Try to participate in class activities as much as possible because you will spend a lot of time together in the preclinic and labs, and it’s your opportunity to get to know your colleagues on a more personal level.
Born and raised in Iran, Sara Kamali is 32 years old with many years of experience in healthcare as a practicing nurse in the Iranian and Quebec healthcare systems. She is currently embarking upon the next chapter of her healthcare professional journey as she studies Dentistry in the Class of 2023.
Describe yourself in one sentence.
It's tough to choose one sentence, but I guess the one thing that I would like to highlight about myself is that I love to try new things, such as new hobbies, restaurants, and even places to live. I'm also a huge supporter of animal rights and enjoy spending time with them.
Tell us about your journey to dental school.
After working as a nurse, I learned about different methods of health care. I also got to experience the medical environment in different countries. I discovered that although all medicine, nursing, and dentistry entail helping people, I had what it takes to be a dentist. When I moved to Canada in 2014, I decided to change my career to something I had always been passionate about. My first exposure to dentistry was when I shadowed a senior student crowning a tooth at the McGill Dental Clinic. This experience motivated me to volunteer at the McGill Dental Summer Clinic to gain a more hands-on experience and learn about life as a dental student.
These experiences confirmed my interest in becoming a dentist. However, my grades in my B.Sc. in Nursing were not high enough for McGill Dentistry, so I decided to complete a second undergraduate degree in biology at Concordia University. At the same time, I studied at an integration program for internationally educated nurses to prepare myself for the OIIQ exam, which is the nursing board exam in Quebec.
It felt difficult for me to compete with the Canadian students because most of my extracurricular activities and reference lists were from Iran. As a result, they were not valid for McGill University since the program admission officers were unable to call people in Iran to verify my resume or request information about me. I didn’t let these additional challenges deter me. Instead, I volunteered in many different hospitals and dental clinics in Montreal to quickly build a stronger application.
Unfortunately, I could not get into dental school the first two times that I applied, which was very disappointing because I had been doing my best in the preceding years to build a fine resume and get a high GPA. I knew that this program was very competitive and that McGill University offers one of the finest dental schools in North America; therefore, I persistently and iteratively worked towards refining my application to stand out from the rest of the outstanding candidates. Finally, in 2019 I was invited to the Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). A couple of months later, I received a phone call from the Faculty of Dentistry inviting me to complete my dental studies here, which was one of the most memorable phone calls of my life.
What has been your most impactful or memorable experience since starting dental school?
Unfortunately, six months after I started dental school, the pandemic hit Montreal. Everything became online and remote, so I could not be at school in-person anymore. But the most memorable experience was our wax labs because we were all so excited about learning about teeth and working with instruments. It was enjoyable, too, because we would talk and laugh while sculpting the teeth with wax.
In your opinion, what has been the most impactful discovery in dentistry?
I believe inventing toothbrushes and toothpaste has been the most significant discovery in the field because it prevents caries, toothache, and having bad breath! I can’t imagine living in a world where toothbrushes and toothpaste don’t exist!!!
What is something little known about you?
Although I’m a nurse and a dentist-to-be, I have a phobia of getting needled for blood labs for any medical reason. Not many people know this fact about me except for my nurse colleagues at the hospital and my close friends. I know it may not seem to make sense, especially when taken together with the fact that I work at the hemodialysis department, and I insert at least 6-8 needles per shift!
What is one experience that you have had that you feel others can learn from?
I am used to studying in libraries and cafes where there are people around me, so that I don’t feel isolated and alone. During the pandemic, I had no option but to stay home. Still, thanks to YouTube, I was able to access videos of coffee shop noises or even library noises, which were super helpful for me, especially to keep me company during the nights before the final exams.
What is something you wish you knew before entering dental school?
I wish I knew we would have to practice local anesthesia and nerve blocks on each other because that would have changed the whole story! Kidding! But I had done my research about the job as a dentist and life as a dental student, and nothing took me off guard when I entered dental school (except the anesthetic exercise).
Do you have any advice you would like to give to future cohorts of dental students?
Don’t do drugs and stay in school! Kidding, of course! The best advice would be to try to participate in class activities as much as possible because you will spend a lot of time together in the preclinic and labs, and it's your opportunity to get to know your colleagues on a more personal level. Also, try to enjoy life while you’re at school and don’t overwhelm yourselves with studying 24/7, because you can’t do it for 4 years without burning out.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I like the idea of having a Time-Turner like the one Hermione Granger had, so whenever I want, I can travel in time and spend more time in the moments that I enjoy most. This would be especially useful in pandemics and lockdown.
What is the most "useless" talent you have?
I know all the dialogues in the F.R.I.E.N.D.S TV show. Because it’s my favourite TV show and I usually watch it when I’m happy or sad, in sickness and in health ☺.
What is the funniest way that you’ve been injured?
In high school, my volleyball team lost a game. I got mad, and I tried to kick the net, and my leg got tangled in the net, so I fell and broke my wrist. That was the last time that I played volleyball...
What is your favorite way to pass time in Montreal?
I love going to spas in the winter, which is why winter is my favourite season!