glasgow Flashcards
what parts of the course are looking forward to
the opportunity to do an elective study in fourth year where i may be able to carry out healthcare services in a low income country is really appealing. from my work in modern studies and my dissertation i have developed a real passion for the effects of inequality on dentistry, and the opportunity to see how dentistry differs in other countries is really special and i look forward to hopefully being able to do this.
which parts of the course are you less keen on
i learned that the dental school is located quite far from the actual university campus which is maybe slightly inconvenient although im sure ill be grateful for the opportunity to stretch my legs.
what else can you bring to the university outside of dentistry
quiz society - love learning about niche things which is why i enjoy my debating so much
bad movie society - tacky and fun.
why do you like the city of glasgow
i like that it has so much to offer in terms of size. my sister goes to strathclyde so i visit glasgow all the time to see her, so i am quite familiar with it now and know roughly where to go. there are so many opportunities for nice walks as well, me and my sister were up at the necropolis the other day which was striking.
what makes glasgow stand out you to you out of the other dental schools
i like that you get first year to develop a good baseline understanding of dentistry and that in second year you get to see patients. the fact you can see them so early on but still having an opportunity to feel more confident in what you are doing is really special.
give a rough outline of the programme structure
- 1 - introduction to clinicl dentistry; anatomy, physiology and microbiology
- 2 - operative dentistry, prosthodontics, periodontics. begin to manage and treat patients
- 3 - begin extractions. outreach placements for paediatric dentistry
- 4 - begin work in dental school and community. exposure to patients in lots of different disciplines. can then carry out an elective.
- 5 - half at the dental school and half working in the community outreach centre. no more lectures.
why do you want to be a dentist
i will be completely honest with you right off the bat on this one i find it incredibly tough to answer such a question. ultimately, because it doesnt come down to any one reason or experiene. it combines intellectual challenges, working with my hands, working with people, and learning all the time. and its such a special career becuase its not just about filling someones tooth like okay thats the manifest function of a dentist to see a problem and help it, but the impact that has on the quality of life of that patient is incredibly important. i also learned so many valuable things through my dissertation research about the state of dentistry in the UK, and i am really passionate about going into the public health sector of dentistry and looking at epidemiology and that sort of thing, because social inequality plays a really big role in dentistry and i think it needs more focus than it is getting currently.
dental school is hard. how do you plan to handle the workload
the first step is to just accept that its hard. already i am not going into this journey will any sort of naivity i know from talking to other dental students and from my own research that it is an incredibly intense course. up to this point, i have been good about finding a balance, and knowing when my limit has been reached and i need to reach out for help. outside of school i have my craft club, i like to do things with my friends, i love to read books and bake different things, so i have a large outlet of hobbies i can turn to destress. i also know when to ask for help which is really important. if im struggling its better to accept and try and solve that rather than denying it because its important to be able to look after yourself, especially in dentistry when you are in charge of looking after other people.
what would you do if you didnt get into dental school this year
obviously it would be disappointing but i wouldnt intend on giving up anytime soon. i know this is the career for me, so firstly i would look back and reflect on what exactly went wrong, and work on that. the year itself will be a gift, a chance to do some more research on the field, or volunteer and gain more insight and understanding into it. i would look into doing training so i could begin caring at the carehome to build on my skills there as well.
what is it about dentistry that you are less keen on
it is a high stress profession and you will come across patients who arent as easy to manage as others, so its really important that i will be able to look after my mental health in the career.
what do you plan to do in your free time while studying at our dental school
i hope to continue my crochet as i really enjoy that at the moment. i am currently learning how to crochet clothing like tops and jumpers which is a lot of fun. i would like to give something back to the university as well, such as joining a society or starting up a new one if possible.
where do you see yourself ten years from now
hopefully doing something in the public health sector, delivering care to people who cant afford dental care.
what is the last book you read or are reading at the moment
1984 by george orwell
where do you see yourself practicing dentistry once you graduate from dental school
hopefully in an urban area where i can help deliver care to more deprived regions
what characterises an excellent dentist
an open mind shoud be at the forefront of any dentist. not only does this mean acceptance and learning of the many new developments in the dental field but also the feedback from patients, so you can be understanding and empathetic of their needs. they also need to be good at communicating and being accountable if they make mistakes. and of course there is the matter of manual dexterity
