Dental School Application Questions

Surname 1

Dental School Application Questions Please describe any group learning experiences or independent study projects in which you have participated.

During the course of my studies, I have had the opportunity to work with fellow students in a group set up. In fact, virtually every course I have taken through my studies has involved group learning in one way or the other. For instance, in biology classes we had projects where students were divided into groups and had to pick one chapter from the textbook and present it to the class. Other times, we were divided in groups to do journal articles or research papers. Each person in the group was assigned to different roles and tasks based on their skills and strengths.

After class, we usually gathered to work on projects. We also helped each other out where any of us had difficulties. I remember there was a time when I was assigned to be the leader of the group, and one of my team members dropped out one day before the presentation because of personal family problems.

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Surname 2 His job at that time was to put together all the information gathered by other members on a poster. As a leader, I had to call all the other members on that night to work together to finish up the poster. Fortunately, everyone participated and through collaboration we were able to complete the project on time. Through these group experiences, I have learned the importance of teamwork and communication among team members. I also discovered that working in a group project is an effective way of learning for me. This is because I tend to learn best when I am actively involved in a process. Group learning also helped me appreciate the strengths in others, thus making me find more value in other people’s contributions. Through learning in a group, I came to understand the challenges associated with group learning, such as inconveniences from uncooperative members. All in all, this helped me to know that I should always be prepared for any eventuality when working in a group set up.

Describe any experiences which have exposed you to cultures different from your own and/or to individuals from under-served backgrounds.

Immigrating to the United States was, by itself, a huge exposure to cultural differences for me. I was 14 years old and already well versed in Vietnamese, the traditional and cultural norms of Vietnam. On coming to the United States, I had to learn a new language and integrate into a new way of life. However, I did not need to drop my culture, family traditions and language to fit into my new life. I was able to balance my Vietnamese attributes at home with my parents; and, at school, I was able to learn and expose myself to clubs, social activities, and especially team sports. In Vietnam schools, team sports are not formally organized. I, therefore, came to appreciate my involvement in the school’s tennis team here in the United States. Other than the exposure to a different culture, back in Vietnam my parents and I were part of a group of people who visited rural Vietnam, and gave food supplies and financial support to poor children who lacked ready access to health care services and education. Moreover, in college I teamed with friends and fed the homeless. These exposures helped me appreciate the needs of the poor in the society, and the need to help them out.