What does ASDA really stand for?
As we begin to adjust to life in the new semester, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the daunting future your schedule holds. Maybe looking into just the next week is enough to stimulate heart palpitations. But this year, I challenge you all to step out of your comfort zone and take a step to invest in the future of our profession. I challenge you to find what motivates you and become actively involved. I know this sounds crazy. With so many important items already on your to-do list, how could you possibly think about getting more involved with an organization and have yet another task added to your list?! But my question to you is, how could you not?
When I was a pre-dental student just out of college, I joined ASDA and learned what it meant to be a unified student body and the importance of generating a collaborative force for the dental profession. The importance of making our voice heard and taking a step towards progressive change to better the outcomes for our patients and creating a more ethical workforce is of upmost importance to the future of our profession. Joining ASDA has been the best decision I have made thus far in my career as a professional student. What you can get out of ASDA is a direct correlation of the effort you put into the organization. The ASDA acronym stands for the American Student Dental Association, but it surprisingly has a different meaning for each student.
Here is what ASDA means to me:
A: Accountability
ASDA has introduced me to numerous students across the country that have encouraged me throughout my journey in dental school and pushed me to grow as a leader. It has provided a great support system with so many new friends that go through similar struggles as we learn to navigate this life in dental school. This network of dental students helps create a sense of belonging and has made the biggest impact on my attitude in school.
S: Savvy
Houston ASDA knows when there is a will there is a way. If there is a cavity we will fill it. If there is a need we will address it. Whenever a void is felt in our organization we step up to create a committee or an event to service that need. I love the innovation we have seen this year and the growth it has provided for our chapter.
D: Dedicated
Our ASDA chapter is dedicated to service outreach in our community and to providing opportunities to give back. I love the dedication to pre-dental involvement our chapter encourages rock-star applicants to choose our school as their home. We are dedicated to our advocacy efforts and educating students at our school how their voice can be heard.
A: Accomplished
I could not be more proud of our ASDA chapter here at Houston. We continue to work to become the Ideal ASDA chapter and it never ceases to amaze me how much we can accomplish with this team. I am so proud to be one of the leaders in this chapter and love that I can call Houston ASDA my home.