Talk about a time when you had to learn something new within a short deadline. How will this experience help you in dental school?
Throughout your dental schooling, the amount of knowledge and skills that you learn, develop, and master is difficult to comprehend right now. In asking this question, your interviewers want assurance that you can learn new skills under pressure and put them to use quickly in the direct care of patients during your time in their program.
"I am eager to learn from and train with some of the best dentists and educators at your institution. If fortunate enough to be accepted into your program, I would bring a positive attitude and open mind, ready to learn new skills and put them to use right away. My ability to learn and apply new things quickly is evident from my experience working as a Pharmacy Tech during college. My employer converted to an entirely digital system for dispensing medications. I had to read all training materials on the system and attend several hands-on training with our entire staff in the few short days before the system was implemented. I asked a lot of clarification questions and requested the chance to work hands-on with the new system before it went live."
Throughout your interview, you'll want to show your interviewers that you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn every new skill possible. Think about a time you learned a new task or responsibility with little advanced notice. Discuss your diligence and the actions you took to learn the content, task, or responsibility within a short timeline, and explain to your interviewers why undertaking this was vital. Be sure to talk about your ability to be a quick learner and why this is important as you begin dental school.
