Follow through or play catch-up

Every semester comes with new challenges. Hey, this is nothing new, but still I must remind myself. I'm now in second semester of my D1 year and taking seven courses. While this is not my first attempt at taking seven courses, i am forever reminded of the challenges that comes with this if I am not proactive in my actions. I remember the last time I took 7 classes. it was a struggle because I allowed myself to play catch-up in at least 3 of those courses because in the beginning of the semester I took them for granted.Though an arduous task, I did managed to complete all of my course work with B's or better. It wasn't easy as I had to dig myself out of the ditch I put myself in by performing in a sub-par manner on my first examinations. I did not take full ownership of what I was suppose to do from the beginning. Fast-forwarding some two years later, here I am taking 7 courses again. The mistakes of the past I now use as a spring board for my current studies. Now, I am taking nothing for granted because I realize that if I don't apply myself as I should, I will forever be playing catch-up.
History has a way of repeating itself ! yet, I've come to realize that this can only happen if I allow it to, which I do not intend on doing. My words to myself are to follow through and be proactive, rather than fall through and play catch-up. Food for thought!

Riddle me this...

It's Mental Monday y'all, where we post activities geared towards enhancing your cognitive abilities.

Riddle me this, riddle me that...Did you know that a great way to exercise your mind is by doing puzzles, lateral thinking puzzles or just some odd riddles? The good thing about this is, you can do it anytime or anywhere. Just a few minutes while waiting for a doctor's appointment or riding the bus can help significantly enhance your problem solving skills. So are you ready? let's go!

What row of numbers come next in the series?

1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
13112221

Respond with your answers. Surprise for you at the end!

Don't fall behind

The week of October 18th was a rough week. It was the week of mid-terms. Whilst they may be well behind me, the journey continues. In anticipation of my mid-term examinations, I developed serious tunnel vision, essentially, neglecting my classes and assignments. As a result, once my examinations were over, I was left spending most of my time catching up with sleep, coupled with understanding concepts that I should have already covered and understood. In retrospect, I thought that neglecting my current classes and assignments in order to prepare for my mid-terms was not a great idea after all. I've come to realize in my short tenure in dental school thus far that there's a lot of concepts to understand and apply in a very short amount of time; hence, I've learned that I must stay extremely focused and develop the art of staying on task despite having to prepare for major examinations. In addition, I've come to the realization that in professional school, major and minor examinations are an integral part of weekly life. Furthermore, I do also recognize that if a person allows one week to go by without carefully reviewing power-point slides, notes, and assignments, they will forever be playing catch-up all semester, which can make for a difficult journey. Rather, I would suggest that it is imperative to stay on top of all your classwork despite the pressure of having examinations. If you do, you will definitely be in control of your journey.

Hindsight is always 20/20 vision. Again in retrospect, I wish I had stayed on top of last week's classes. Nevertheless, being the astute and determined student that I am, I was able to "catch-up," with most of my work, albeit modifying my approach to my studies mentally and physically. Take home message and note to self: never allow yourself to fall behind. Build multitasking skills, it's very important.

Mental Gymnastics

I'm starting a new trend here on Stu-DENT Diaries - Mental Monday, where every Monday I share an activity geared towards enhancing your cognitive abilities. Who's with me? (Lets just hope I can keep this up).

Due to the gazillion amount of information I receive everyday from my classes, it seems my brain is continuously working - even in my sleep! However, the brain cannot function at optimal capacity without exercise and of course, hydration. Water is extremely important to the brain's function. Did you know that the brain is approximately 90% water? Many parts of the brain draw much of their energy from water and also uses it as a communicator between nerves for neuro-transmission.  Physical exercise is also important as this increases circulation and consequently oxygen and glucose to the brain, which in turn enables mental clarity.

As physical exercise strengthens your body, exercising your mind strengthens your brain. I like to refer to this as brain-ercise or simply, mental gymnastics. We should all try to engage ourselves in small activities such as Sudoku, puzzles, drawing, and math quizzes as all these stimulate the brain, helping to create and maintain important neuronal connections critical to cognitive abilities.

Now, our first activity for Mental Monday...Write with the opposite of your dominant hand. It may be difficult initially, but with a little practice and some neuronal connections, you will get the hang of it.

My practice:

Interview Season

My! how time flies. It seems like just yesterday since I had my interviews for Dental School. A whole year has passed and I am now seeing people from the 2011 cycle come in for their Interviews at my school.

I still remember the day I interviewed at my school. I was nervous, terrified and the fact that it was during winter made the matter that much worse. However, I got through my interviews by following some very simple guidelines.


Going back to previous posts, here are some guidelines/ground rules to pay attention to when getting ready for your interview(s):
1. Look the part, dress for success! 
2. Be ready for the Questions. Do your research on each of the schools and answer your questions intelligently.
3. Last but not least, relax - breathe - be calm.

Good luck!

PS  Any business students in the house? I've been given some GMAT prep. books that may be beneficial to you. If interested Contact me.

Carving teeth: Initiation

I carved my first tooth out of wax last week, I like to refer to it as my initiation into Dental School /Dentistry. As Dental Students we have to know the details of each tooth in the mouth, which believe it or not is a tedious task. This is what we do in Occlusion class, we learn about the intricacies and details of the different teeth and how the maxillary (upper) and the mandibulary (lower) teeth align with each other in the mouth...fun!
In studying the anterior (front) teeth we got a chance to carve, with all the correct dimensions, the right maxillary central incisor - this was pretty fun but time consuming.

Here's what I did:
I first had to get my tools together: wax, boley gauge, carving knife and a sheet of paper to reduce the mess. I then had to use the boley gauge to mark my dimensions on the wax, after which I drew an outline of the tooth.
 Dimensions:

Maxillary Central Incisor	Length Crown	Length Root	Mesiodistal Crown	Mesiodistal Cervix	Bucco-lingial Diameter	Bucco-lingual  Cervix	Mesial cervix/Distal cervix
(mm)	10.5	13.0	8.5	7.0	7.0	6.0	3.5/2.5

from left: boley gauge, block of wax with dimensions and outline of tooth drawn, carving knife.

  After that was done it was time to get to carving! The wax was pretty hard, I had to use the carving knife to shave down to the outline that was drawn on the wax.

wax shaved down towards the outline drawn

The aim of this part was to get as close as possible to the outline made, so I had to carve some more.

Proximal/side view: wax carved to the outline drawn

Facial/front view: wax carved to the outline drawn

After the carving to the outline was done it was time to put everything learned in Occlusion class to work! Generally speaking, the mesial surface should be angled acutely, the distal surface more round, cervical line at mesial surface should be lower than on the distal surface,the root should taper distally (how's that for mumbo-jumbo??)
So after carefully carving and measuring and carving and measuring some more I finally had what looked like the right maxillary central incisor with the correct dimensions.

Facial/front view: finished product (not yet polished)

Lingual/back view: finished product (not yet polished)

Carving the tooth was a fun exercise though time consuming. The images above are far from perfect but was my first of two trials. The second was a little better but I took no pictures of those.
Go ahead and add your critique!

Flossing Improves Memory, Who Knew?

I came across an interesting article online which correlates flossing to improved memory, who knew? According to WABC-TV researchers found that to prevent memory loss as you age, you must floss. The bacteria left behind in the mouth as a result of not flossing are the bacteria that contributes highly to gum disease. Gum disease triggers inflammation in the body which then causes stiffening of blood vessels. Stiffening of the blood vessels is what eventually leads to memory problems. Find article here.



See, dentists not only care for your teeth but your overall well-being. Next time your dentist says "don't forget to floss" take him/her seriously, he might just be trying to preserve your memory as well :)

100 Things Every College Student Should Know

A couple months ago I had the privilege of reviewing a book from The Skinny On... series called The Skinny On Sucess written by Jim Randall. If you know anything about The Skinny On... books you will know that it gives you the real and raw (the skinny) facts on whatever topics covered, nothing is sugar coated. You may see my review on the book here.
Jim Randall is at it again and has recently compiled a list of 100 things that every college student should know. Consistent with his books, nothing is sugar coated. The list consists of things we all should know to get through college successfully and at the same time incorporates lessons that will transcend into the real world thereafter. The list is lengthy but I suggest you run through it, it may be really beneficial (may take several visits).

Preview:

No. 88 - The Most Critical Beats

As a young person, I wanted to become a magician. So I read books on card tricks and practiced them on everyone I could.

More important than learning the mechanics, however, was learning how people think. As a magician, you need to be conscious of how people react to your actions. You might have to change your presentation to mesh with what they're thinking.

This led to my understanding a technique that has been critical to my business successes:

Learn to add a 2-3 second beat between when you think something and when you actually say it.

So many people just talk and talk. They have a point to make and want to get it out as quickly as possible.

In some cases, that approach works. But in many situations, by listening to yourself for just two to three seconds before you let your comments free, you maintain flexibility. You're able to change direction as necessary.

Not all approaches work for all people. The key to successfully persuade someone to your point of view is to tailor your approach as much as possible to that person's needs, desires, emotions, mood and energy. Pay close attention to the other person and think through the impact of your statements before you actually make them.

Just a two-second beat between thought and speech can be the difference between success and failure!

"Never forget to put your brain in gear before you put your mouth in motion." - Anonymous

Visit The Skinny On blog here for 100 Things Every College Student Should Know

**Enter the giveaway for a red digital camera here. Ends 09/30/10**

How bad do you want it?

Success that is. I happened upon a video that is quite timely.

I have been in transition to Dental School from a one year hiatus after undergrad. Getting the momentum and rhythm going for my hectic schedule has been one of my challenges so far. Last week I was overjoyed when the weekend came along because that meant that I didn't have to get up at 6am the next morning and follow a strict routine into the next day. It meant that I could rest. However, when I ask myself how badly I want to succeed, my actions thus far have not been parallel to my answer.

See video to find out why:

When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful - Sean Walker

Also find inspiration on my other blog: Climb.Reach.Achieve

Burn calories, not electricity

Take the darn Stairs!!

I've been slacking on my workout routine lately. Remember this post, when I ran all of 2 miles and almost passed out? that was me finding that rhythm again, and I was doing just fine until the lazy bug came out and bit me.
However, not to worry. Thanks to NYC's commisioner and the department of health, in almost every building that I enter I'm greeted with a little green sign strategically placed near elevators and escalators promoting burning calories and taking the stairs rather than burning electricity and harming the environment.
It almost makes you feel guilty, and it works because I find myself taking the stairs more and more... that is, if it's no more than four or five flights. So, the next time you push an elevator button waiting for its arrival, just remember taking the stairs helps to burn calories, while the environment can be saved.

Walking up the stairs just 2 minutes a day helps prevent weight gain. It also helps the environment.

What to Expect in your First Year of Dental School

In approximately 49 days I'll begin Dental School. I'm extremely excited! nervous and a bit anxious. The exciting classes is what I'm most looking forward to. However, dental school requires long hours of school, long hours of study and as a first year student, getting used to the rigor and adjusting to the varying personalities of the dental school colleagues, I'm sure will be challenging to deal with.
The first year of Dental School is mainly composed of lectures, labs and pre-clinical activities focusing on the basic sciences and dental materials. The structure of classes in dental schools vary but are similar in that they usually span a total of 8-9 hours daily. You will also probably have to put in at least 3-5 hrs endless amounts (what was I thinking?) of studying after wards.

Courses usually taught during the first year include (depending on school):
Introduction to Medicine
Biochemistry
Gross Anatomy
Anatomy Dissection
Microbiology
Radiology
Histology/Embryology
Restorative Dentistry (lecture + lab)
Physiology
Occlusion
Dental Materials, etc

Of the above, I'm mostly looking forward to Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Occlusion and Restorative Dentistry. Perhaps I'll take a liking to other of the above listed courses. Perhaps I'll lose one of my most liked...
So what should we expect in our first year? Expect a deviation from the norm. You will be transitioning from undergraduate to professional school. There will be lots of competition, and to keep up we have to put in adequate amount of time and effort in order to make the transition easier on ourselves and to ensure a successful journey in this process. Equally important in this process is knowing the type of learner that you are. Recognizing that professional school requires a lot of adjustments, understanding how you learn and what works for you will serve as a platform with which you can spring from in your quest for continuity beyond your first year.

Best of luck to all of us!!

What to Expect in Your First year of Medical School

This post is for medical students, who I have sympathy for because their workload is probably twice mine, but who I am also empathetic towards because I know how challenging this journey will be. It will be exciting, at times fun, it will be testing, it will be grueling and it may make you lose a lot of night sleep. Well, what do you expect, it's medical school and not kindergarten.

The first year of medical school is the most grueling of the four years that is required. This is the case because you are entering a professional environment which is completely different to your previous undergraduate experience. The highest drop-out rates occur during this time. The first year consists of mainly lectures and labs in basic and medical sciences (anatomical, physiological & medical treatment). It is where you will encounter workload that may at first be unimaginable or what would have looked impossible to accomplish before you started medical school.

Though medical schools curricula differ slightly, some courses that may be encountered during the first year include:
Gross Anatomy
Biochemistry
Histology
Microbiology
Immunology
Psychiatry
Neuroscience
Nutrition, etc.

Medical school will not be a cakewalk. It is time-consuming, consisting of hours typically between 8am and 4pm each week day which has to be followed up by intensive studying and self-learning thereafter. It is important to know the type of learner that you are. Recognizing that professional school requires a lot of adjustments, understanding how you learn and what works for you will serve as a platform with which you can spring from in your quest for continuity beyond your first year. Remember, pacing is also a very important part of this process. While this can be said for most graduate programs, the intensity, rigor, and volume of work that medical students encounter is second to none. The good thing is that it has been done by students just like you, so I know that you can, and will do it as well.

Best of luck to you all!
From your Dental School friend -Patrice (See you on the other side)

I feel like the Unicorn just took me on a ride to a magical palace, to the land of the blueberries

Nitrous Wednesday!

Your weekly dose of Nitrous Oxide...

HILARIOUS!!                            LOL!!                             LMAO!!                              ROFL!!

Out with the old, In with the new! (Part 1)

 Instruments
It's hard for me to fathom how people are still afraid of the dentist! I mean, I understand why you would be say, a couple years ago; but look how far it has come.
Did you know that Dentistry dates all the way back to 7000BC? This was the time when individuals believed that a "tooth worm" was the cause of cavities (ha!) However, Dentistry wasn't a profession in itself yet. Later, about the 19th century, you could stop by your local Barber Shop to get a tooth extracted! Yep! Barbers use to be take on the role of dentists (yikes!). Dentistry has come a very long way and has advanced so much over the years. Just take a look at these instruments from back then:

 < Picture taken at The Old Red Museum in Dallas, TX>
Yeah, scared me too!

Almost unfathomable how they'd use these huh? The design of the instruments themselves have remained the same but are now simply more advanced and more approachable. Like these:

< Shiny and all, makes you wanna extract a tooth! no?>

Now, in an effort for me to really understand - tell me, why are you still afraid of the dentist?

The Run-In

Monday marked the Official day I started taking my fitness regimen seriously. I ran 2.whole.miles - non-stop. I can't believe I survived to write this post! You don't know how much will power that took - when your knees start to buckle, your muscles start to spasm screaming bloody murder!, your lungs decide to tighten in an effort to suffocate you, and your heart forms a fist and start to pound as if to punch a hole through your chest. It's grueling, you have no idea! (or do you?).
That run taught me a really good lesson, especially towards the end. Besides showing me how out of shape I am, it also taught me that no matter how difficult or impossible something may seem, no matter how many adversities lie before you; with will-power, perseverance and determination you can certainly do it (not that I didn't know that before, theoretically). Upon that last leg of my run, I'd sworn I'd have passed out, I swore I felt my muscles give up on me and I think I heard my lungs holler "to hell with this sh***! The last leg is always the most difficult and it's at that time that you prove your strength and soldier on. Never mind that now my legs feel like rubber, my right knee feels like something's missing from it and my chest feels like I'd been diagnosed with angina. The fact is, I completed a goal that at first was very difficult for me, and you know what? I'm pretty darn proud of myself =).
It's funny the feeling you get after you've accomplished something major, like you're invincible! With that said - next on the list: hard rock abs!

Battle of the Night Owl and the Early Bird

In life we all have our own rhythm, circadian rhythm that is.

As a child I was always forced to get up early. That, at the time, had a lot to do with tradition - as it is felt that the female should be early risers to take care of the household. I was never an early riser (an early bird). Mornings are the worse part of my day. Morning for me, begins at 10:00am.
Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that I can not go to bed before 12:00am. I am a night owl. Because of the traditions I've been brought up in and because of the norms of society, I can't help but sometimes feel inadequate, lazy, or that I'm missing out on part of the day by getting up at that time. But not any more! After reading a fellow blog about the "night owl" versus "early bird" I am now convinced that getting up early is just not in my DNA - (Yes, there's a gene for it!). While I get up early when I HAVE TO, it is not a natural part of me. It's not my normal rhythm, circadian rhythm that is. This blog post is backed by facts and several researches done by prominent researchers and published in prominent journals. It even goes as far as to demerit Benjamin Franklin's " Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" and John Ray's very popular "The early bird catcheth the first worm."

Read on here with my new friend Aaron, and tell me - Are you a Night Owl or an Early Bird?

Almighty H2O

Flavored waters like Propel Fit Water, SoBe Life Water nd Vitamin Water may do more than just quench your thirst:
Sipping on these trendy drinks over the course of a day can soften protective tooth enamel and increase sensitivity, say scientists involved in a trial at NYU College of Dentistry. The drinks' acid levels are to blame (not the sugar, as you might think). Brushing the teeth after drinking won't counter the effects, in fact, because softened enamel is more vulnerable to damage, it may weaken teeth even more.
So here's the trick: Wait at least 30 minutes to brush after drinking one of these drinks - that's about how long it takes the enamel to re-harden.
Another smart strategy: Quit the drinks! Make plain water your go-to drink.
(From Good Housekeeping Magazine)