University of Louisville School of Dentistry
From Student Doctor Network Wiki1) Name of Your Dental School Louisville
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week? Tests are spread out. Some weeks we have 3-4, some weeks none.
3) What is the hardest class? Why? Pathomedicine, by far. This class is extremely difficult. No one made an A in my class this year.
4) What is the easiest class? Why? There are a number of bunny classes- usually one hour classes that require very little work. Preventive Dentistry is one that comes to mind.
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? I'd say it is a mix. There are definitely gunners in my class, but they are quiet about it. For the most part, people are good about sharing information and helping each other out, but there are of course a few who are only out for themselves.
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? Mostly on lectures. Pretty much every class gives us a manual printed by the school. The majority of our tests come from those and from class notes. For most classes, in fact, no one even buys the books.
7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones? No
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? Some are pass fail (things like Intro to Clinical Dentistry, ect), the rest are letter grades. Some classes use a plus minus scale. The percentages required to attain certain grades are usually 10 point scales for basic science classes (90-100 is an A, ect) and 7 point scales for dental classes (93-100 is an A, ect.) In most of the dental classes, you have to make about a 70 to pass.
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? no
10) Is class attendance mandatory? Officially, but some of the professors don't care.
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Most are approachable, but there are always a few that aren't.
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? Yes, you are paired with a student in the sophomore class when you enter freshman year. This can be very helpful, or not helpful at all, depending on your match.
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score? not sure
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? summer between second and third year.
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? They mess with the schedule every year. But this year, during the months of May and June we have mornings off to study and afternoons in clinic, then two weeks off at the end of June, with the assumption that boards will be taken in that time. In July we have clinic mornings and afternoons. We are supposed to take boards by the beginning of August, I don't remember the exact date.
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? A good number of people study at the library either on the campus where the dental school is located or at the main campus library. I personally do not, but I know many of my classmates do.
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? We have a pretty good patient pool. Most people are able to fufill their requirements.
18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? Each student has their own chair. We don't have any kind of first come, first served system like I have heard students from other schools talk about.
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult? I don't know the exact numbers yet (haven't started clinic) but from what I can tell they are stringent enough to make you well prepared upon graduation but attainable enough that most people are able to graduate on time.
20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Everyone does a 4-6 week rotation at a dental clinic (they prefer us to go to rural areas, but many people don't) between junior and senior year.
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? There are trips to Belieze and another South American location (the exact place escapes me right now) during the spring. One of the trips is during spring break. They are a week long.
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? We have a couple classes on practice management. I'm not at that point yet, so I don't know much about the quality. 23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years? The school provides us with 5 sets of scrubs freshman year and an additional two sets the following years. (although they are notoriously slow in arriving- this year we didn't get our new sets until after Christmas) Most people wear the scrubs, but you do have the option to dress in business attire. Most people just do that occasionally and wear scrubs the rest of the time. the dress code is the same for all years.
