Rock Music

So, I made it through the rough times. All the interviews are over for now. I might get some more invitations next semester through the spring, but we'll see.

University of the Pacific was awesome. Nice campus with lots of windows, located in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. Their married-with-kids student housing is located in the Presidio and run off of a lottery, but the couple I stayed with there, didn't know anyone who wanted to get in and didn't. The rest of the student housing is just a few blocks from campus, but no kids are allowed.


The Presidio is an old military base located at the very north end of the peninsula right up against the Golden Gate bridge. In the 80's the military left it and turned it over to the Federal Government who still manages and runs the place like some sort of rural community/national park, in it's own world a few miles from downtown San Francisco. It was nice. Rent is Crazy! For the student housing, it is $2000/mo (utilities included) which is CHEAP for San Francisco!!!!! Most 2 bedroom apartments near the school are $2400-2900/mo. Yizikes.

I loved the way UoP treated their students. One of the previous deans of the school developed the "Humanistic" approach and they run their school according to his philosophies. I found it very curious that the principles of the humanistic approach are very close to the principles of love, and charity.

The school is up to date with modern technologies and equipment. The school, although not heavy into research, developed Invisalign. They are very into keeping up to date (One class is Dentistry and Technology) and teaching their students how to be good dentists AND run successful practices (a couple practice management courses taught by the PRIDE dental practice consulting firm during the 3rd year). The students get to start using dental handpieces the 1st day (on plastic teeth, but hey, the hand skills get started).

Out of the 59 students who applied for specialty programs last year, 54 got into the program of their choice (Oral Surgery for me???). In looking for a place to stay while there, I got a short list of names of students from our prehealth office of UoP students willing to house interviewees (they call it the "Mormon Mafia" list). One of them had just graduated and was living across the bay doing an oral surgery residency through UoP. He also is Marwood Stout's nephew.

It's been extremely amazing seeing and receiving the kindness from students at the dental schools I've visited, from giving me rides, to letting me spend the night, to feeding me breakfasts or dinners and staying up late giving advice and tidbits about their schools and programs. Awesome.

Plus, San Francisco is just a cool cool place. Or, the area around the dental school is cool.

Now, I just have to get through the next two weeks of last assignments, quizzes, and finals. I've noticed that I'm no longer grinding and clenching my teeth like I was last month.