Melbourne Dental School student Sung Suk Oh recently started his first of four years at the renowned Australian Dental Schools in Australia and he is living the dream.
Sung with a Shark Jaw
Applying through OzTREKK, Sung recently provided us with an update about his studies and how he’s finding life in Australia.
Sung initially decided to study at the Melbourne Dental School for a number of reasons.
“I chose to study at University of Melbourne because of the early exposure to clinical settings,” he says. “It’s a highly recognized university worldwide and it offers state-of-the-art facilities and pre-clinical labs and it provides evidence-based learning and research. And hey, why not? It’s a warm place!”
Now that he’s six weeks into the Melbourne Dental School program, Sung gave us a true glimpse of his daily life, which includes a demanding class and study schedule in Melbourne.
“The lectures are all held in the Royal Dental Hospital and the lectures and courses are somewhat intense for oral structure and functions, because we have numerous lectures within a week with intense material in each lecture, plus three-hour practicals each week,” he explains. “The other courses include dental materials (pre-clinical), cariology, and behavioral science and population oral health.”
Sung says if he were to come into the first year again, he would have reviewed head and neck anatomy as there’s a lot of focus on that area of study in the first semester.
Sung says the lectures run until 5 p.m. and it translates to limited study time.
“My initial impression was that the courses are very intense and it feels like I am always short in time, however I have to say time management and not procrastinating are key elements to success, which is needed as a dental student,” he says.
When it comes to the professors on staff, he has nothing but praise for them.
“The professors are very professional in their specialty, are very welcoming and respond well to questions,” he says. “Also, it was a surprise that I had no hard time in understanding the professors’ Australian accents!”
Life in Australia
Sung with OzTREKK Students Tina and Darren as well as Ara
Now that he’s set up in Melbourne, Sung says his three tops things about Melbourne include the weather, the food and coffee and the Melbournian relaxed atmosphere. He cheated on his response to us, adding a fourth and fifth item to his list.
“Melbourne has marvelous night views and I love the Aussie accent,” he says.
His top three things about the University of Melbourne include its facilities and teaching staff, its organized courses and creative teaching methods and that it’s a research-oriented school.
As for his feedback for the Melbourne Dental School, he says he wishes the orientation seminar was better organized and that the school would provide students with anatomical models of the teeth so they can study these models at home. Otherwise, Sung says he understands the Melbourne Dental School program expectations are high for its students.
“I knew dental school would be tough so I cannot complain about the fast-moving pace and the overloading lecture materials,” he says.
Though he is not sure whether he plans to specialize and if he will return to Canada or remain in Australia following graduation, Sung is sure of one thing.
“I am truly happy and honored to be studying what I always wanted to do,” he says.
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Learn more about the Melbourne Dental School
Find out how to apply to Australian Dental Schools in Australia
