Maddi McConnaughhay, a fourth-year dental student, is currently serving as the national vice-chair for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA)’s Council of Students, Residents and Fellows (COSRF). The group encourages students, residents and fellows to consider careers in academia.
Due to being on the COSRF board, she had the opportunity to participate in ADEA’s Joint Council Administrative Board (JCAB) meeting which involves ADEA leaders from across the country. The group meets to discuss current issues facing dental students and works together to determine possible solutions.
What are some of the projects you've worked on this year?
For COSRF, to encourage students, residents and fellows to consider careers in academia, we organized a panel discussion. Four faculty members talked about why they first got interested in academia and described their career paths. During JCAB, we discussed how schools can best support students during COVID-19. We talked about the importance of student wellness and encouraging ADEA chapters to offer students virtual wellness events. The challenge we had was how to help students create effective virtual events that are well attended.
What have you learned through serving in these leadership roles?
I've learned how much dental students have in common, no matter what school they are from. Being an ADEA student leader has been a great way to connect with students from other schools. I've learned how to solve problems in a team and have built relationships with people I will connect with after graduation. We all have similar goals and mindsets about dental education and our careers. I'm now part of this group of people who I can look up to and lean on and talk through residency applications.
What would you say to other students who are interested in taking on national leadership roles?
I always tell other students that even if you are just thinking about it, go ahead and apply! Being an ADEA student leader has been one of the most instrumental things I’ve done in dental school. No matter what career path you think you want to take, serving in leadership roles gives you a different perspective and a better understanding of how large the dental field is and how much there is to explore.