Should I leave uni? Advice needed

Im going back to uni to study dentistry after a 2 year break. I am starting from 3rd year. I am trying to reframe my mindset to be grateful to be studying this degree as I know it is a good profession and will ensure me a financially stable future. But I know my heart isn’t set on it. Realistically if i wanted to pursue something else I had 2 years to figure it out but due to certain things i was dealing with, this didn’t happen. When I left 2 years ago I was dealing with depression so perhaps I’m afraid things will be the same when I’m back. I think the wisest option would be to use any free time I have to discover other ways i could make money in the future but it would have to be something pretty significant to leave the course. Honestly I think I’m afraid i won’t find a way to live my life excited about my work and spending my young years being stressed and anxious over something I won’t want to work on the future. Ideally i probably need to find balance in my life so i can think clearly about my next steps in life. I don’t want to live out of fear. Any advice would be so appreciated thank you 💕

Reply 1

University of Sheffield Students

Official Rep

15

Original post by Anonymous

Im going back to uni to study dentistry after a 2 year break. I am starting from 3rd year. I am trying to reframe my mindset to be grateful to be studying this degree as I know it is a good profession and will ensure me a financially stable future. But I know my heart isn’t set on it. Realistically if i wanted to pursue something else I had 2 years to figure it out but due to certain things i was dealing with, this didn’t happen. When I left 2 years ago I was dealing with depression so perhaps I’m afraid things will be the same when I’m back. I think the wisest option would be to use any free time I have to discover other ways i could make money in the future but it would have to be something pretty significant to leave the course. Honestly I think I’m afraid i won’t find a way to live my life excited about my work and spending my young years being stressed and anxious over something I won’t want to work on the future. Ideally i probably need to find balance in my life so i can think clearly about my next steps in life. I don’t want to live out of fear. Any advice would be so appreciated thank you 💕

Hey,
It sounds like you've had a lot going on in the last few years, and it seems that going back to study dentistry is not a decision that you have taken lightly. I get that it can be difficult when your heart is not set on something and you don't know what else you can do. Having been in a similar place myself, I decided to carry on with the degree because at the end of the day degrees such as dentistry are well favoured by any employer, regardless of whether you go into dentistry or not. I found it is easier to think shorter term about what you want to do, than think that this particular degree will decide your whole future. You may change careers and change your mind multiple times throughout your lifetime, so it is good to do what is best for you now. If you get a dentistry degree, you could work as a dentist your whole life, only for a few years, or choose completely different career. That is up to you, and you do not need to make such big decisions now. My advice would be to go back and try it, while you are in a different headspace than you were two years ago, you may feel differently about it. But you will not know unless you try it. Similarly, if you try going back then you will know for sure how you feel about it and it is less likely that you will regret your decision in the future.
I hope this makes sense and is helpful! I was in a similar situation a few years ago and this is the advice that I was given so I thought I would pass it on.
Evie (4th year medic at UoS)

Original post by Anonymous

Im going back to uni to study dentistry after a 2 year break. I am starting from 3rd year. I am trying to reframe my mindset to be grateful to be studying this degree as I know it is a good profession and will ensure me a financially stable future. But I know my heart isn’t set on it. Realistically if i wanted to pursue something else I had 2 years to figure it out but due to certain things i was dealing with, this didn’t happen. When I left 2 years ago I was dealing with depression so perhaps I’m afraid things will be the same when I’m back. I think the wisest option would be to use any free time I have to discover other ways i could make money in the future but it would have to be something pretty significant to leave the course. Honestly I think I’m afraid i won’t find a way to live my life excited about my work and spending my young years being stressed and anxious over something I won’t want to work on the future. Ideally i probably need to find balance in my life so i can think clearly about my next steps in life. I don’t want to live out of fear. Any advice would be so appreciated thank you 💕

Have you worked out what it is about dentistry that no longer appeals? Are you only envisioning dentistry as being a high street dentist looking at fillings and halitosis for the next 40 years? What are the other things a dentist can do, and do they appeal more? Paediatric, err (I don't know anything about dentist's careers!), but there must be options - working overseas? working for a dental charity (at home or overseas) etc. Would something more specialist or a different location re-ignite your interest in ploughing through the training?

Like medicine or nursing, once qualified and maybe at a certain experience level, dentistry is a social benefit that is needed everywhere, and the skill and qualification is very valuable.

Reply 3

MDB512024

11

Hello

If dentistry no longer appeals to you are there any alternative careers that you have had as options either NHS based or completely outside of the medical profession. If that is the case and I am by no means saying that is your thought, but if you're thinking of careers outside of anything medical based, there is absolutely nothing wrong with changing your career path.

22 years ago I wanted to be a bus driver as my dad used to be a bus driver himself but after I got my PCV Licence in August 2006 I did the job for 2 years before I was made redundant due to loss of contracts. I plodded on for the next 2 - 3 years before my dad rang me up and suggested to me about university studies and asked me to give it a try, best decision I have ever made and here's why.

I have had a passion for volcanoes since I was 7 years old and now at 51 I have just finished my 5th year out of 8 and just awaiting my results from my recent module. My point is, if yiu want to change your career path for another of your interests or passions go for it.

I too have had depression ( mild level ) aswell as anxiety ( high level ) and I agree with you that it is not easy to cope with a lot of the time, however, don't ever let it hold you back or set you on a path of thinking should I leave uni, you have a lot of fellow members on here to talk to.

Also you have your fellow students at the uni you signed up with aswell as your student support team and tutors to talk to, please don't hesitate to contact your fellow students, student support team or your tutors if you need to to as there are many ways they can also help you. The only example I can give here is that a few years ago the tutor for the 1st module that I passed in 2018 had noticed that I was having issues understanding the work, the tutor suggested I get a dyspraxia and dyslexia test and in September 2019 I did. The report did confirm that I have both dyspraxia and dyslexia and likely had done since my early years of schooling ( age 5 onwards ).

If you feel you need to talk to your uni advisers please do seek their help and guidance, I couldn't believe how fast help was put in place for me and your uni should have no problem being able to help you, it's well worth talking to them.

Should I leave uni? Advice needed

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