RACE FOR NEET – 10 STEPS TO SUCCESS IN HIGHER DENTAL EXAM by Dr.Gowri Shankar
HOW TO PREPARE FOR DENTAL EXAMS ? The trips and tricks to prepare for dental educational exams starting from dental graduation to higher degrees.
Step # 7 – TIME MANAGEMENT
It requires a minimum of 4-6 months for initial preparation and 4 months for final preparation for a particular exam. Start planning to prepare for entrance exam as soon as you enter internship.
- Pen down all the subjects systematically and assess how much time you need for each subject and assign the time according to availability. Try to stick to this rough estimated time schedule
- stress on proper revision Schedule
Allow a minimum of 5 hrs/day during initial preparation and a minimum of 8 hrs/day during final preparation. Two methods of preparation can be identified.
First Method (Subject-wise preparation)
Procure all the study material and finish subject by subject within stipulated time. The proposed allotment of time for each subject for initial preparation may be considered:
Procure all the study material and finish subject by subject within stipulated time. The proposed allotment of time for each subject for initial preparation may be considered:
Pre-clinical Subjects —2- 2 ½months
Clinical subjects—3 -3 ½ months
| General anatomy and histology——- 2weeksPhysiology ——–1 weekBiochemistry ——– 1 weekPathology ——– 1 weekMicrobiology ———1 weekPharmacology ———- 1 weekDental materials ———–1 weekDental anatomy and oral histology—1week |
| Clinical subjects |
| a) Oral pathology & oral medicine ………………. 2 weeks
b) Dental radiology …………………………………… 1 week c) Oral surgery …………………………………………. 1 weeks d) Periodontology ……………………………………… 1 week e) Conservative dentistry …………………………… 1 week f) Endodontics …………………………………………. 1 week g) Prosthodontics ……………………………………… 1 week h) Orthodontics ——————————- 1 week 1. pedodontics ………………… 1 week i) Community dentistry …………………………….. 1 week j) General medicine …………………………………… 1 week k) General surgery ……………………………………. 1 week |
The advantage of reading the subjects in the above sequence is repitition of topics and overlapping of MCQs.
Advantage of this method is better understanding of the subject; increased memory retention due to immediate repetition and revision of MCQs.
Disadvantage of this method is that if unexpected entrance dates are announced or if you fail to follow the schedule strictly, there is chance of skipping one or two subjects which may cost you a PG seat.
Second Method (Many Topics At A Time)
In this method incremental reading of every subject everyday in a sequence is done instead of reading a single subject at a stretch.
This is followed by reading previous years MCQs.
This method is advantageous in situations where unexpected dates for entrance exam are announced.
Best method would be to follow the first method for initial preparation and second method for subsequent preparations; however, program planning and time to be allotted is subject to individual capacities and capabilities.
The interview of many toppers reveal the following principles of preparation
Minimum time required for PG preparation is 6-8 months.
Keep one day/ week as relaxation day or revision day depending upon you time ration.
Don’t read any single subject at a stretch.
Don’t read all the subjects at a stretch from any single individual mcq book.
Read a subject from one book—revise it from other book
During study times, take a break every fifteen to twenty minutes
Read both the clinical and non clinical subjects at same time.
Here is an brief idea to read clinical and its concurrent preclinical or relative subject.
| Clinical subject | Concurrent Preclinical / relative subject |
| Fact oriented subjects | |
| Oral pathology and oral medicine and Oral radiology | Oral anatomy and histology, general pathology and general medicine |
| Oral surgery | General Anatomy, pharmacology and general surgery ,physiology |
| periodontics | Microbiology, oral Histology community dentistry |
| General medicine | General Pathology , physiology , biochemistry and pharmacology |
| General surgery | General Pathology , physiology , biochemistry and pharmacology and oral surgery |
| Technical subjects | |
| prosthodontics | Dental materials |
| Endodontics and conservative dentistry | Dental materials and Oral anatomy |
| Orthodontics | Dental anatomy, embryology part in anatomy; physiology ; pedodontics |
| pedodontics | Dental anatomy, community dentistry and of course orthodontics. |
| Miscallaneous | |
| Community dentistry and forensic odontology. . | Nutrition section of Biochemistry, pedodontics and periodontics. |
- Split your time in the ratio of 1:1:1;1
i.e.., one fact oriented clinical subject: 1 technical subject : one relative preclinical subject.
Suppose you are reading for 6 hours a day –tentatively you can draw your time table like this
| Fact oriented clinical subject MCQ | Technical subject –MCQ | Preclinical Subject –MCQ | Theory fom text books/ question paper |
| One and half hour30 minutes –revision and 60 minutes—new topics | One and half hour30 minutes –revision and 60 minutes—new topics | One and half hour30 minutes –revision and 60 minutes—new topics | One and half hour |
| Read from PULSE — oral pathology | Read from DENTEST –Prostho | Read from pulse –dentest related subjects like oral histology or dental materials | Allot 1 hour for theory and 30 minutes for question—reverse this as you progress |
The main theme is to be
Be in touch with all the subjects at any time simultaneously covering the previous year mcq.
