How would you react if you found out a student colleague had cheated on an exam?
Many studies have been conducted in recent years that prove the prevalence of academic cheating among dental students, mostly because of the rigors of completing a program successfully. Most dental schools have taken a zero-tolerance approach for students caught being dishonest. Your interviewer wants to hear that you would uphold the integrity of the school and turn the cheater in.
Your interviewer at this MMI station wants to get a sense of your integrity as a future dentist in practice. Before your dental school multiple mini interview, think of situations in which you proved your ethical standards.
Walk your interviewer through how you would ensure that the proper faculty of the program you are interviewing with is aware of the academic dishonesty in this situation. You can assume some things in your answer, like how close you are with the student in question, and take a professional and respectful approach with all parties involved. Then, elaborate on how you will always be willing to do what is right as a dental student.
"As an honest student, I would be offended if I discovered a fellow student was cheating and would notify the proper faculty immediately. If I considered the student a friend, I would confront them personally and talk it through with them. I would want to give them the option of coming clean themselves. In my discussion with them, I would let them know that I am concerned for both them and the school. I know dental programs are seeing a much higher rate of cheating due to the amount of information available online and through artificial intelligence like ChatGPT. However, I am here to learn, and I know that my hard work will make me a more well-rounded dentist upon graduation. Cutting corners simply would never be an option for me."
