Touro Interview

What would you say was the best day or experience you ever had?

#1 GMB - completely out of my comfort zone #2 snorkeling in the Cayman islands

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

-Over the last few months there have been inventory shortages within Nima. I felt that although the team was trying to resolve the issues we were facing no one understood how this impacted customers bc no one was talking to them on a daily basis. -I reached out to the head of marketing and our CEO and others that were tasked with getting inventory ASAP and shared direct quotes from customers. -This lead to me helping with changing wording on our site to clearly communicate the time frame of when people would get orders as well as make our team draft an update email. I pressed that we need to be transparent as a company or people would lose faith in us. -Accomplished being the voice of the customer in a stressful situation, while providing solutions to the issue we faced. This is ongoing with other situations - being the voice of those that would otherwise go unheard.

What are three things you want to change about yourself?

1. I'm an over planner. Sometimes just letting things play out and riding the wave. 2. Manage my self care routine better and stick with it - I believe the first step is to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. 3. ?

How did you end up here (in the interview)? What has your journey looked like so far academically, personally and professionally?

Academically- scu professionally - Nima Personally - took a really hard time for me to be okay with where I was in life and be comfortable with knowing I have to do things at my own pace. I had to come to terms with how everything isn't going to turn out how you expected it to

Key issues in dentistry

https://www.asdanet.org/index/get-into-dental-school/post-application/interview-tips Opioid crisis Maybe not a key issue but something I find interesting since I work for a start-up with a gluten sensor - http://digitaleditions.walsworthprintgroup.com/publication/frame.php?i=520331&p=1&pn=&ver=html5 Contour Sept 2018 issue Helping diagnose 2.5 million of the undiagnosed celiac Americans 51% have enamel defects , hypoplasia, hypomineralization Keeping up with technology It seems that technology is changing faster than dentists can keep up!

Tell me about your clinical volunteering experiences.

CDA cares GMB

What do you consider your greatest weakness?

Caring about people's opinion of me. I am deeply affected by people being unhappy with my performance. I take it t heart and want to change myself so the other person sees

Why do you want to go to Touro?

I first heard about Touro because I grew up in Vallejo and the pharmacy school is based there. my parents have rental homes in Vallejo, so we have had pharmacy students that went there and I met them, who always said they were enjoying their experience there. So I was familiar with that before Touro dental was created. I was excited to learn when Touro opened up the dental school. Some reasons that I want to go to Touro: -trained practitioners of the future in dental techniques of the future- digital dentistry along with traditional methods, its important to embrace the change with technology and use it to provide a better service to patients -location in NY to serve a diverse community

Tell me about an experience you've had working on a team. What role do you tend to play when working on a team?

I go back and forth between either being leader or being a large help to the person in charge.

So you like helping others...why not be a social worker?

I have a loose idea what social workers do. 1. Its not in the health care space - specifically science based, so not as interested in that. 2. As mentioned in why I want to be a dentist, I really like how you get to be with the patient through their whole treatment and the patient can see the changes made to their teeth.

How did you choose your major?

I worked backwards from what I thought about the career I wanted - something in health care, so thought bio then did public health but it was too policy based for me so went back to bio

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I will be 33- wow Hope to be done with dental school and any other schooling I decide on Start growing my family in someway Own a house Either open up my own practice or work at someone's practice part time and part time teach at a dental school

Rank intelligence, compassion, and integrity in the order of importance to you.

Integrity, compassion, intelligence #1 always need to be honest. You gain trust by being honest. Honesty is something lots of people have trouble with bc sometimes they want to be perceived as perfect #2 being able to relate to someone or their situation and put yourself in their shoes will go a long way. #3 intelligence is very important and can take you a long way in life. I think this is a trait that you can gain over time but traits of integrity and compassion are ingrained in you

What do you see as the greatest problem facing the healthcare delivery system today?

Limited time with patients - both from a doctor perspective and dentist perspective I have been in doctor's offices where they book someone every 15 minutes - that is not adequate time to hear what the patient has to say, give feedback, and figure out if they need a referral. This leads to cutting corners and a bad patient experience. I also see this from dentists that are just starting a new practice they book multiple patients bc they need the money, but sometimes loose track of time and patients are left hanging.

How do you study/prepare for exams?

Look at notes from lecture while I relisten to the lecture and look over PPT I like to write additional notes within my notes from class to fill in the blanks I also like to highlight things that are unclear to focus on those I love flashcards - they really help me focus in on things I also like to draw processes out example the TCA cycle. Repetition is key

How do you see the field of dentistry changing in the next ten years? How do you see yourself fitting into those changes?

Lots of new technology! We are just now seeing in office crown preps as opposed to using a lab. Will be interesting to see how much more dentists can do in house, therefore how that changes treatment plans and duration of treatment. Another interest is increase use of 3D images and how that can help better diagnose and understand the tooth

How do you spend your free time?

Love to cook and garden - become creative and deal with space and recipes- trial and error

Describe a situation in which you felt like a fish out of water.

My first sikh club meeting I felt that everyone else was very versed in the culture and sikhism more than I was. I also don't speak punjabi at home and everyone else in the room did. I was uncomfortable bc I didn't know anyone and was worried people would judge me. I made it a point not to give up and continue, even if I felt out of my comfort zone. Before I would just not go back to the meetings. It ended up being great. I made friends and helped out in events.

Who has most influenced your life so far and why?

My parents. They showed me how they literally started from nothing and have succeed. I've seen my dad become self employed and become successful in that I've seen my mom grow in her job They have shown me how to manage my money They have shown me how far a good work ethic will take you in life. They have shown me the good and bads of marriage. I think because they have been such a large part of my life, even to this day, they have influenced me from the big things like how to manage my money to my cleaning habits - so weird I know.

Why have you chosen dentistry as a career?

My path to dentistry was not one that I knew right away, instead it was different parts of my life that melded together to lead me to dentistry. Firstly, I always knew I wanted to be in the healthcare realm, where that was a kind of doctor, nurse, admin, I knew that was where I was meant to end up. I wanted to be in a position to educate and help people improve their health. I speak to this in my personal statement, but my Sikh values of selfless service and pushed me toward a Jesuit school and I picked up on the value of "be men and women for others." With those values combined with my homeless immersion and GMB experience of shadowing a doctor and a dentist, I knew i wanted a role within the healthcare space that where I would be hands on with patients. After researching the multiple roles, I was really drawn to dentistry because I liked how you can meet, diagnose, create a treatment plan, and treat a patient all yourself and from the same chair. With other medical professionals, they never get to see a patient through all these steps, its very segmented.

How did you decide on dentistry in the first place? Was it a positive or negative experience that made the career choice click? What is your story?

Neutral experience I think I decided on a very large scale what I wanted to do as a job and worked my way down from there

Tell me about a mistake you've made.

Not a mistake but more of a failure During the month of september our CS initial response time was 2.5 hrs, but our goal is 2.1 hrs or less. As lead I had to figure out what was going on and how we could improve/lower our initial time. I put into place a system where when CS agents come in to their shift, they should see which new tickets were assigned to them and work on those first then go back and respond to older tickets. In the month of Oct our initial response time dropped to 1.7 hrs. Obv. we need to keep in mind if there is an influx of tickets compared to the previous month then it will take some more time to response.

Tell me about a disappointment you have experienced.

Not getting into dental school not once but twice. I thought I would be going straight from undergrad to dental school, but that did not happen This forced me to consider if I wanted to continue working to get into dental school or go down a different path. I was forced to get a job, not in my plan. Disappointed when it took forever- almost 4 months- to find a job with a company I liked, while also not getting call backs or people denying me post interviews. I actively emailed schools I previously applied to and asked them what their recommendations were for me to improve when I reapply. Took all the suggestions and took classes, volunteered, shadowed more.

How do you spend your free time?

Pretty much do anything with my family Try out new recipes

Tell me about your research.

Psych research end of freshman year and beginning of sophomore year I dealt with the data and putting it into excel and manipulating it Been a while so don't remember the specifics Not my favorite thing bc I felt isolated and not much human interaction

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Right now I am 23 so at 33 I hope to be practicing dentistry and maybe teaching at a dental school part time - that's the dream. And hopefully have a family. I think planning for the future is great but for me I have goals with loose timelines not necessarily a 5 or 10 year plan. Example goal: get into dental school then I think how am i going to do that. I break my goals up into smaller goals

What do you think will be the most challenging part of your dental training and career?

School wise: splitting time between clinical skills and learning the material Career: wearing different hats- sometimes multiple at a time Dentist, friend, manager, business person

How would you describe the relationship between science and dentistry?

Science is integral for dentistry -Treatment -Medications Maybe someday science can lead to a silent drill! Without science we cannot make improvements in dentistry

Tell me about your shadowing experiences.

Shadowed four places: dentist close to SCU, my dentist, a friend of the dentist from SCU, a dentist in my hometown. SCU: I was able to see both front and back end Shadowing is mostly centered about the clinical care which is important but I saw how the front office makes a difference to the patients experience I was able to learn about the patients and make personal connections with them since I shadowed her for almost two years My dentist: oldest dentist I shadowed of the three. Great dentists but probably the worst to shadow bc didn't really include me in anything and was a bit awkward to communicate with SCU friend: high tech dental office, very fancy, crowns in house Dentist in my hometown: only 3 years old from bottom up, takes dentcal so patents are different from all the other offices.

Have you had any experience with dentistry?

Shadowing, cleaning up stations, sanitizing instruments, greeting patients.

Why do you think you are a good candidate for dental school?

Taking time off before coming to dental school reinstated why I want to come and why this is the path I want to pursue. Although my grades are not as high, I have taken classes to figure out learning style and studying style, so I can excel in dental school I like to work with my hands, cooking, knitting, putting on makeup.

What was your most valuable course in college?

The business class I took bc it was completely outside of my major and I could apply it to every day life. Anatomy - everything in healthcare is based on the anatomy of your body, whether you are working on a small section of the body or multiple parts, its all interconnected.

What differentiates you from the rest of the applicants?

The continued motivation to reapply, volunteer, shadow, get job experience to understand if this is really something I want to pursue.

Why did you choose to go to SCU?

The environment was peaceful, open and green space and small class sizes.

What is your most important experience that did not involve dentistry or academics?

This isn't one particular time but being able to travel. I have learned a lot about myself when traveling and grow. Being in a new place, seeing how quickly you can acclimate to the environment and figuring out how to get around. Learning about cultural queues and edicate. I hope to travel more in the future Blessed to live in a state which is a melting pot so I am exposed to a lot of different cultures and traditions

What has been the most rewarding (or challenging) experience of your life?

Two experiences NIMA: challenging bc I had never worked as a customer service rep, so I had to learn how to communicate clearly over the phone, chat, or email. But also rewarding bc I got to learn about people's experience with celiac and how this device has helped them GMB: rewarding bc I was able interact with a new community and talk with adults and children and see the struggles they face with getting adequate health care. Most rewarding to teach children about the importance of dental care

Describe any inconsistencies or weaknesses in your record or application.

Weakness is my GPA. I have taken steps to show I can handle upper division science courses.

How do you want me to remember you?

A good smile (insert laughter) No but I want you to remember me as someone who is ready to join the school and community, and make it my second home. Someone who has the drive to start and finish dental school.

What are you looking for in a dental school?

A school that will allow me to give back to the community I am in. Give me the potential opportunity to teach in the future. Allow me to work with a diverse group of patients. A positive learning environment where it is easy to talk to professors.

If you could do anything different in your education, what would you do?

Be more active about experimenting what type of studying works best for me I didn't learn how studying works for me until my senior year (explain how you study)

What would you do if you could not go to dental school?

Become a professor There is something special in helping minds grow and people achieve their dreams. I really enjoyed my time as a TA bc I heard what all my students wanted to do as a career and knowing I was helping them towards their dream was so rewarding.

Tell me about yourself.

Born/grew up/ undergrad all in the bay area Graduated santa clara in 2017 Been working as a customer service associated - now lead at NIMA Been volunteering while working and taking some upper division chem classes In my free time I like to cook, garden with my dad, and go explore new restaurants or bakeries.

What extracurricular activity have you found most rewarding?

GMB First time shadowing a dentist or doctor. I got to see the dentist make the diagnosis of which tooth needed to be removed - we only did extractions- then we proceed with the treatment. The doctors listened to what was wrong and then just prescribed medicine - seemed less hands on and just prescriptions as the treatment.

What field of dentistry most appeals to you?

General and pediatrics - I volunteer and grew up being the oldest cousin so I enjoy working with kids

How would your friends describe you?

Helpful, curious, patient Always willing to give a helping hand wherever I can. Curious to learn more. I always ask questions about things I don't know about or want to learn about.

How do you respond to criticism? Describe a situation where your work was criticized.

Honestly, really well. I think its really hard to hear that someone doesn't agree with what you perceive as right or how you do things. But you cannot grow without feedback and opening your mind up to new ideas. If you never get feedback you will be stuck in your own ways and 1. That isn't healthy and 2. That benefits no one

What have you done that shows initiative? What did you gain from that experience?

I have taken on lots of projects within my company before I even became lead I took on smaller projects like starting kitchen clean ups, taking over the tidy calendar since no one was taking on that task and I think that little things like that make a difference in office happiness Larger projects include revamping customer support manual, haulover all the FAQs - making sure up to date and adding new ones, providing the company with a monthly support overview with reports directly from Zendesk I learned how to work with my other CS agents and delegate tasks and create a system to check work was done without micro managing. Learned new skills within the platforms we use - Zendesk.

What type of impression do you feel you've left on me in this interview?

I hope a genuine one. I want you to leave knowing you spoke to the honest me and not the interview persona many people put on.

How do you deal with stress?

I like to clean, cook, workout occasionally or go for a long walk. Meditation sometimes.

How do you handle when your working in a group with conflicting ideas?

I like to gather all the ideas and see if there is a way to combine them. If not I think talking about the pros and cons about the different ideas is important. Its also important to note that not every idea can be incorporated and there needs to be some flexibility .

Can you convince me that you can cope with the workload in dental school?

When I started school I struggled and you can see that from my grades As time went on they get better I took two upper division classes I while working full time and volunteering once a week, while balancing family (I live at home), along with a 8 week Pre dental boot camp at UOP. Ive learned how to manage my time. I like to time block. And I have learned how I study- flashcards, drawing diagrams for different cycles like TCA, listening to lecture on 1.5 speed to refresh, and going back through notes and filling in any blanks.