Q & A with Chloe Cohen, Dental Student at Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University
Chloe grew up in South Florida and graduated from UMD in 2020 with a B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science. She is in her final year at Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University.
Why dentistry?
I was initially pre-med, but as I learned more about the rigorous work-life balance I realized that it wasn’t the path for me. Because of my interest in nutrition, I was told by a dentist that I shadowed to read a book about nutrition and dentistry. That really sparked my interest to learn more about how nutrition has a lot to do with your oral health; for example, someone that has diabetes could be more prone to having periodontitis and the foods that you eat can influence that. And dentistry is also really hands-on, which I love.
What extracurricular activities do you think best prepared you for dental school?
When I made the switch from pre-med to pre-dent, I joined the pre-dental club. They had students from the UMD School of Dentistry come in to talk about their experiences, which I thought was helpful. I was also in a sorority, which isn’t the typical pre-health club, but I think it taught me a lot about community and diversity. There were also a lot of community service opportunities, and I was a chemistry tutor, as well.
What are some challenges you have faced in dental school?
People think getting into professional school is hard, but I would say being in it is actually the hardest part. The biggest thing is sacrificing four years of your life to just study. I’ve had to miss family weddings or study through Thanksgiving, and it’s hard to keep in touch with family/friends who don’t live near me. For these four-plus years, you have to be selfish (not in a rude way) to achieve your goals. And I had to learn how to learn again, because we have to take in so much content in so little time. The way I studied in college is not the way that I'm studying now. If this is what you want, though, I want to emphasize that it’ll be okay; it just takes some getting used to.
What hobbies do you have outside of dentistry and how do you balance that?
I like hanging out with friends. On a typical weekend, if we didn’t have exams, I would make plans with friends, but also take time to relax and catch up on TV or whatever else. I also like to work out so I typically pencil that into my schedule directly. That time is always something I look forward to. And it's also a little break in my day that relieves stress. Sometimes I do it with people in my class, which is also fun. Even if it's just a few minutes, taking time in your day for yourself is important.
What advice would you give your younger self?
It seems like it's all a rush–going from high school to college to professional school, all back-to-back–but it doesn’t have to be like that. It's okay to not go to professional school or graduate school immediately after college. There are people in their 30s who change careers and are in my class (some with kids) right now. I think it’s so important for pre-health students to know that there is no specific schedule you need to be on.
What drew you to your particular dental school?
I actually didn’t get in the first time I applied, so I was looking at different post-bacc programs. My older sister, who’s going to become an orthodontist, recommended the post-bacc program at Temple. They helped me re-establish my whole application and I took advanced classes that went into my science GPA. We were able to shadow third/fourth-year dental students and residents through oral surgery. We got certified to be dental assistants and received radiation certifications. By the end of the program, I felt very comfortable with the school, so it made sense for me to attend dental school here, too. I also really like Philly!
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
My histology professor told me to read this book called “Make It Stick” and I highly recommend it to literally everyone. I don’t read many books, but this book really teaches you how to learn. And I live by it every day. Apart from that, I’m also willing to help anyone that wants to reach out. I went through some highs and lows, but I’ve learned a lot and I’m more than happy to share!