like now you're 360 00:34:56,240 --> 00:35:03,680 learning new skills again, start off pretty trash once again. And you're learning how to balance like 361 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:11,040 studying for school with practicing in the SIM lab. Yes. It's definitely like another learning 362 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:16,240 career. I feel like every year is just like, okay, you learn to adjust, you plateau a little bit, 363 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:20,960 you finally like get your groove and then next year up again. Same thing like next year, I'm 364 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:26,720 going to start learning how to balance clinic with classes and all that stuff. And then at my school, 365 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:33,920 D3 year, your last exam is like the end of April and then you're done with like classes in general, 366 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:39,200 like a straight clinic. But then even then like now you got a balanced clinic with studying for 367 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:44,800 boards and preparing for your licensure exam and all that stuff. So it's just like, it's a constant 368 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:49,600 uphill battle in dental school, but you know, each year you take a step up and you're always 369 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:54,640 ready for the next step. Right. That makes sense. I mean, so when you guys like see 370 00:35:54,640 --> 00:36:00,240 do you want to see patients? Is that D3 year? Yeah, D3. So I started seeing patients in August. 371 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:08,400 Oh, shoot. Yeah. Just two months. I feel like I just started and now I'm about to see patients 372 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:16,080 craziest thing ever. I mean, I was talking to Omid from Topsteadle. I don't know if you know him 373 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:21,760 on Instagram. Has his name is handles Dr. Way Baby, I think. Yeah, I've heard. Yeah, he said that 374 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,880 like the deep, like there's like big little systems there. Do you guys have that at Boston? 375 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:32,080 So do you guys like absorb patients from the deep, the graduating D3 students and D4s eventually? 376 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:41,200 The patients are kind of all the school's patients. So like the school will just reassign the patient 377 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:46,720 whoever and then like you do have the freedom of you know, bringing your friends like getting 378 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:52,880 them registered so they can come see you specifically. But the school kind of has like a database and 379 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:58,800 they assign the patients as is. So we don't have like the big little thing where like people hand 380 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:04,240 you their patients specifically. Oh, I got you. Everyone's kind of registered with the school that 381 00:37:04,240 --> 00:37:10,000 way. Patients are like kind of moved around depending on what requirements you might need done. So 382 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:15,760 that's the one has a patient that needs 10 crowns and they've already done seven. They'll probably 383 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:23,120 reassign that patient to someone that needs right, go to graduate. The main. So yeah, but for the most 384 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:28,720 part you do keep your same patients but in that event where someone needs to be shifted around. 385 00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:33,680 Yeah. Way back school does it. I mean at school because you don't have to like compete for like 386 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:39,840 your arguments that would suck. And it does suck and that's the reality for a lot of schools. 387 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:45,520 And that's honestly a flaw of the dental school system in itself. But you know, 388 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:49,600 we pay them so we can make them money and work for free just for. 389 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:57,040 Yeah, I should love. I mean, to learn how to do stuff. I guess it's like a weird, 390 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:02,160 it's like a really interesting aspect of the dental school system that they 391 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:07,120 it's pretty strange to say. Yeah. I mean, so like what are you looking forward to in D3 or looking 392 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:13,120 forward to to get in patients getting on to patients? I'm most looking forward to being 393 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:22,320 done with classes. Right now. I am pretty excited to start seeing patients. I was just telling 394 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:27,680 someone yesterday I think like my main thing is while I'm excited to start seeing patients, 395 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:35,840 I am not excited to do like hygienist work and lab work. Like I'm excited like the dentist work, 396 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:42,720 but like doing like profis and probing and stuff and like doing all the lab work. I'm not looking 397 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:48,560 too too forward to that. But it's happy anyway. I mean, so how does it work? So like, do you 398 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:53,600 have to do all of the, like if you're a crowned brim or something on a patient eventually, 399 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,760 do you have to do the lab work for that? Or do you guys have a lab in school that kind of helps 400 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:02,480 you out and stuff? I have a lab at school, but we kind of have to do the lab work. And then like, 401 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:08,080 if anything, like we can send the, we can send the stuff out to get like the 402 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:14,640 sent back to us. We can also do milling at school. We have all the stuff at school. But 403 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:22,000 honestly, I still haven't had clinic orientation that's like in a few weeks. So I still don't know 404 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:26,960 all the information regarding that. Yeah. So I mean, you still have like orientation in a couple 405 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:34,480 weeks. But what are some like things you like about, I apply to BU. I got some family up there. 406 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:39,760 I really want to kind of go to a school in Boston if possible, try the option. So like, 407 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:45,360 what are some kind of things that you, you love about, you know, GSCM that you tell like a pre-down 408 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:49,360 student applying like what, what are some things that you kind of found out, love about the school? 409 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:57,760 One, the community for sure. Like the students at my school, I think people are very helpful 410 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:06,800 and well-being. Especially like, I mean, your class will kind of depend. Sometimes it can be that way. 411 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:13,280 Sometimes it can't. Firstly, I love my class. Like everybody in my class, they're all like 412 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:20,160 amazing people. And like probably everyone in my class would say that about my class as well. So 413 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:24,960 that's number one. Number two is definitely like the emphasis that they put on digital dentistry. 414 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:32,080 Given that that's the way dentistry is going, that's the future. I like that my school like really 415 00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:39,760 emphasizes the use of like optical impressions and CAD-CAM and like in-house milling of crowns and 416 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:47,440 stuff like that. Because like if you're going to be a general dentist in 2025, that's going to be the 417 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:54,400 norm. And so I like that they're not doing things the old school way. And you know, they, you know, 418 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:59,040 although the tuition costs are arm and a leg, it's going towards something for sure. 419 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,200 Yeah. I mean, it's like what 85? I think that's what it is right now. 420 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:08,960 But now it's not. 91? Yeah. It was a while when I started. 421 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:16,400 Second year went to 87. 30 years going to be 91. Stats are kind of off now, I guess. Yeah. 422 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:24,240 So, so like what is like a, what is your day in life kind of like from like eight to five or 423 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:27,360 you know, do you have like days off? Like how does the class schedule? 424 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:33,280 I don't know. So yeah, that's what I was saying. Like it's hard to explain to someone because the 425 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:41,120 class schedule literally changes week by week. Like it varies so much. Honestly, like if it wasn't 426 00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:46,560 for the school populating a Google calendar for us, we wouldn't have a single clue what's going on. 427 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:56,000 But yeah, I mean, in general, I have class like eight, eight, basically eight AM every day. 428 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:05,120 And usually we'll end most of the time around like three, sometimes it'll go all the way to five. 429 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:12,560 Kind of depends like if you have that day or not. But yeah, usually my days are around like eight 430 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:19,360 to three. Sometimes I like to kind of do what I want. Like some of our classes take attendance. 431 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:27,120 If they don't, I may or may not go. It just depends on like what class it is, what time it's at, 432 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:33,680 like, and how it fits into my day. So like if we have class eight to 10, 433 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:39,440 and then we have another class 10 to 12, and then another class from one to three, 434 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:44,400 I might go to school like eight to 12, and then just go home eat lunch at home. So I don't have to 435 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:49,280 buy lunch. And then if the one to three class doesn't take attendance, I might just like go to the 436 00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:54,240 gym instead while it's not crowded. And then come home and then class will be over. And I'll just 437 00:42:54,240 --> 00:43:00,400 watch the recording on two X speeds, save my time a little bit. And it's just just works a lot better 438 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:07,200 for me. So it just it differs every day. But I find a way to fit everything that I need to 439 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:12,800 into the day, no matter what. I mean, how do you so like where's the time management coming from? 440 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,360 I was actually from like your I feel like your gap years, I'm gonna help you there. 441 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:21,200 The resource help. Probably the gap years helped me also, like, I'm literally saying here, 442 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:28,000 playing with it right now, but I use like my planner, I take it everywhere. Like, I literally 443 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:35,200 write everything down that I need to do everything goes into the calendar, like, or even like, 444 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:40,480 day to day, there's like, all right, whatever I need, I'll cross it out when I'm done. I get some 445 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:45,920 type of satisfaction like crossing that stuff out. But like, there's my work, I had most of the week 446 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:51,040 off and I still never all this stuff in my planner, just like, everything I have to do, not just school 447 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:56,560 stuff, but like YouTube stuff, the gym, all that stuff, like I just write it down. And when it's 448 00:43:56,560 --> 00:44:02,720 done, I cross it out. So let's talk about YouTube, man. So like, where did that start? Like, why did 449 00:44:02,720 --> 00:44:10,800 you think about chronicling your life? And just kind of having that on there? Yeah. So when I was 450 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:17,680 an undergrad, and I was pre-med, like I said, I was, you know, I feel like it's very easy to lose 451 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:24,640 passion and kind of like lose sight of the angle. So I honestly went on YouTube and I think I typed 452 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:30,880 in like, day in the life of a doctor or something. And I was honestly, honestly, I think I was looking 453 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:36,400 for like, the lavish stuff, not necessarily the work stuff, or like, you know, something, or maybe, 454 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:44,480 but I ended up finding this doctor, Dr. Antonio Webb, and he's an orthopedic, he's an orthopedic 455 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:51,440 spine surgeon now. But when I found him, he was still like, in his maybe fourth or fifth year 456 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:58,000 of orthopedic residency. So I was like, okay, like I found someone that looks like me that's in the 457 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:04,080 specialty that I want to be in. And I think like, during his residency, he was work, like, 458 00:45:04,080 --> 00:45:09,840 occasionally he would work as like, on the team of physicians for the San Antonio Spurs. So I was 459 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:15,040 like, okay, he's also doing like the team physician thing, which is what I want you. So I just started 460 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:19,120 watching his channel, like, all the time, like whenever I needed some motivation or whatever, 461 00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:27,920 I was watching that. And then when I switched to dentistry, I found the Future DDS channel. 462 00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:35,520 Right. It was like, I felt like their channel was like more so like application tips and DAT tips 463 00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:40,000 and kind of like how to get into dental school, which I definitely needed at the time. But I was 464 00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:44,800 also like, man, like, I wish there was like a Dr. Webb that like, I could just see their day to 465 00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:52,480 day life in dental school or residency or working as a dentist. And I just didn't find anyone like 466 00:45:52,480 --> 00:45:59,920 that. So I was like, I'm just going to do it myself, I guess. And yeah, I mean, I kind of always like, 467 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:09,280 enjoyed like using a camera, like editing videos. I never really learned like how to do it. I 468 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:16,160 just want to pick a lot of weight. But, you know, I just decided to do it. And honestly, I just, 469 00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:21,360 I don't know, I don't know, it's just kind of like a regular part of my life. Now, I don't even 470 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:26,960 really think about them. But yeah, I just kept doing it. 471 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:32,080 I mean, that's dope. I think that like, people that, you know, pretense that they really need 472 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:35,920 some guidance, like want to know what life is like in dental school, there's nobody else better to 473 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:40,400 learn in front of people who are going to dental school. And like, not only are you like kind of 474 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:45,760 developing, not only like journaling your own life, but you're kind of like getting better at like 475 00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:51,520 talking to like an audience, just kind of reminding yourself what you do at every single day. I feel 476 00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:55,440 like that's like a big thing that you're getting from YouTube. I don't know if that's, I'm interested 477 00:46:55,440 --> 00:47:01,680 to hear it today, because honestly, like, isn't very, and that I talked to someone that like found 478 00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:08,960 me on YouTube or like that watches my YouTube that doesn't know me in like real life. So like, 479 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:14,080 you know, of course, my friends will tell me like, yo, your videos are dope, bye. And then like, of 480 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:20,080 course, people will like randomly send like an Instagram DM or something, and be like, I watched 481 00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:25,440 your video on this, or like, I'm the fool or whatever. Like me personally, I was just like, 482 00:47:25,440 --> 00:47:30,320 I don't really, I don't know if I really know like what, what people are looking for when they come 483 00:47:30,320 --> 00:47:34,240 to my channel. Like, when I started my channel, it was kind of just like the, oh, I'm going to do 484 00:47:34,240 --> 00:47:40,000 like this, like how to get into dental school with a low GPA thing. And then I'm like, okay, so I see 485 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:44,400 the thing around my channel is like, you know, the hope or like, you know, getting into dental 486 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:48,960 school where you think you might not or something, but like, as far as like the vlogs go, like, I don't, 487 00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:54,960 I guess I don't really know what people get out of it. I don't know. People like vlogs in general, 488 00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:59,920 but like, specifically pre dense, like, I don't know if they just like want to see what 489 00:47:59,920 --> 00:48:03,680 it's like at school or I don't know, what's some random entertainment. 490 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:08,960 I mean, like, I guess just depends like what stage everyone's at. So like, you know, me, 491 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:12,160 I was, I just applied, I think I watched you a couple of times before, before I started my 492 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:16,400 DAT, I watched that DAT video you put. I watched like twice actually, because I was just like, 493 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:22,560 I don't, you got to do so. It's honestly, like, when you mentioned the video, it was like, I have to 494 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:27,200 because it's probably a while ago, it must have been like two years ago, a year ago. 495 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:31,600 Yeah. Like, there's tank in the back. Yeah, that's that's what it was. Yeah. Fish tank. Yeah. 496 00:48:33,120 --> 00:48:37,920 But I mean, yeah, that point I was out, I was taking my DAT, like, about tickets. I was watching 497 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:42,880 HALA, just like DAT. Just kind of make myself feel better about taking the test. It's kind of what 498 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:48,640 we don't go to YouTube for. You can pretty much go to YouTube, just like, find some like, 499 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:53,120 parallels. So like, if you do a daily life video, it's kind of like, we're there, you know what I mean? 500 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:56,960 Yeah. Like, taking us. So, and we want to see like, what every school is like. So, 501 00:48:56,960 --> 00:49:00,160 we're trying to find as many different DAL students are doing YouTube as possible with 502 00:49:00,160 --> 00:49:03,360 different DAL schools. So, that's kind of what I'm getting from it. But like, 503 00:49:04,240 --> 00:49:07,840 how do you like Boston? Because I mean, you never lived there before. How do you love the city? 504 00:49:07,840 --> 00:49:14,640 I actually never, like, I've never stepped in Boston until after I, I was coming here for school. 505 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:25,360 I, I enjoy things about it. I definitely enjoyed the change of scenery. I enjoy living in a city, 506 00:49:25,360 --> 00:49:31,760 like, somewhere that I feel like I can, I literally don't need a car. Like, I sold my car. 507 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:37,280 Somewhere I can just like, get up and walk around places to public transportation. 508 00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:43,040 Like, living in a new city and like, just seeing new things. Like, that's a very, I felt like, 509 00:49:43,040 --> 00:49:47,280 that was a very valuable experience that I got from moving for dental school. 510 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:56,880 I personally think like, it's not as fun as like home was, like, especially being as close to DC. 511 00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:03,040 But I'm not here for fun. So, that's all the better for me, you know, the less the strapped, 512 00:50:03,040 --> 00:50:09,600 it's the better. But, you know, I do like that it's not too far from home. The flight is less than an 513 00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:14,800 hour. When I used to have my car, like the drive was like six and a half hours. But I would take 514 00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:22,160 that drive by myself. And like, it's fine. But overall, like, I definitely enjoy being here. 515 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:28,960 I definitely don't plan on being here longer than I have to, though. And the worst part is 516 00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:34,960 definitely the weather. And when I say that, I don't mean like the snow. I think I expected more snow. 517 00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:41,920 But I think the worst part is like the weather. It just stays cold for so long. Like, it's June 518 00:50:41,920 --> 00:50:51,280 and some days the highs in the 60s. And I'm like, like, where's summer? I can do the winters where 519 00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:56,960 it's 10 degrees outside. Like, it's not that. But it's just winter doesn't have to be October to May. 520 00:50:56,960 --> 00:50:58,480 That's the only way. 521 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:03,680 I just feel like this year, though, it's been kind of crappy, like the weather, it's still kind of 522 00:51:03,680 --> 00:51:08,320 chilly here. It's been like 70s. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe it's like a worldwide thing. But 523 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:11,760 last thing I want to know, over you play sports, right? You said you play sports? 524 00:51:12,320 --> 00:51:13,120 Yeah. 525 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:14,560 You play, did you play in high school? 526 00:51:15,280 --> 00:51:19,600 Yeah, I played basketball all four years in high school. I played lacrosse for a year. 527 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:25,280 Before I started high school, I was like really big into football too. But I got injured playing 528 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:30,400 football and it stopped me from playing basketball. And I liked basketball or so I gave up on football 529 00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:35,520 after that. And if I come up to Boston, we got to, we got to go somewhere out where the courts are at. 530 00:51:36,160 --> 00:51:39,440 But I played, I played all four years in high school too and I still play now. So. 531 00:51:39,440 --> 00:51:44,960 Yeah, I still cook around. Like I played all in college. Like a lot of my high school teammates 532 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:50,080 I went to college with. So like we started an interview team there, won interviews three years 533 00:51:50,080 --> 00:51:58,320 in a row. I came here and like one of the, he just graduated, but he's two classes ahead of me. 534 00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:05,360 So like my D1 year and this year, like he had already had like the interview team going here. 535 00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:12,240 And so I just joined them and like we were playing the interviewers with the undergrad. 536 00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:15,760 Well, it's like all the schools are like, there's undergrad, there's law students, 537 00:52:15,760 --> 00:52:20,400 med students, there's us. But like we put together like a dental school team. 538 00:52:20,400 --> 00:52:28,640 So now that he's gone, I think that might lie out because I'm not taking over it. I mean, 539 00:52:28,640 --> 00:52:32,640 so yeah, I mean, that kind of wraps it up. Do you have any last mid vice-ferrero pre-dentals in 540 00:52:32,640 --> 00:52:36,720 that application cycle kind of stressed out? Just wondering what to do right now, man. 541 00:52:37,360 --> 00:52:43,840 If you're in the application cycle right now, Larry, just take it day by day, but like there's 542 00:52:43,840 --> 00:52:49,920 Larry no point in stressing. If your application is in already, just let it, just let it be, 543 00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:54,560 let it be in, let schools take a look at it. They will find you. 544 00:52:56,160 --> 00:53:02,160 Honestly, like you never know. You really never know. It doesn't matter what your grades are, 545 00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:08,480 what your DAT, I mean, yes, it matters, but you know, don't have to be a 4.0 student with a 25 DAT 546 00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:16,720 or whatever like as long as you meet around the averages, everything else matters a lot more. 547 00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:24,400 The GPA and the DAT are kind of like boxes you have to check, but if you're a decent person 548 00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:29,680 and you did a good job portraying that on your application, I'm sure that there are schools 549 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:39,920 that are going to be in touch. So just be calm, let it be, and then in the misfortune that maybe 550 00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:45,680 you don't get into any dental schools this year, the number one most important thing is contact 551 00:53:45,680 --> 00:53:52,000 schools and find out what you can improve about your application. There's so many people that DM me 552 00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:57,360 that are like, okay, I'm thinking about reapplying, what do you think I should do? I can't answer that 553 00:53:57,360 --> 00:54:04,080 question for you. The admissions office can put them and ask them, what do I need to improve? 554 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:08,240 I can't tell you if you need to take your, if you need to retake your DAT. I don't know what 555 00:54:08,240 --> 00:54:14,160 your school is looking for. I don't know. Ask them what you need to improve, work on making those 556 00:54:14,160 --> 00:54:19,760 improvements and apply again. And that's it. But that's not something to worry about right now. 557 00:54:19,760 --> 00:54:25,120 Right now, just hope you get a call for an interview. And when you go on those interviews, 558 00:54:25,120 --> 00:54:31,200 just be yourself. That's the main thing, be yourself, be your best self. That's what I always say. 559 00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:35,840 Don't put on a front. Don't try to be someone you're not. Just be the best version of you. 560 00:54:35,840 --> 00:54:39,600 If the school likes you, you're going to get in. If they don't like you, you probably didn't want 561 00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:45,680 to be there anyway. That's good advice, man. So I appreciate you coming on. It was a fun time 562 00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:50,480 talking to you, meeting you too. And if I come up to Boston, probably this summer, 563 00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:55,280 try to give me a tour of the school. Oh yeah, of course. Yeah, definitely. I've been giving 564 00:54:55,280 --> 00:55:02,400 tours, just hit me up and you can come here because I'll hopefully be here in school until 565 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:10,320 July 7th and D3 starts July 24th. So I'll be around. Appreciate it. Yeah, no problem.