Baby Steps

I am a member, as it were, of the UCSD Pre-Dental Society. I chose Dentistry, in all honesty, because I wanted to be called "Dr." but was discouraged at the difficulty of becoming a medical doctor. However, what I soon learned was that M.D. was one type of "hard" whereas D.D.S. is a totally different "hard."

To my surprise, I checked some statistics from 2004 for dental school admissions. Not a single California school had enrollment in double-digit percentages. I'm the type of person who is easily intimidated by those kinds of odds. However, I learned that the PDS attracts some of the most important people in the business and gets powerful people to do stuff for them for free. (And yes, I am wary of how they manage to do that). The "leader," I guess he is called, Dr. Silverstein, boasts about how being involved in the Society looks good on an application.

I could see why. Many of the hard-core members are practically dentists in everything but title. X-ray certification? Isn't that something they give to professionals? Yet some of these folks are not only that, but OSHA certified. No wonder all the big important people are impressed. I would certainly love to get in on the big action, but just like in admissions, spots are limited and competiton is big. Volunteering is actually easier said than done. Members cannot help out in a clinic unless summoned; other learning and enrichment opportunities have limited space. And there are about a hundred wannabe dentists all craving for the action. A hundred. That's bigger than the entire student body of a dental school.

My plan? I'm already at a huge disadvantage since I've only started attending Winter this school year. Other bastards students have started since Freshman year. (Looking through Frosh-Soph is my reflections on quitting school to become a mime or becoming a Welfare recipient to be a thorn on the .gov's side). I wish I could become a bigshot overnight, but I am reduced to beginning like any beginner does--in baby steps.