Hey everyone! As your valuable senior, someone who has walked a bit further down the dental path. I want to tell you about something very important that can seriously boost your career and growth: which is internships and observer ships during your undergraduate years.
Beyond the Books: The Real-World Advantage
We all know the drill: lectures, textbooks, exams. But dentistry is so much more than just theory. It’s about real patients, real challenges, and real hands-on skills. I can’t imagine any other field other than dentistry which is 80% of skill and of course theory is also important and that’s where internships and observer ships come in. They bridge the gap between the classroom and the clinic, and helps you to understand what you have learnt theory in more better way, giving you a taste of what being a dentist is really like.
Unlocking a Treasure Trove of Benefits
So, why should you consider squeezing in extra time for these experiences? Let’s break down the awesome benefits:
- Sharpening Your Skills: You get to see, observe, and ask and sometimes even assist with, actual procedures. This is gold! Observing how experienced dentists handle instruments, manage patients, and solve problems is a learning experience you can’t get from a textbook. Experience teaches you more than reading books. You’ll pick up personalized tips and tricks that will make you feel more confident when you finally start treating patients yourself and sometimes can becomes your savior in situations.
- Exploring Different Specialties: Not sure if you want to be an orthodontist, a periodontist, or a general practitioner? Internships let you “try before you buy.” Shadowing specialists can help you discover what truly excites you. This exposure can be invaluable when you’re making decisions about your future career path in early stages and helps you to plan your future accordingly.
- Building Your Network: Internships are a fantastic way to connect with dentists, specialists, and other dental professionals. These connections can lead to mentorship opportunities, research collaborations, and even job offers down the line. Networking is all about building relationships, and these early connections can be incredibly beneficial as you progress in your career. Networking in dentistry is as important as GP in your RCT.
- Boosting Your CV: Let’s be honest, a CV packed with internship experience stands out. It shows initiative, a willingness to learn, and a genuine passion for dentistry. Whether you’re applying for postgraduate programs or jobs, that practical experience will give you a significant edge.
- Learning Soft Skills: Technical skills improve by practice as do Soft Skills. Effective Communications is very important in Clinical Dentistry, if I say even more important than technical skills, it won’t be wrong. If you are excellent in your procedures and you don’t know how to communicate with patients with empathy and to connect with the. It’s all worthless. In the end patients seek a doctor who understand them and make them feel safe and secure. Interacting with patient in early years is very beneficial for good communication skills and presentations.
Why Extra Internships? As you will be doing your clinical hours?
“But I will do internship after graduation any way,” you might say. “Do I really need extra internships now?” My answer is a resounding YES!
Even if one year of clinical internship after graduation that you will be doing as it necessary to get required clinical exposure as also for issuance of permanent license, extra internships during your undergraduate years can be incredibly valuable:
- Confirming Your Passion: Spending time in your chosen specialty early on can help you confirm that it’s truly the right fit for you. It’s better to realize early that a certain field isn’t for you than to invest years of study and then discover you’re not happy.
- Getting a Head Start: You’ll enter your clinical years with a solid foundation of knowledge and practical skills. This will allow you to hit the ground running and make the most of your additional training.
- Making Informed Decisions: Experiencing different areas of dentistry can give you a broader perspective and help you make more informed decisions about your future career path. You might even discover a passion for a specialty you hadn’t considered before!
- Changing Careers: Not all dentist practice in clinical or hospitals, dentist is open to all types of roles including nonclinical, not all dentist are made for doing RCTs or extractions, and realizing at your early stages that either you want to pursue clinical dentistry or not can save your time which can lead you in your career with clear mind and strategy.
Overcoming the Hurdles
I know what you might be thinking: “This sounds great, but I’m already swamped with coursework!” Or, “How do I even find an internship?”
It’s true, balancing academics with extra-curricular activities can be challenging. But trust me, it’s worth the effort. Here are a few tips to help you:
- Plan Ahead: Start looking for internship opportunities early. Talk to your professors, mentors, and senior students. They may have valuable connections and advice. One who plans effectively will lead seamlessly.
- Be courageous: Don’t be afraid to reach out to dental clinics and hospitals directly. Even if they don’t have formal internship programs, they may be willing to let you shadow a dentist for a few days.
- Don’t waste your time: Make your vacations productive and start doing internships at hospitals during vacations or semester breaks.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask: Most dentists are happy to share their knowledge and experience with aspiring dental professionals. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and seek guidance.
Your Future Self Will Thank You
Look, I get it. Dental school is tough. Adding extra responsibilities might seem exhausting. But investing in internships and observer ships during your undergraduate years is one of the best things you can do for your future career.
It’s about more than just ticking boxes on your CV. It’s about gaining real-world experience, exploring your passions, building your network, and becoming the best dentist you can be.
So, take that leap! Step outside the classroom, embrace the opportunities, and start building your dental future today. You won’t regret it.
Written by Dr Vineeta
