Before dental school, I pursued a degree in Commercial Music from Belmont University. At eighteen, I was ecstatic to be moving to Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital. My dream of becoming a professional singer was closer than ever before. I hit the ground running in Nashville. I accepted an internship at a record label, auditioned for American Idol, and started writing my own music. However, I quickly discovered I was just as content to perform at church, as I was in front of huge audience. I made the hard decision to give up my childhood dream of being a professional singer. It is a decision I have never regretted and I am grateful for the lessons I learned in Nashville that apply to my dental school experience.
1) Making it takes more than talent. In the music business, you need drive, perseverance, and stamina. You can have the best hand skills in your class, but to be successful in dental school, I have found you also need to be organized, manage your time well, and build good relationships with your patients, faculty, and peers.
2) Market yourself. No one else was going to pave a road to success for me in Nashville. I had to learn to put myself out there to have my voice heard. When applying to dental school, residency programs, and jobs, you are your best advocate. Talk about strengths and find what makes you unique. The sooner you learn to market your abilities, the easier it becomes.
3) Practice, practice, practice. Good practice means a better performance. The only way to get better at something is to keep at it. Try not to be too frustrated when an exam or practical does not go your way. Assess what went wrong and work through your mistakes. It will get easier. The time you put into learning and perfecting procedures will allow you to grow into the best dentist you can be.
4) Ignore the competition. There is always going to be someone who is better at something than you are. Some people are better at the academics, some people may be better clinically, and there are those who just seem good at everything. Don’t get wrapped up in who is number one in your class or who has the most procedures completed in the clinic. Be competitive with yourself. Push yourself to do better next time and don’t worry about where the person next to you stands.
5) Take criticism well. As a music major, we had to take classes where we performed for our classmates and after they told us everything we did wrong. I used to think this was unnecessarily cruel. I was wrong! We can learn so much from our peers and faculty. If you are not the greatest at waxing or composites, find the person in your class who is. There is so much to be gained from others if we are willing to listen.
Performing will always be a part of who I am. The Colorado ASDA chapter is hosting its first Shimstock event, a talent show for the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine students, faculty, and staff. It will be a unique opportunity to celebrate the different talents everyone has and to learn about each other outside of the dental field. There are many talented people in healthcare, and it is awesome to come together and share our passions.
~Gina-Marie Searle, Colorado ’16