AADSAS Essay, Letter of Intent, Personal Statement #8

Here is an essay from P.A. Applied/Accepted: 4/4 Attending: Colorado As I graduated from high school into adulthood eleven long years ago, I had no idea that I would one day apply for dental school. There are actually very few things that I have done since high school that I would have foreseen when I was handed my diploma. Yet, looking back on the past few years, I can imagine no journey that could be as exciting, fulfilling, and beneficial to my potential career as dentist as the experiences that have made me who I am today. My time at Ball State University as a music composition major was split between writing music, playing bassoon in a number of musical ensembles, and pursuing a variety of other academic interests. I spent many hours every week in ensemble rehearsals and personal practice on top of the time given to composing and coursework. In addition, I had to make my own bassoon reeds in order to play. I devoted several hours every week to the shaping and carving of these small, delicate reeds from raw pieces of cane. Despite the amount of work I put into music, I was never sure that I wanted to make a career out of playing bassoon and writing music. My interest in people and human interactions led me to take several anthropology courses, and then to accept a graduate position teaching music history at Ball State after graduating. From the first week of class I knew that whatever I did in the future, it had to involve working with and helping other people. At the same time my girlfriend and future wife was encouraging me to apply for an English-teaching position in Japan through the JET Program. Motivated by my current teaching position and desire to try something new, I applied for and received a job in Sapporo, Japan beginning in July 2002. The JET Program provided me with numerous experiences that I feel are invaluable to my potential future as a dentist. This job not only gave me the chance to become fluent in a new language, but also the opportunity to work with children and adults from a completely different culture. This developed my ability to listen carefully, work in large groups, and compromise. It was after the birth of our son in 2004 that I decided to go back to school to pursue a new career. I wanted a career that was both challenging and secure, a job at which I would be able to fulfill my potential while at the same time allow me to support my family. A good friend of mine, Dr. Robert Christy, suggested that I go into dentistry. Dr. Christy, himself a dentist graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, loves his career and thought I would enjoy it as well. After some research and consultation with others, I saw that my friend was right: dentistry would provide me with a challenging, fulfilling occupation and a chance to work with and help others. Equally as important, a successful career in dentistry would give me the time and financial means to support my family. I soon began making plans to go back to university in preparation for dental school. Over the past year, I have completed most of my prerequisites for dental school with a 4.00 GPA. I have found my course work stimulating and exciting, and the maturity and sense of responsibility I have gained since Ball State has helped me to work toward the highest standards with a minimal amount of stress. Despite family, school, and part-time work as an English teacher, I spend several

hours every week volunteering at the Matthew 25 Health and Dental Clinic in Fort Wayne, Indiana as a dental volunteer and working with Dr. Mike Bosela at IPFW as a research assistant in his plant biology laboratory. My time assisting Dr. Roger Valliere and the staff at Matthew 25 has allowed me to gain experience working in a dental office. My work with Dr. Bosela focused on testing for the reactivity of aminoglycosides with various gelling agents, giving me hands-on experience and responsibility in a research laboratory. Both volunteering and research has become something I really love to do and hope to continue throughout dental school and beyond. Looking back on my experiences since high school, I realize that the course I chose was hardly typical of most who dream of becoming a dentist. Yet, were I given the chance to do it again, I would do nothing different. I feel that the amount of time I have spent training my hands, learning to work with people from various backgrounds, and coming to shoulder a variety of responsibilities will prove invaluable to my future career as a dentist.