Tanner Olson '17
Name: Tanner Olson
Graduating Class: 2017
Major: Psychological Science
Story:
Hey y’all, my name is Tanner Olson! I am currently a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College. Following graduation, I will be moving to San Francisco to begin dental school. Outside of school I love to exercise, travel, and spend time with my family. I hail from the great state of North Dakota, but I’m ready to trade in these harsh winters for the California climate!
I ended up choosing Gustavus for its small class sizes, strong science departments, and frost-your-owns. I would encourage anyone who is thinking pre-health to look at Gustavus. If you put in the work, our professors and campus resources will invest time and energy into making sure you succeed!
I entered college thinking medicine was the direction I wanted, but after shadowing and speaking with physicians I decided to explore dentistry as a career. The combination of surgery and an optimal work-life balance appealed to me, and I would encourage anyone who is seeking these qualities to explore dentistry!
My decision was confirmed after shadowing dentists in various specialties. One shadowing experience led me to Park River, ND, a town with a population below 1,500. After several patients showed up with no insurance or previous dental care, I saw the impact a dentist can make in rural and underserved areas throughout the United States. Beginning my senior year at Gustavus, I was connected to an oral surgeon in Mankato, MN and have worked as a lab/anesthesia assistant at his clinic for the past eight months. The hands-on experience and learning opportunities have proven invaluable and excite me for the long-road ahead!
Top Five Activities/Experiences:
- Gustie Greeters
- Wallenberg Intern-youth leader for a summer camp in Gothenburg, Sweden
- Elders Program Lead Coordinator
- Chemistry Dept. Teaching Assistant
- Undergraduate Research Assistant-NDSU Animal Science Department
Advice:
- Don’t let the dental or medical pre-requisites determine your major! Majoring outside of the typical Chemistry, Biology, and Biochemistry fields allowed me to find balance in my time at Gustavus and provided me with opportunities to stand out from “typical” applicants. Admission committees encourage you to major in what you are interested in, and I found it only helped me when I was the only Psychological Science major in a room full on science majors! Professors at Gustavus help you make it work and I never had a problem fulfilling a pre-requisite or registering for an upper-level science class I needed.
- While not required, research experience can help you become a more well-rounded applicant and set your application apart from other students. It can be hard to fit in research at Gustavus when you’re trying to maintain a high GPA and study for the DAT so consider pursuing research in the summer (and it doesn’t have to be at Gustavus!) I would encourage you to check with your home institution-in the Spring of my first year, I knew I wanted to do research and live at home so I contacted various professors with labs at North Dakota State University. Coming back from Easter break, I was offered three positions! In short, remember that you are not limited to research at Gustavus, there are also other opportunities!
- Lastly, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and maintaining a social life are healthy and show balance, but remember that GPA and DAT scores are of the utmost importance. Before looking at other activities, admission committees will ensure you can perform in school and test well, so focus on what’s important!
Future Plans: I will be attending the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry beginning next fall (Class of 2021). After obtaining my DDS, I want to supplement time spent in private practice with community clinics in the U.S. and abroad to ensure equitable access to dental care for the LGBT and other underserved communities.
Updated 4/25/2017 TN