The students spoke and the HCOP team listened!!! “I enjoyed having past HCOPers come and present, please have more of these!” – a comment from a recent post-HCOP session student survey.
On Saturday, March 19, 2022, approximately thirty (30) HCOP undergraduate and health professional students were joined by former HCOPer, Dr. Matthew Adams, DDS – 2019-2020 Health Careers Ambassador Program HCOP alumni to share with students his journey of becoming a dentist – especially in the midst of a pandemic While participating in HCOP, Dr. Adams was a fourth-year dental student at the Creighton University School of Dentistry and currently is a practicing associate dentist soon-to-be managing his own dental practice in just 3 weeks. During his tenure with HCOP, not only was he one of our most humble and approachable students, he served as an active mentor to our high school and undergraduate HCOPers as well.
And as an ode to our Day in the Life of a Health Professional workshop, Dr. Adams was sure to give us the good, bad, and ugly of his journey towards a career in dentistry!! From patient experiences to what it was like starting a career at the height of the COVID-19 global pandemic. He was able to share how important it is to remember that “asking for help” and providing patients with an environment of teamwork, peace, happiness, and welcomeness was crucial to running a successful dental practice. And here’s when the questions began to flow from the students (got to love a great Q&A session):
• What is the racial/ethnic demographic of your patient population?
• What does it take to open and manage your own dental practice?
• How do you deal with “difficult” patients?
• How has COVID-19 impacted the care and services in which you are able to provide patients?
• What are the best and worst parts of your job?
• What inspires you?
• And many more questions to follow!!!
Thanks a bunch for joining us, Dr. Matthew Adams!!! YOU ROCK!!!