I see London, I see France . . .
and so can you!
Studying abroad is often an amazing, life changing experience.
Unfortunately, many pre-health students feel that they cannot
go overseas due to the rigorous demands of their major or field
of study. However, if it is something you have always wanted to
do or would benefit from, both personally and intellectually,
it should not be overlooked.
Studying overseas is definitely plausible as long as you
account for pre-dental considerations beforehand. Potential
complications generally involve: Physics, which is usually
taken both semesters of Junior year; DATs, generally taken in
April; setting up interviews; getting recommendations; and
organizing all of your material for the application
process.
Most of these matters, except for physics, generally take place
in the spring. Although most students seem to go abroad in the
spring, it is much less problematic to go away in the fall. As
for Physics, talk to your advisor and see if you could take a
semester either the summer prior to your Junior year, or if
need be, after your Junior year. Remember that if you are set
on going away in the spring you will have to wait to take the
DAT in August instead of April, when most people take it. This
means that your application to dental schools will not be
considered until the scores are mailed, usually 6-8 weeks
later.
Since most dental schools have rolling admissions and begin
admitting before the application deadline, waiting until August
can lower your chances of getting in. In addition, if you do
poorly on the DAT you will not have an opportunity to retake
it.
If you are concerned about receiving academic credit, or
specifically need credits that can count toward your major,
check with your advisor to find the most beneficial program for
you. Some students choose to only take classes within their
major, some explore their minor, others take classes for
elective or general credit, and some simply take classes that
they think will be interesting for no credit. Since you have
several pre-dental requirements, you will most likely need to
take courses that count towards your major.
Here are some overseas programs that are designed specifically
for pre-health majors or have a concentration in the natural
sciences:
Some programs offer internship, research, or volunteer
opportunities in combination with academic courses:
Going away during the summer is another possibility.
Most of the aforementioned programs offer summer opportunities
as well. Talk to your schools abroad advisor, your general
advisor, and your pre-health advisor (if you have one) to
determine which time and program is best for you.
