WVU dental school orthodontics department hosts student for research apprenticeship program
It is typically rare to see a freshman or sophomore undergraduate student at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry. Dental hygiene students don’t attend clinic and lab courses at the dental school until the junior year of their baccalaureate program. Doctor of dental surgery students begin their predoctoral program after having already completed an undergraduate degree program.
When the new semester kicks off in fall 2022, a younger scholar will be a temporary addition to the school’s orthodontics department. The unique opportunity is granted through the Office of Undergraduate Research’s Research Apprentice Program (RAP).
RAP is a two-semester experience that partners WVU freshmen and sophomores with professors and faculty across the university to “expand opportunities for students and facilitate their introduction to the concept of scholarship while learning the research or scholarly methods in their field.”
Dr. Peter Ngan, department chair, and Dr. Khaled Alsharif, orthodontics residency program director, both RAP mentors, will be paired with biology honors student and Morgantown native, Liza Wan.
Through the experience, Wan, a 2022 Bucklew Scholar, will make significant contributions to research led by Drs. Ngan and Alsharif.
Wan could have the possibility to continue collaborating on research with her mentors for the duration of her undergraduate experience at WVU.
In an article about the Bucklew Scholar, Wan is described as seeking to “bridge her interests in art and healthcare.” At the time she was awarded with the scholarship, Wan was “considering a career as a prosthodontist to help those recovering from drug addiction and others in need.”
West Virginia University is designated as a Carnegie R1 institution for the level of scientific activity and graduate education on campus. Keeping with the overall university priority, the dental school is investing significant resources to advance new clinical, basic and translational research capabilities to augment the teaching mission based on the school’s strategic plan.
By participating as RAP members, Drs. Ngan and Alsharif are working in alignment with the University and dental school missions.