My journey through dental school has been anything but linear. Now halfway through my fourth year and serving as BDSA president, organisation, prioritisation, and balance are vital to my daily life. Over the past two years, I've found myself at a place giving first year dental students advice, whether that's through messages on my dental social media platform or just being stopped in the dental hospital corridor. Reflection is fundamental to dentistry, especially as we grow our own clinical skills and knowledge. Reviewing how I navigated my way as a tentative first year student, there is one piece of advice I wish I had followed sooner: just say ‘Yes'. I find myself sharing this most often, which would even be applicable to any university student too.
Imposter syndrome in dental school is also not a myth. It is incredibly common to feel like an outsider when surrounded by high achievers, so it's essential to remind yourself you belong. The dental school application process is gruelling for a reason, so please remember that you deserve your place as much as everyone else. Looking back, many of the moments that helped quiet these self-doubts came not from feeling ready, but from moving forward despite uncertainty.
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