As a young immigrant and former refugee, I came to this country full of hope and dreams for a new life that would enable me to pursue my passions, help others, and leave a lasting legacy. I have always wanted to work in healthcare, an opportunity that was never afforded to me while living abroad. After much consideration, I chose the field of dentistry as my path.

Having already earned a college degree in Europe in another field, I knew the amount of hard work and commitment that I had to put into my efforts in order to succeed. Not only did I have to start from zero, as foreign degrees are not accepted in the United States, but I also had to get used to a new education system and face barriers unique to foreigners starting a life in a new country.

I immersed myself in the educational process and worked on completing prerequisite courses that would ultimately enable me to add my name to a three-year waiting list for a dental hygiene program at a local community college. While on the waitlist for dental hygiene, I completed an 8-month dental assisting program and worked as a dental assistant for nearly three years. Looking back, I now realize that being proactive with my education contributed to my success in the intense program that I was about to embark on.

It was during that time that I was inspired to become an educator. My professors modeled the type of teacher that I wanted to become and gave me the foundation and confidence to pursue that dream. My journey was not easy. In order to become a didactic and clinical educator, I had to pursue two additional degrees beyond the one I had already earned. Therefore, as I began my career in clinical dentistry, life did not slow down. I continued to pursue my education part time while working full time as a dental hygienist and raising two children. Ultimately, 10 years later, I was hired as adjunct faculty in a dental hygiene program. Several years after that, while completing my Master of Science degree, I was offered a teaching position at A.T. Still University's Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH).

Being an educator in dental school brought with it new challenges that I met with enthusiasm. Having received some graduate training in pedagogy and bringing with me experience from my previous teaching position, I felt confident in my ability to design and deliver curriculum, provide clinical education, and lead students in research. I also deeply appreciated the opportunity to give back through various platforms that came with my new position and strong support from ATSU. I worked on bringing attention to barriers in oral care access for underserved populations. I joined forces with the St. Louis Give Kids a Smile organization and the International Institute of St. Louis to help immigrants and refugees in need of oral health education and dental care access.

Having had the opportunity to conduct research and work with patients from ethnically and linguistically diverse communities, I realized the depth of the problem in our community and the limitations I had in designing community and educational programs, as well as seeking collaborations while in my current position. Moreover, I wanted to contribute to enhancing the cultural sensitivity of our students and to incorporate more cultural education components into our dental program and its curriculum through creating meaningful and robust partnerships with community organizations serving the underserved segments of our community. I also envisioned partnering with organizations serving immigrants to create educational pathways for entering the dental profession. I believe that increasing diversity of dental providers could lead to increased access to care for immigrants and refugees.

I decided to work toward becoming a program administrator. In order to be promoted and gain expertise necessary for my growth, I elected to pursue a Doctoral Degree in Education. I was delighted to find out that ATSU's College of Graduate Health Sciences (ATSU-CGHS) offers an online Doctor of Education in Health Professions Education (EdD) degree. Not only does this program focus on health professions education curriculum and instruction, it also prepares its graduates for leadership roles in advancing community health. It builds foundational knowledge necessary for creating innovative and translational solutions to problems that exist in healthcare today.

While in the EdD program, I experienced substantial personal and professional growth. The program is well structured to fit into a busy life. From the start, I felt supported, encouraged, and listened to. The professors were always available to answer questions and provide guidance. The doctoral research project not only enhanced my research skills but also gave me an opportunity to investigate language barriers in dental care and implement an innovative solution that made a real difference for patients with limited English proficiency. The yearlong project culminated in an article that was published in an international medical journal.

As I continue on my journey, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to enroll in and graduate from the EdD program at ATSU. I am looking forward to the leadership and educational opportunities that this degree will afford and the impact that I will be able to make on our students, program, and community.