1. Please introduce yourself

I am currently a first year dental student at Midwestern University in Illinois, USA. I attended McMaster University for my undergraduate degree in the Honours Biology & Pharmacology Co-op program and served as President of the McMaster chapter of AKCSE in my fourth year.

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2. What is your field of interest?

Dentistry is the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of oral diseases. Oral health is an essential component in maintaining overall health as there is increasing evidence that shows its impact on systemic health, quality of life, and socio-economic well-being. Moreover, it is also important to note the impact of cosmetic appearance of teeth on people’s self-confidence and their ability to carry out their day-to-day lives.

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3. Considering that your GPA, social network, and sleep are important, how would you balance them?

Over time, I realized I was getting older and my body would not let me push through any more all-nighters without significant physical and mental consequences. Thus, I started to realize the importance of increasing my productivity by sleeping and concentrating on only one task at a time without any distractors (ie. Facebook, phone, emails, etc.). It was truly difficult at first and I considered it a psychological war with myself. However, over time, 5 minutes of productive studying turned to 15, then to 30, then to 1 hr. The time saved in efficient studying adds up, and frees up some space to socialize, as well as recuperate through sleep.

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4. Any tips for dental school interview?

 Make sure to research everything that you possibly can about the school, how the program is unique to that particular school, and talk about what you know through specific examples. Moreover, each applicant is unique as their own person and one person’s strengths are different from other applicants’ strengths. I think the most amount of time should probably be spent on being able to identify your strengths and bringing those out during the interview to show how they will not only help you achieve your own aspirations but contribute towards the school’s mission in developing the next generation of oral healthcare providers.

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5. What made you want to study in your field?

While I was shadowing a dentist, a woman in her thirties had few teeth and a severe gum recession in her lower jaw. The moment she looked in the mirror after the dentist placed in a bridge, her expression changed from embarrassed to one with more full of life and confidence. This sudden change made me realize the impact a physical ailment can have on one’s mentality, vice versa, and how they are able to present themselves to others throughout their daily lives. This experience inspires me to become a dentist who is able to recognize both the patient’s physical and psychological needs as an essential component of a successful therapeutic process.

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6. What do you want to achieve with your career?

I intend to combine my compassion for working with people with the unifying practice of the arts and sciences to serve people at a personal level. I am continuously learning many things including the persistent intertwining relationship between a patient’s physical and psychological needs. Understanding the effects of psychological/social factors on patients’ health, I hope to be able to work with other dentists in collaboration with sister organizations to get involved/create sustainable clinics and educate patients in underserved areas.