THEY WERE THE WORDS that changed her life, prefaced with: “What are you doing?”
Recalling the moment, Dr. Abiodun Oni still can’t quite believe how Dr. Josh Bresler, associate professor of pediatrics, turned around her confidence and the direction of her career.
It was August 17, 2023—she’ll never forget the day—when she came in for pediatrics rotation on a Thursday, a day Bresler was usually in the clinic. “He pulled me aside,” she says. ‘What do you mean you’re not applying for a pediatrics residency? I see the care you give these kids, how you interact with them. This is something you’re supposed to be doing.”’
Explains Oni: “I had been ready to let the deadline pass because I had this imposter syndrome. I didn’t think I was good enough or smart enough. It’s sad to say but that’s really what I was thinking.”
Helping her flip a switch, Bresler told her to apply that day, promising to write a recommendation letter within 48 hours. “I thought I would do general dentistry, but that stopped me in my tracks,” she says. “If he hadn’t stopped me, I don’t think I would be in this position today, and I’m so grateful.”
A challenging residency
Now in a residency program at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in New York City, Oni still hears from Bresler. “I’ve reached out to him and given him small updates. And he’s just so proud of the work I’m doing, saying that he saw it in me all this time.”
Asked what she thinks of the Jamaica program, she is enthusiastic. “I am loving the experience because it’s so challenging in the best way. I’m being pushed to learn to treat any kid from any walk of life. Jamaica is the feeder hospital from JFK International Airport, so if there’s any emergency or program at the airport, they come here.”
She continues, “Because of that, we see children from all continents of the world. Some don’t speak English. Some have special healthcare or behavioral needs. They’re mostly underserved, and I’m learning how to treat them with the highest standard of dentistry possible.”
Obviously passionate about her work, she says, “This is exactly what I was looking for in a residency program. This is what I want to do for literally the rest of my life.”
Preparation for this future, she explains, certainly began with Temple Dental’s very diverse client population. But what was particularly helpful at the school, she says, was working in clusters. “Temple’s requirements are high, and in clusters I would often get the difficult patients. That was really good training—pediatrics is all about treating kids who are hard to manage.”
Network of alumni
Because Oni is a National Health Service Corps Scholar, she will indeed be working in an underserved community somewhere in the U.S. Helping her as she follows this journey will be other alumni in addition to Bresler. “I’m in contact with at least five different Temple Dental alumni,” she notes, adding that she met them through the Student National Dental Association’s alumni Zoom talks.
“Dr. Montero and Dr. McDaniel have been especially helpful,” she says. “Since D1 year, I’ve been talking with them about how to move forward. What do I need to do? What kind of grades do I need? What is it like as a person of color coming into the dental field? So I have this community, this village that is providing such great mentorship.”
“Temple’s requirements are high, and in clusters I would often get the difficult patients. That was really good training—pediatrics is all about treating kids who are hard to manage.”