Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry

From Student Doctor Network Wiki

1) Name of Your Dental School Meharry 2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week? 1st yr: block exams 2nd yr: lots of daily quizzes, midterms, finals (crazy!!) 3rd & 4th yr: less exams, finals 3) What is the hardest class? Why? IMO, Oral Pathology/2nd year, because the professors give tons of pop quizzes, you have to know tons of diseases in detail, the course is cumulative (2nd-4th yr, ex. fall semester 3rd yr. may see a question from 2nd yr) 4) What is the easiest class? Why? IMO, dental public health courses, because most are only 1 credit hr., no quizzes and just read hand outs for exams 5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out? Some gunners, but no one is out to sabatoge. Generally, everyone tries to help everybody out. However, each class is a little different. So, it sort of depends on the class. 6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? All of the above, depends on professor. Most, are based on textbook/lecture powerpoints. It is best to buy the textbooks and read alot. 7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones? Gross Anatomy, but when in lab, dental students grouped together (stop after abdomen) 8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? Letter grades 9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? No 10) Is class attendance mandatory? Yes, esp. after 1st year 11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Yes, but it is best to let them know you are coming or email them. Most don't like being bothered when in the clinics. 12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? Yes, some benefit more than others, it depends on who you are given. 13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score? Each year varies, last year's class had only one girl who had a complete failure first time. Generally, scores on the national average. (I know it makes no sense considering the DAT scores that come in) 14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? In the past, it was after 1st yr. However, I think it is going to be after 2nd yr. now due to change in format of exam. 15) Do you get a block of time off before boards to study? If so, how long? If not, do you have to study simultaneously with classes? Part 1: you get around 6 wks & school gives review (this prob explains the pass rate because KAPLAN and school's review pretty much force you to pass) Part 2: No time off, most seem to take after Christmas break (I'm not there yet) 16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? Most people study at home, several people use the Meharry-Vanderbilt alliance, and study at Vanderbilt's medical library (nice) 17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? Not enough patients, some are luckier than others and get a better pt. pool with good procedures 18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? There are plenty of chairs (physically), not enough appointment slots 19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult? Reasonably attainable 20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Off-site rotations are part of the curriculum, ex. low income clinic, private practice 21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? Yes, long summer breaks at Meharry allow students to do Mission trips(ex. trip to Haiti), research on/off campus, etc. 22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? There are 2 practice management courses, but IMO I don't think you are prepared to open a practice "alone" right out of school. (doesn't seem like a good idea) There are career placement opportunities (bulletin board/emails) 23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years? 1st yr. Business attire (except in gross lab) 2nd yr. scrubs/business attire 3rd-4th yr. scrubs (color depends on yr)