Don’t let them lie to you when they release that calendar that says classes start August 21st… it’s July and there’s already homework due!
I’m completely kidding.
I mean, yes, there is homework but the assignments are really simple. [Maybe] even fun.
So here they are, a few of my first assignments as a DENTAL STUDENT (I love the ring to that!):
1.Personal Code of Conduct Statement
We were asked to select a biography of our choice from this assigned textbook and construct a short Personal Code of Conduct. Drawing inspiration from these admirable dentists, we determine the virtues we consider important and hope to stand for during these next four years of school and as practicing dentists.
2.Anatomical Dissection Reflection
The human cadaver.
I’m freaking out a little about how I’m going to feel when I enter the lab to begin my first dissection. I do feel honored to be a part of this incredible learning experience and I am deeply thankful for the generosity of the people who literally donated themselves to our education, but I’m honestly scared I’m going to go home and have nightmares after I walk out of anatomy lab because I struggled to even look my feline cadaver in the face during undergrad anatomy. Fortunately, Dr. Marshall ensured me that when she went to UFCD, students were eased into the experience slowly.
Anyway, since the opportunity to learn gross human anatomy is such an immense moment for students entering the health professions, our professors asked us to reflect on our thoughts and emotions in the form of some artistic medium.
I really found it helpful that we could express ourselves and release some of the tension prior to meeting our cadavers. For this assignment, I chose to create a short poem with a sketch.
3.Soap Carving Assignment
This one was way harder than I thought it would be.
To begin getting comfortable with our psychomotor skills, we were asked to carve a maxillary central incisor (a top front tooth) out of soap. For days, my desk looked like a powdered white crime scene and I went through six bars before producing a tooth I was satisfied with. I would shave off too much and have to start over. And yes, I got soap in my eye. Twice.
I can’t post the final product of my incisor because each student must anonymously submit photos for a class vote, but here’s a progress view of my model:
Over the past couple months, UFCD has asked us to complete a couple other basic tasks like a criminal background check, finalizing our immunizations, taking the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment to learn of our Top 5 themes of talent, satisfying a Biosafety Training requirement, and (my personal favorite) answering a survey for Big-Little matching!
It’s getting real, ya’ll!
