Until a year ago, it never really occurred to me that I would be anything other than an engineer. As a kid I enjoyed math and science. I liked fixing things, and I liked tinkering. Adults would see me soldering an electrical circuit or building a model plane and say, “You’re going to be an engineer!” So I studied mechanical engineering, got a job with a big aerospace company, and I liked it.
Intellectually, it was a perfect fit for me: solving intricate problems all day. But something was missing. It all seemed a little abstract: did this gas turbine engine component I designed have any direct impact on the world? Did it actually help anyone? I assumed if I took on bigger and bigger projects I would have a greater sense of satisfaction. …show more content…
It was dentistry and particularly prosthodontics. It offers a sense of autonomy. It involves engineering and many challenging cases. It gives me the opportunity of having a direct impact on someone’s health in a timely manner, and most of all, it expresses my characteristics as a person who finds satisfaction out of caring for others.
I carefully determined to pursue a prosthodontics program because of my skills as a design engineer and my desire to work with restorations and cosmetics. My responsibility as a lead engineer was to design and fabricate intricate turbine jet engine parts. The process of designing complex components demanded a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, a talent for using machining and CAD/CAM tools, precision, esthetics and creativity. My background has led me to believe that I would use these skills to become an effective prosthodontist someday.
Wanting to become a prosthodontist is not a recent desire, but a result of experiences over my lifetime. These past experiences have confirmed to me that dentistry is a dynamic field in which I can fuse my engineering skills and in caring for people directly. Equally important, however, is that I know I will to be satisfied working with patients and using my engineering background to serve a greater purpose. I believe that the skills I have acquired throughout the years will continue to develop through dentistry and will enable me to make a meaningful contribution to
Intellectually, it was a perfect fit for me: solving intricate problems all day. But something was missing. It all seemed a little abstract: did this gas turbine engine component I designed have any direct impact on the world? Did it actually help anyone? I assumed if I took on bigger and bigger projects I would have a greater sense of satisfaction. …show more content…
It was dentistry and particularly prosthodontics. It offers a sense of autonomy. It involves engineering and many challenging cases. It gives me the opportunity of having a direct impact on someone’s health in a timely manner, and most of all, it expresses my characteristics as a person who finds satisfaction out of caring for others.
I carefully determined to pursue a prosthodontics program because of my skills as a design engineer and my desire to work with restorations and cosmetics. My responsibility as a lead engineer was to design and fabricate intricate turbine jet engine parts. The process of designing complex components demanded a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, a talent for using machining and CAD/CAM tools, precision, esthetics and creativity. My background has led me to believe that I would use these skills to become an effective prosthodontist someday.
Wanting to become a prosthodontist is not a recent desire, but a result of experiences over my lifetime. These past experiences have confirmed to me that dentistry is a dynamic field in which I can fuse my engineering skills and in caring for people directly. Equally important, however, is that I know I will to be satisfied working with patients and using my engineering background to serve a greater purpose. I believe that the skills I have acquired throughout the years will continue to develop through dentistry and will enable me to make a meaningful contribution to