Q. What aspects of your MCB degree program best helped you prepare for your career?
A. The rigor of the curriculum prepared me well for the even more fast-paced learning environment of dental school. Learning how the science is actually done, from faculty who are at the forefront of their fields, provided me with a foundation that I still use today when appraising scientific studies that have implications for how I treat my patients.
Q. How did you decide on your current career path?
A. I wanted to be in a field that was intellectually stimulating and focused on providing a tangible benefit to others. I was inspired to pursue an academic career through my exposure to the amazing faculty at Berkeley but also figured out that a PhD was not for me. Dentistry ended up being the right choice for me. I eventually was able to identify the niche of oral pathology and oral oncology which now gives me the opportunity to solve hard diagnostic and clinical challenges in service of making patients whole.
Q. Share your favorite Berkeley lunch place, coffee shop, landmark study spot...etc.
A. The view from the Lawrence Hall of Science. Getting breakfast from Baker and Commons.