Goal 3.5 states that “students will be able to perform competently in a professional setting.”
In BIOL 250 at the end of my freshman year, I was able to present a poster for the first time. This experience is one that I won’t forget, and it helped me see very early on how important professional events are. I knew that I always had to stay professional because people were watching the entire time. In many other semesters, I had the opportunity to present at research day and each time, I learned new skills and tips to help myself be more professional. Last summer, I spent more than 100 hours shadowing a dentist as I prepared to apply to dental school. This was one of the best experiences of my life, and it taught me a lot about being in the dental field. I quickly learned that people notice every single thing the doctor does during the day. At some points, my dentist told me about how she had to learn how to constantly check herself to make sure she was staying professional both on the phone and talking to coworkers. Once I applied to dental school, I had to complete interviews at many schools. I felt well prepared for these because of my previous experience in professional settings. I was confident in my communication skills, and knew that my background with so many research presentations helped me be prepared to answer unexpected questions
Internship summary paper https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c4mgklK6GQLVuIrhijfbE832yzZy62IJ-6Q6FgodZSU/edit?usp=sharing