First-Year DMD Students Receive Warm Welcome From Older “Siblings”

Ever been slightly overwhelmed by a new situation and wish that you had someone to turn to? Students from the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) chapter of ASDA know that for many, this is how it feels during your first year of Dental School. Which is why for the past several years they have been organizing the Big Brother/Big Sister Program.

This year the Program officially launched on September 8, during a lunch-time meet-and-greet event on the Talbot Green. Forty-five first-year DMD students were paired with 71 older DMD students. This year there was an overwhelming response from the older DMD students, so some first-year students lucked out with more than one Big Brother or Big Sister.

Rachel Lukas DMD 13 serves as the ASDA Second-Year DMD Class Representative and was in charge of pairing the students. She said, "I paired students based on things like hometowns, undergraduate colleges, and common interests. In general, the pairings are an informal way to help the first-year students with their transition to Dental School. The Bigs have volunteered to be a support system or a "go-to" person for the first-year students by sharing their own personal experiences over the past year (or two, or three)."

Caitlin Reddy DMD 13 volunteered to be a Big Sister this year because, "…when I was a first year, my Big Sister really helped me whenever I had questions. It’s a big adjustment starting professional school and, as a first-year, it was nice to have someone who had been through it already to talk with and ask for help and advice when needed. Now that I’m a second-year, I wanted to be there in the same way for a first-year to try to make the adjustment easier, if possible." 

Her Little Sister, Kelsey Hill DMD 14, added, "I decided to join the Program to meet other dental students and to learn from them. My Big Sister, Caitlin, has already been very helpful to me. She told me what things to expect as far as classes go, but she also gave me a lot of insight regarding the APEX Program." Hill continued, "Initially, I thought it might be a bit uncomfortable going to lunch with someone I didn’t know, but it wasn’t at all! In fact, we have already e-mailed a few times since we met and I hope to hang out with her again soon. Overall, I think the program is very helpful and is a great opportunity to meet new people, gain insight about the School, and learn from the people who have already been in your shoes." 

Lukas’s Little Sister, Meghan Graham DMD 14, pointed out that some first-year students already had connections at GSDM, but for others a Program like this is invaluable. "I know I have classmates who already knew an older DMD student before they got to BU and therefore already had someone to go to for advice and information. But for me, I didn’t know anyone, so this Program was one that I definitely did not hesitate to join. My Big Sister is very open to making herself available to me, and she has shared advice and helpful tips without me even having to ask. It’s very comforting to know there’s someone who is genuinely willing to help make my first-year experience a little bit better in whatever way they can."

Big Sister, Elizabeth Ponder DMD 13, echoed Graham’s sentiment about not knowing anyone and how this Program can help, "I remember how lost I felt many times last year, in terms of both school and the transition to Boston. I moved up here without really knowing anybody, so this year I wanted to be able to help out a first-year who may be new to the city and who is certainly new to Dental School. I wanted to have the opportunity to pass along the advice I wish I’d been given last year. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my Little Sister and doing the little bit I can to help her adjust to the rigors of first year."