Students Team up for Success in 'Houses'
RSDM students in their 'house' shirts
The Harry Potter series had Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. RSDM has the "houses" of Poseidon, Prometheus, Gaia and Aether. The names may be different but the concept is the same.
The RSDM houses organize students into four groups – each with a mix of first through fourth-year students -- to foster a sense of camaraderie and support, with more experienced students guiding newer ones. The houses, which represent the four elements -- water, fire, earth and air -- aren’t located in a specific place but function more like teams.
Dr. Herminio Perez, director of Student and Multicultural Affairs, calls them “learning communities,’’ an idea pioneered in the 1970s to help students with similar goals and missions learn and socialize together.
“We wanted a way to integrate all the different classes from the freshman to the seniors. Previously, it seemed like there was a gap between the first two years and the last two years,'' says Perez.
At RSDM, each house has a faculty advisor and members study certain required academic modules together, such as Gross Anatomy and Intro to the Dental Profession. In addition to social and academic activities, the houses also ensure that third-year students will be grouped with fellow house member when they begin clinical rotations.
"It helps students get an idea of what to expect during the transition from being a student in lecture to putting into practice what we learned,'' says Mary Thompson, a second year student who belongs to the house of Prometheus, which represents the element of fire. "Transitioning into the clinic can be an intimidating process but with the relationships we have built with our fellow House members, I believe it will be a smooth and exciting experience,''
A major goal of the program is to help ease the isolation and uncertainty that can result from the adjustment to dental school, says Perez.
“There is a process of adaptation and many don’t know how to cope,’’ he explains. “An important part of the house is to promote wellness, for students to feel like there’s someone who can look out for them and help them.''
The formation of houses has been popular in medical school for several years, but RSDM decided to introduce it to dental school students in 2013. Students were responsible for naming the houses and developing a plan for how the program would evolve. They decided to name them after the four natural elements, while third-year student Brian Meulener, an artist, designed logos and tee shirts.
"This has been an amazing experience for me to assist the first-years within my house and any other underclassmen who need advice,'' says William Mitchell, a second-year student and leader of the House of Gaia, which symbolizes earth. "My hope is to let this tradition grow, with each incoming class forming new ideas and group activities."
Adds Thompson, "The houses have allowed us build professional relationships that are almost critical to navigate dental school with success. Whether an upperclassmen needs an assistant in the clinic, or a second-year student has questions on how to prepare for the NBDE I exam, this has become a great resource. As a second year student myself, I can say that the most helpful advice I've received has come directly from my peers in the classes above me."
