Class of 2018 Turns Out for ASDA Admit Day
The UCSF School of Dentistry welcomed the incoming Class of 2018 at ASDA@UCSF’s Second Annual Admit Day on April 5, 2014.
This student-run event was organized and led by UCSF's American Student Dental Association’s (ASDA) Pre-Dental Committee. Sessions included a Dean’s welcome, ASDA welcome, introduction to research, introduction to PRDS and BMS courses, overview of extracurriculars, Simulation Lab demonstrations, and Q&A panels.
Begun only last year, this event was created as a means for the new admits to become familiar with their D1 schedule, learn about the numerous extracurricular opportunities at UCSF, have their questions answered, and, more than anything, to meet their future colleagues and to build excitement about starting dental school.
As one attendee put it, "I liked UCSF before attending [Admit Day], but loved it after. Any doubts I had about the school I chose to attend were completely erased...I'm truly looking forward to the next four years.” Many dental students start the first day of orientation and classes having no idea who their peers are or what to expect, so Admit Day helps them transition to D1 year by welcoming them into the program as official students of the incoming dental class.
As dental students themselves, the members of ASDA’s Pre-Dental Committee understand the difficulties and apprehensions that can precede beginning the program, and thus place value in events like Admit Day. One incoming student stated: “Admit Day was a great success! It was wonderful getting to know current dental students, faculty, professors, and fellow D-Zeros. Great job to [the ASDA Pre-Dental Committee] for organizing and executing a wonderful event.”
The ultimate goal of Admit Day is to make the transition to dental school a smooth one, and responses like these make the time and energy put into this event well worth it.
