By Dr. Janine Taira (2020)
Edited by Jamie Bieber
What GP are you in? What is unique about your GP that you feel makes it better than the others?
Gp7/AGD. GP 7 is a blend of realistic, but firm and practical. You will be put through the spin cycle sometimes, but still love the directors.
If you were a D2 what advice would you have given yourself to better prepare you for clinic?
Go and assist any chance you get. Learn about the clinic flow and where materials are. Things are 10x easier if you know where to find stuff and how to work Axium.
What is a trait that you believe is crucial for success in clinic? Why?
Mental toughness. Things get rough sometimes and you have to adapt.
What was your first procedure? What went right? What went wrong? What would you have done differently? What did you learn from it?
Actual procedure? #18MOD. What went right: it was a beautiful filling. What didn’t go right: patient claimed she was allergic to epinephrine and profound anesthesia was a struggle bus.
What has been the biggest lesson you learned reflecting back on your time in clinic at UMSOD?
Stay humble so you don’t eat your words later.
What would you have done differently from the time you started clinic to the time you finished clinic? Why?
More perio before I went to AGD because it’s hard to come by
What has been the best piece of advice you have received while in clinic?
CYA.
How did you best manage the stresses of classes and clinic at the same time? How difficult was this transition for you?
I don’t sleep much the night before an exam....my secret is caffeine.
Do you have any insight on how to best have access to chairs and make appointments? If you do, what advice would you give people who are seeking the most efficient way to obtain chairs?
Don’t ghost book. Have a short call list! Be in constant contact with your patients. I guilt tripped them for being late/no showing unless there’s a good reason.
What aspect of clinic did you find to be the most time consuming and how would you recommend a student go about being more efficient?
Denture lab work. There’s no way to make it better.
What resources did you use to prepare you for Boards Part II?
Only the app
What tips worked for you in getting patients to say “yes” to your proposed treatment?
Be honest because they can tell when you’re lying. If you don’t believe it’s the best, they won’t either. You have to be convinced that you’re doing the best for the patient.
What skills/techniques for certain procedures did you find particularly helpful when beginning clinic?
IAN blocks: if it didn’t work, aim higher.
Do you believe UMSOD prepared you well enough? How so?
Yes. I have a mentor (dad) to lean on. I feel prepared, but I was able to work in AGD.
Who were your faculty mentor(s)? What was the best advice they gave you? why did you choose them to be your mentor?
Gorman, Sanit, Eisner. I relate to Dr. Sanit and hope to be living a life like her later.
Did you attend a clerkship? If so, which one and what has been the biggest benefit you had from being a part of it?
AGD: additional clinic time and experience closer to a private practice experience
Were you a Diamond Scholar? If so, how did you best organize yourself for success in attaining all requirements to achieve Diamond scholar status?
Hi. Yes. Organize early. Plan, plan, plan. Network and get patients in. If you don’t have a patient, be doing something else productive. Take the comp as soon as you’re eligible, not when you think you’re ready (that’s a GP7 philosophy). Be nice and don’t step on anyone.
What did you do that you feel gave you an advantage in patient selection for boards?
Bring them in for mock boards to test their reliability
Would you mind providing your e-mail/social media accounts for future students to follow/contact you if they may have any questions?
@janinerneener, @tairadentistry