A day in the life of

A day in the life of Wei-Long Chen is rigorously planned out. Mornings start with the preparation of the materials. Then he talks with patients, looks at specific problems and makes diagnoses. After that, fillings and dentures are inserted, root canals made, and bridges built. Wei-Long Chen is 24 years old, was born in Berlin and is in the tenth semester of his Dental Medicine studies at the Charité. Naturally, the treatment of patients is carried out under the supervision of the experienced doctors of the Dental Medical Institute. Chen likes this practice-oriented training. He’s being prepared for his later professional life early on. In the afternoon, he visits lectures and seminars, such as the courses on Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation in the case of advanced atrophy of the alveolar ridge following tooth loss or Further endodontic treatment of obliterated root canals. Somewhere in between, he also spends time in the laboratory and writes his doctoral thesis. After completing his thesis, Wei-Long Chen would like to continue working at the clinic. He finds the mixture of patient care and research stimulating.

When asked why he chose to study dental medicine, he says mischievously: “There were a couple of TV series about it…” In addition, he also had great technical dexterity and enjoyed delicate handicrafts and building work. Dental medicine seemed the perfect way to combine those talents. The enthusiasm with which Wei-Long Chen talks about his daily work and his studies leaves one in no doubt that dentistry was the right career choice for him.

As a native Berliner, it was clear to him from the start that, as a study location, the Charité is the number one choice. Thanks to achieving a final school graduation mark of 1.4, he was accepted right away. Since 2013, he’s been receiving a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship grant – a support for students with outstanding academic achievements who are also actively engaged in service to society. Wei-Long Chen helps out at the Berlin Sports Federation and a dragon boat club, where he conveys to children and their parents how important sport is – not only for health, but also for children’s development and their integration into society. Doing sport also helps Wei-Long Chen himself to switch off from work and focus on other things after a carefully planned, demanding day of studying.

April 2017 / TO