Dental school application: DONE!
I applied to dental school on Friday! Such an excellent feeling to be 'done' with at least part of the process. I worked hard on my personal statement and thanks to Shannon, Matt, Jenn and Dad, it's quite well-polished and pretty-sounding. I'm including it here for my own record (I'm pretty pissed that I lost my personal statement from applying to college - I got praise from several schools for it, and I can only remember what it was about, and no specifics...grr!). Back to eating my veggie quesadilla, and then going to flute studio class. I had my first lesson with Molly today, and it's true...she's going to kick my ass! Yay! Except I'm freaked out because I have so much work to do. We'll see how it goes.
PS: I'm sad that the Crocodile hunter died. I hope his family is coping well.
Personal Statement - FINAL VERSION!
Anyone who has seen the 1986 film “Little Shop of Horrors” would naturally fear the dentist’s office. Steve Martin’s character in the movie enjoys pulling teeth from terrified patients, a menacing grin on his face all the while. I saw this film for the first time at age twelve, and it confused me. None of my dental or orthodontic experiences were unpleasant - in fact, I enjoyed them. My dentist was friendly and funny, and at the end of each visit, I got to go to the golden toy chest and select a prize! Martin’s character, however, alerted me to the fact that not everyone enjoys seeing the dentist. After I’d had a filling of my own, I began to understand the dread and annoyance that many people feel when the reminder card for a dental exam arrives in the mail. However, this did not curb my growing fascination with dentistry. My experience ignited a desire to understand why people dislike going to the dentist, and it made me want to be the kind of dental professional that uses personal skills and knowledge to reduce patients’ anxiety and discomfort.
As I grew older, I delved more deeply into the dental profession. I attended health career fairs and heard lectures on dentistry. I became a member of the American Dental Education Association and enjoyed reading their monthly journals. I participated in a Dental Explorer Post class, and I spent over sixty hours observing five different dental professionals, seeing everything from simple fillings to orthodontia to oral surgery. From these experiences, I have gleaned an accurate understanding of the role of a dentist as medical team leader, scientist, businessperson and caregiver.
Biology and health science have captivated me since I read my parents’ book on reproduction at age six. My mother, a science teacher, fascinated my second-grade class at Show’n’Tell with Ooblek, a substance that has both liquid and solid properties. Now, much later in my academic career, biology still challenges and fulfills me. I have particularly enjoyed my Animal & Plant Physiology class, in which I designed, carried out and presented an experiment on the bioremediation capabilities of Arabidopsis thaliana. I know that any career to which I commit myself must excite and challenge me, and I have no doubt that dentistry will do this and much more.
My observations have made it clear that dentistry demands artistry and mastery of manual skills, as well as scientific knowledge. Outside of the laboratory, music has played a significant role in my life. As an advanced flutist, I have exceptional manual dexterity and I enjoy engaging my hands in the process of creating music. I am attracted to the fact that dentistry is an art that also requires work with one’s hands. I have participated in many musical ensembles, culminating in my playing principal flute in a concert with the Oregon Symphony under director Carlos Kalmar. The feeling I experienced when Mr. Kalmar raised his baton and smiled at me has rarely been surpassed in my life. He depended on me to lead my section in rhythm, technique and musicality for each minute of Prokofiev’s 5th Symphony. Playing a principal role in an orchestra is much like a dentist’s responsibility as the leader of a dental team: the dentist provides guidance, but ultimately, the team strives to reach a common goal, whether that is a perfectly played symphony, or a successful tooth extraction.
Each dental professional I observed has also impressed upon me the vital importance of clear communication, and this importance has been reinforced during my experiences as a student of Spanish. For the past seven years, I have dedicated myself to learning Spanish, and I am nearly fluent. I believe that discussing dental procedures with a patient in his or her native language makes the patient significantly more comfortable and brings fear to a minimum. One of my goals is to use my Spanish skills to cater to a more diverse pool of patients.
There is not just one reason that I want to become a dentist; rather, several of my life goals converge to point me in this direction. Being a dentist would give me the freedom and independence to support myself in a field that fascinates me, continue being involved in music, utilize my Spanish skills to create a fear-free dental experience for non-English-speaking patients, and potentially raise a family. Dentistry is my ideal career because it marries my three lifelong passions: science, artistry and communication.
PS: I'm sad that the Crocodile hunter died. I hope his family is coping well.
Personal Statement - FINAL VERSION!
Anyone who has seen the 1986 film “Little Shop of Horrors” would naturally fear the dentist’s office. Steve Martin’s character in the movie enjoys pulling teeth from terrified patients, a menacing grin on his face all the while. I saw this film for the first time at age twelve, and it confused me. None of my dental or orthodontic experiences were unpleasant - in fact, I enjoyed them. My dentist was friendly and funny, and at the end of each visit, I got to go to the golden toy chest and select a prize! Martin’s character, however, alerted me to the fact that not everyone enjoys seeing the dentist. After I’d had a filling of my own, I began to understand the dread and annoyance that many people feel when the reminder card for a dental exam arrives in the mail. However, this did not curb my growing fascination with dentistry. My experience ignited a desire to understand why people dislike going to the dentist, and it made me want to be the kind of dental professional that uses personal skills and knowledge to reduce patients’ anxiety and discomfort.
As I grew older, I delved more deeply into the dental profession. I attended health career fairs and heard lectures on dentistry. I became a member of the American Dental Education Association and enjoyed reading their monthly journals. I participated in a Dental Explorer Post class, and I spent over sixty hours observing five different dental professionals, seeing everything from simple fillings to orthodontia to oral surgery. From these experiences, I have gleaned an accurate understanding of the role of a dentist as medical team leader, scientist, businessperson and caregiver.
Biology and health science have captivated me since I read my parents’ book on reproduction at age six. My mother, a science teacher, fascinated my second-grade class at Show’n’Tell with Ooblek, a substance that has both liquid and solid properties. Now, much later in my academic career, biology still challenges and fulfills me. I have particularly enjoyed my Animal & Plant Physiology class, in which I designed, carried out and presented an experiment on the bioremediation capabilities of Arabidopsis thaliana. I know that any career to which I commit myself must excite and challenge me, and I have no doubt that dentistry will do this and much more.
My observations have made it clear that dentistry demands artistry and mastery of manual skills, as well as scientific knowledge. Outside of the laboratory, music has played a significant role in my life. As an advanced flutist, I have exceptional manual dexterity and I enjoy engaging my hands in the process of creating music. I am attracted to the fact that dentistry is an art that also requires work with one’s hands. I have participated in many musical ensembles, culminating in my playing principal flute in a concert with the Oregon Symphony under director Carlos Kalmar. The feeling I experienced when Mr. Kalmar raised his baton and smiled at me has rarely been surpassed in my life. He depended on me to lead my section in rhythm, technique and musicality for each minute of Prokofiev’s 5th Symphony. Playing a principal role in an orchestra is much like a dentist’s responsibility as the leader of a dental team: the dentist provides guidance, but ultimately, the team strives to reach a common goal, whether that is a perfectly played symphony, or a successful tooth extraction.
Each dental professional I observed has also impressed upon me the vital importance of clear communication, and this importance has been reinforced during my experiences as a student of Spanish. For the past seven years, I have dedicated myself to learning Spanish, and I am nearly fluent. I believe that discussing dental procedures with a patient in his or her native language makes the patient significantly more comfortable and brings fear to a minimum. One of my goals is to use my Spanish skills to cater to a more diverse pool of patients.
There is not just one reason that I want to become a dentist; rather, several of my life goals converge to point me in this direction. Being a dentist would give me the freedom and independence to support myself in a field that fascinates me, continue being involved in music, utilize my Spanish skills to create a fear-free dental experience for non-English-speaking patients, and potentially raise a family. Dentistry is my ideal career because it marries my three lifelong passions: science, artistry and communication.