As we all know, getting into dental school takes a lot of time, money and hard work. We all have varying amounts of experience assisting and doing community service and research. We have to have a good GPA and DAT score. But applying as an international student or foreign-trained dentist presents its own set of challenges. Schools often look for more diversity, but sometimes it can be hard to present ourselves as effectively on paper as we can in person.
How can you stand out? Here are some tips to help make yourself more competitive.
I am a first generation American. Both my mother and father grew up in communist Poland. After overcoming many obstacles, they were fortunate to obtain their U.S. citizenship and establish themselves in my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. My parent’s immigration to the United States is heroic in my eyes. They made sure their future family would have lives filled with opportunity. Neither of my parents had the chance to go to college or get advanced degrees, but they understood the meaning of education in the U.S. They instilled in me the importance of achieving. My parents did not specifically push me into a professional degree. However, due to their constant encouragement to excel, I grew to love academia and dreamed of becoming a dentist. The next question was: how on earth was I going to achieve this?
Studying for the Dental Admission Test is a daunting rite of passage that all dental students and dentists have faced and overcome. The DAT covers multiple topics: Natural Science (comprised of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biology), Quantitative Reasoning, Perceptual Ability, and Reading Comprehension. Since it is required for admission to dental school, it’s never too early to start learning about the contents of the test, study techniques and available resources.
I believe that every predental student should be an ASDA member because of the many unique benefits that comes with membership. However, what I found to be the one of the most fulfilling experiences of my undergraduate career was the opportunity to serve as an ASDA leader at the national, district and local level as a predental member. I’m here today to share with you some the benefits of taking advantage of these opportunities.