Studying general medicine and dentistry together takes time, discipline and a great deal of courage. Charlotte Petrova, a doctor and student known on Instagram as @medfitcharlie, chose to combine these fields. Charlotte came to the double major essentially by accident. She decided to create an instagram profile where she inspires other students, introduces them to the fields of study, shares tips on how to manage their studies and, last but not least, promotes a healthy lifestyle. Both majors are considered time-consuming, requiring lots of hours of learning accompanied by practice, in and of themselves. Simultaneous study of these two disciplines may seem unrealistic and overly demanding, but with the right amount of commitment it is possible.
The possibility of simultaneous double major studies is limited in many countries because of the different nature of the two disciplines and the extensive study load they entail. Most schools prefer to specialize and separate curricula for these disciplines, which allows students to gain a deeper and more comprehensive education and thus better prepare them for their upcoming practice. Let's get together and ask Charlie how her studies went, what she would recommend to prospective students, and what she sees as the biggest benefits of her combined studies.
Did you know from a young age that you wanted to go into healthcare? What made you want to do it?
Certainly not from a young age. I was afraid of doctors as a child, running away from the doctor's office when they were about to take my blood or vaccinate me. Later, it wasn't until 9th grade in elementary school when I was in the hospital with appendicitis that it broke in me. By nature, I liked to help people and take care of loved ones, so it wasn't until later that I was drawn towards healthcare. I went to high school with the idea that I wanted to do psychology, so I also went to the Medical Lyceum, where we had psychology for four whole years. During high school, however, I fell more in love with the sciences and became fascinated with the human body, so I started thinking about medicine.
How did you come up with the idea to study two such demanding fields at the same time? Which field did you start studying first and why?
It wasn't something I planned, it was just life. After graduating from high school I applied to dentistry, general medicine, dental hygiene and the University of Science and Technology. What I wanted to do most at that time was dentistry. Unfortunately that didn't work out, but I got into general medicine in Pilsen, which of course I was very happy about. It was a great success for me, because unfortunately the teachers at the health school underestimated us and said that we had no chance at medicine. So I entered Pilsen thinking that I would try the dental entrance exam again the next year and it worked!
Why did you decide to add another demanding field of study to such a demanding one?
After my freshman year in General Medicine, I got into dentistry. Initially, it was mainly that I wanted to leave a back door in case I found out it wasn't for me, my teeth weren't working or I wasn't enjoying it, which can happen. At the same time, I knew that I would be recognized for most of my freshman year exams and I wanted to finish up my coursework so I wouldn't drop out. This lasted long enough for me to eventually finish medical school. :)
How do you reconcile that when you have to have 100% participation in most of your classes?
It wasn't particularly difficult at first. My sophomore year in general was looser in terms of scheduling and I only had one extra course in dental, Pre-Clinical Dentistry, which meant an extra morning of practicum. If something happened to overlap in my schedule, it was no problem to make arrangements with the teacher and attend that particular practicum with a different circle. Of course, it was a bit more challenging in the upper years, but it was still the case that general and dental had at least half of their courses in common, so I had my exams recognised and attended purely dental courses and clinical chair-side practicals on top of that.
Have you ever regretted your decision to study medicine and dentistry at the same time? Were there times when you wanted to give up?
I definitely had those moments, wondering what the point of it all was and why I was voluntarily making it harder than it was. Every other year I told myself that I was going to stop doing general and just study dentistry already. However, I still managed to juggle it on and on. I was enjoying it, I was managing it, and by the time I was done with fifth grade, I figured I'd finish both. It would have been a shame! Plus, I believe this huge experience has given me a lot.
Didn't you feel that you always had to set one of the studies aside to manage the other?
Sometimes I've had thoughts like that. Especially because I'm a big perfectionist and I can't do things by halves. So I have to say that I didn't go to the vast majority of classes, both dental and general. The main reason was also that it was not an effective way of learning for me and I preferred to spend that time on self-study or other leisure activities. Another thought that helped me from feeling like I was missing out was the realisation that what we learn in our studies is unfortunately only the basics and much of medicine is only taught to us by practice, and very quickly.
Did studying two demanding disciplines limit you in your personal life? Did you have time for a personal life at all?
Medicine is often quite limiting in itself, but it's up to us how we use that free time. I personally have to say that I don't feel that way. I've always done quite a lot of studying. I went to events, student parties, played sports, even competed for a while, and I also went on part-time jobs. I think it's just part of medicine. We spend months on end studying while our peers go out, go on holidays, start families etc., but then I try to make the most of that time off and honestly I enjoy that well-deserved time off after exams a lot more because I find that time very valuable.
What did the neighborhood say about studying two majors at once?
It was about half and half. My family has always been very supportive, they've always been there for me, especially my mum. A lot of my classmates didn't understand, but the other half supported and admired me. It's completely understandable, as it's not at all necessary to have a degree in both fields. But the important thing is that it made sense to me. Whatever you do, do it for yourself, it doesn't have to make sense to anyone else.
If you had to choose only one field of study, which would it be? Medicine or dentistry? And why?
I guess it would be Dentistry. If I had gone straight into dentistry after graduation, I'm sure my path would have been very different. Dentistry was my dream major, after graduation I found it almost impossible to make it true. I liked the combination of medicine with the possibility of my own practice, the flexible working hours without the need for attestation and also the good connection with family life. On the other hand, I am now very glad for this fact, because it not only gave me a lot of additional knowledge, contacts, friends, but also the opportunity to experience studying on my own, so I can now pass on valuable experience to other students, which I find very enjoyable and fulfilling.
Do you feel that this challenging study has paid off?
It certainly has! It has given me a broader view of the patient, a lot of knowledge that is complementary and interconnected. In addition, I am one of the few people who can objectively judge the endless battle between generalists and dentists over who has it harder. :D
So who has it harder? (laughs)
So who has it harder?
I'll probably disappoint all the competitive generalists, but dentists really don't have it any easier. Yes, if we take the common "generalist" subjects like internal medicine, infectious disease, gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, etc., then for these exams (at least at our faculty) dentists have noticeably less content and exam difficulty (don't hate me, but it's true). But in comparison, we have our pure dental courses where perfect knowledge of theory, including practical skills, is expected. It's actually the only branch of medicine that a doctor can independently practice after graduation. And as for the purely theoretical preclinical subjects (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry...), dentists are not spared there either and learn everything in full.
You recently became a doctor, congratulations, how is it after all? To have at least part of it done?
Thank you so much! It's such a relief. Finally, I'm not just an overgrown kid with a high school diploma (haha, laugh). I'm sure most med students will agree with me about how stressful it is when your peers are celebrating bachelors, engineers and masters and we've been working hard for a few years without any clue.
And how does it feel to know that other classmates have graduated but your journey is not over yet?
I honestly don't see it that way at all. This step is already a huge change in my life, many doors have opened, a lot of stress has fallen off, and I'm about to start working in September, so my purely student years are over. Of course, I still have the dental exams next year, which won't be easy, but I still feel very relieved now. At least for now.
What field do you want to pursue professionally? Alternatively, can you use both at the same time?
I'm starting in September in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department. I hadn't really thought about this field before, but during my sixth form I realised that I enjoy surgical fields, and at the same time the field connects many aspects of medicine that I was interested in and enjoyed during my studies. In addition, I could apply my knowledge of general medicine in this field as it is a very complex field dealing with often serious conditions such as polytrauma, orofacial tumours and many others. At the same time, I am slowly starting to train in aesthetic medicine, which I also want to pursue in the future.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to move, lately especially yoga, pilates, walking, but also group classes. I like to travel, explore cities and go outdoors. Recently my instagram has also become my hobby @medfitcharlie , which is a huge source of motivation for me.
You are quite active on social media, why did you decide to share your journey?
I'm a very creative person by nature and I like to motivate and inspire other people, which brings back motivation for me as well. I've been thinking about starting an Instagram for a long time, but I guess I didn't have the courage, I was a bit worried about the reaction of the people around me, my faculty mates etc. That's why I didn't even tell anyone about my account for a long time, but of course now almost everyone knows. Now I'm incredibly glad I did it, and I'm rather sorry I didn't start sooner (laughs). It makes me happy to be able to share my experiences, to share sometimes hard-to-find information, and above all to motivate myself and others to achieve our goals and dreams. The feedback is very energizing and it makes me more eager to be active in my own life.
Is there anything you would say to medics and aspiring doctors?
Live outside medicine! Pursue your hobbies, go out with friends, don't be afraid to try societies, go to events, faculty sports, go on an Erasmus or internship abroad, in short, try anything that appeals to you. It's all about priorities. Not only will you have a better sense of life, lots of new experiences, friends and contacts, but this will also make you a better person and ultimately a better doctor. You don't have to give up on life, quite the opposite. The most successful people (and the most satisfied) are those who are not afraid to be active.
Thank you very much for the interview.
@medfitcharlie
article prepared by: Jana and Daniela
