choose one of your extracurricular activities, employment or community experiences and describe why it has been especially meaningful to you
I scurried from one end of the pharmacy to another as I tried my best to ensure code trays were labelled correctly while at the same time trying to manually deliver medications through the confusing and crowded hallways of the hospital. I zigzag my way back to the pharmacy as I see everyone working in an orderly, fast paced environment. Everyone cooperating with each other, pharmacists asking others about their opinion on a certain patient's prescription, and technicians bagging medications. I gave myself a minute to admire a panoramic view of the scene. At that moment, I realized healthcare is what I want to pursue.
Although I want to be a dentist, volunteering at a pharmacy allowed me to see how health care professionals work in a real life setting. This opportunity was so memorable to me because I was able to do things that not every high school student can do. I mixed the proper ingredients to magic mouth wash, correctly labelled code trays for different areas throughout the hospital, and bagged medication to deliver to different patients. This was an opportunity that helped me gain professional knowledge about a certain health care environment.
This was also an opportunity that helped improve my social skills. At a previous volunteering opportunity, I remained extremely quiet and awkward throughout and I wasn't brave enough to communicate effectively with my peers and supervisors. My realization that I lacked an extremely fundamental skill caused me to more actively participate in the pharmacy. I wanted to be someone who is bold and approachable. The improvement I made will certainly be a necessary tool as I pursue a career in dentistry. I should be able to get accustomed to interacting comfortably with patients and co-workers, something that volunteering at a pharmacy helped me develop.
Although I did not interact with patients directly, I always reminded myself that I have responsibilities that affect every patient. I matured well from this experience since I know the weight of my responsibilities and the consequences that can happen if they are not carried out. For me, the feeling of people depending on me to succeed in my jobs throughout the pharmacy is what gave me motivation do to everything the best that I can.
Despite the fact that this is not an opportunity based off of dentistry, it was an opportunity that pertains to every health care profession. I learned how to perform my responsibilities well, ask others for help, communicate with others and improve my flaws-characteristics that make a successful dentist. I may still have a lot to learn, but the experience that I received pushed me ahead of game, allowing me to be the best at whatever I do.
While your work experience does not relate directly to Dentistry, the fact that you somehow interacted with the patients, at least through the procuring and administering of their medications, has offered you an insight into the value of patient care. I suggest that you use that interaction and sense of responsibility in order to create a relation between your extra curricular activity and interest in Dentistry. While it is not a requirement of the essay, the fact that the activity can relate to your chosen major is something that I believe you should play up as it shows a steady development of your interest in the field.
