Liz Wimberg

“Dentistry was a childhood dream of mine,” says Liz Wimberg (Pre-Health Programs, University of Pennsylvania ’23). “I wanted to either be the president of the United States, or a dentist.” As a college student and graduate, however, Liz was drawn toward creative studies and social justice: she pursued an interdisciplinary undergraduate curriculum, worked in immigration law, and apprenticed in the kitchen of a fine dining restaurant. Ultimately, in her search for a profession that combined skillful hands-on work as well as academic knowledge, Liz found her way back to dentistry—but she knew she would need a strong science background to get into dental school. “There are so many post-bacc programs for med students, but not as many targeted toward pre-dental students,” she says. Penn’s Pre-Health Programs offered the preparation she needed—and opportunities for leadership and connection.

At Penn, Liz followed the Core Studies track to take the biology, chemistry, and physics courses required for dental school. “I thought it was going to be more impossible than it was,” she reflects. “Coming from a humanities background, I’m accustomed to grades based on papers—I haven’t had to cram for a test or think about multiple choice techniques in some time. So that was definitely an adjustment for me.” Liz found support in her peers and study groups as well as from office hours with professors. She also found that her previous studies in the humanities were a benefit to her science education. “Some of the courses have been very reading intensive, studying scientific journal articles and doing research projects, not to mention application essay writing, writing papers, even lab reports,” she says. “Having a strong grasp on rhetoric has really been useful for me.”

In addition to balancing academics and working part-time as an orthodontic assistant, Liz has been involved with a number of student groups. She is the co-president of the Pre-Dental Society, a hub for the cluster of pre-dental students within the larger Penn Pre-Health community. Liz and her peers also founded groups for Art in Medicine (AIM) and Queer and Allied Students in Healthcare (QASH). “Those came about organically out of student interests,” she says. “There’s only so much that you can get to know about your classmates in these nighttime classes, when people are tired from work. So we wanted social interest clubs where people could connect and work together.”

Liz advises new Pre-Health students to find ways to maintain connections to their loved ones, and to their sense of self. “You are taking these classes and developing these skills so that you can help other people. And the first way you can help someone else is by maintaining your own stability, joy, and peace,” she says. “Sometimes you’re so deep in the pits of organic chemistry that you forget that you’re a person, with interests and passions that make you whole.” For her own part, Liz finds that her previous career experiences help ground her and remind her of her strengths and experience. As an apprentice chef, for example, her role required the ability to work well under pressure, handle fine instruments with precision, and coordinate with other skilled professionals—all toward the goal of providing a service that fulfills a need as well as an aesthetic. “I was overjoyed to find so many parallels between cooking and dentistry,” she reflects. “Both require skill, an artistic eye, and some degree of empathy and interest in humanity.”

Now that her post-baccalaureate coursework is complete, Liz is making the most of her time before dental school: While she plans to apply next summer, she will continue working in dental practices and shadowing in the meantime. “Most of the dentists that I've met have been really welcoming and kind, and also extremely enthusiastic about the profession. That has definitely helped me persist through some hard times, knowing that there is a wonderful career on the other side where I can really help people, be fulfilled, and be creative.” She is also considering options for her gap year such as teaching English or coaching sports; having been a teaching assistant for one of her Penn biology courses, Liz rekindled a passion for teaching and an interest in potentially pursuing a dual degree in education and dentistry. “Everything is coming full circle,” she concludes. “Overall, I know it’s going to be worth it when I get out on the other side.”