Back in March, my daily vocabulary seemed to revolve heavily around three words: epicenter, pandemic, and unprecedented. “How New York City Became the Epicenter of the Coronavirus Pandemic” was plastered on every news outlet’s headline. Suddenly, the excitement of beginning residency was overshadowed by these unprecedented times. It became exceedingly difficult to picture myself meeting my co-residents, attending lectures, or working in the clinic in New York City.
Fast forward six months, and we are currently in the clinic seeing patients for consults and records. In my prior academic experience, I was always focused on being organized and maintaining structure in order to succeed. This experience has forced me to dispel that notion, and rather go with the flow and be flexible. Instead of planning my days down to the minute, I have learned to take it day-by-day and acclimate to the situation. Although this was not the residency experience initially envisioned, I am excited to be a part of a community of professionals trained to be adaptable and solve problems on the go.
Dr. Taylor Paek, DMD
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine