As a rising D3, I can confidently say that the past academic year has been the hardest journey of my life thus far. Amidst finals season, I am striving to do my best on the last round of exams before beginning the transition into third year clinic. I am eager to start the process of translating the knowledge we have learned in our core classes, into care that will be provided for patients. However, I want to take time to reflect on my second year of dental school and how it shaped me to be the person I am today.
I remember the month we had off in June before starting D2. It was a breath of fresh air and a time of relaxation before starting a year with a heavier workload as we transitioned back into a normal curriculum after COVID restrictions lessened. It was an exciting stretch as we all threw ourselves at the amplified opportunities NYU Dentistry presented us. We were finally able to spend more quality time with our peers who we were mostly interacting with via Zoom. We were able to dedicate more time to improving our hand skills as the labs were open longer. A heightened sense of community and stronger friendships were forming amongst our group practice. I felt grateful to be part of an institution that provided us with so many opportunities to grow and become competent health providers. Whether it was from the comprehensive material we learned in didactic courses, the help given from TA’s and assisting doctors in lab sessions, or the leadership positions I attained through extracurricular clubs – everything seemed to be falling into place and I was content with this ongoing voyage of my dental education.
Challenges ensued as August came around. The course Diagnosis of Oral Disease, amongst others, was a tough one for us all. With multiple practicals laced in between courses, the busy schedule became second nature to us. We had assimilated to the fast paced nature of NYUCD and we were preparing ourselves to take on more. It was October when our second round of midterms came around. That’s when my reality took a turn for the worst.
I had made a group of close friends at dental school over the past year. I did everything dental related with Noreen and Jamie. We were constantly together and known as the trio of Dr. Oen’s GP. These two friends were reliable, friendly and such bright and positive individuals and I felt blessed to have them by my side through dental school. On one Thursday morning, Noreen and I noticed that Jamie did not come in on time for our Simulation Fixed Implant Course for which we had a practical. It was unlike her to be late and when we became worried we reached out to a friend of hers. It was then that we found out that she was killed the day before in a homicide case. I knew dental school would never be the same after this. I had never lost anyone in my life at such a young age– especially not a friend who I saw almost every day. It was truly the hardest and most heart-wrenching time I had ever endeavored. I didn’t know what to do or how to react, whether to take a break from school or to fully immerse myself in it. While being in denial, I kept myself busy with school work and social events so that I could think about anything else. With everything going on, I was internally battling the hardest stages of anxiety and depression. I started to lose hope and did not understand the purpose of life when it could be taken away so easily.
Jamie worked extremely hard to get to the position she was in. I knew because we had undertaken an almost identical path to get to NYUCD. We met on a dental brigade to the Dominican Republic through Stony Brook University where we completed our undergraduate career. We then both obtained our Masters in Biomedical in Science at Rutgers University and then were somehow both placed in the same group practice at NYUCD. Although our friendship did not become intimate until we started dental school, our united past had made us that much closer.
As months went by, Noreen and I really leaned on each other for support. We were going through the same struggle and it was comforting to have each other to communicate our emotions. Almost 8 months later, I still feel Jamie’s loss. Moving forward, I am continuing to try to do my best academically and clinically not only for me and my future, but also for Jamie and her legacy. My second year of dental school will always be all about Jamie. She deserved every milestone we achieved, every exam and practical we conquered, and every moment of joy and pride this career will provide us. This one is for you, Jamie.
Jamie Liang
10/30/1996 – 10/13/2021
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