29
Volume1 Issue7
|
I
ssues and
P
eople
Clinician-Scientist in theMaking:
DR.ZEESHANSHEIKH
CDA:
Whydidyouchoose researchover
privatepractice?
Dr.ZeeshanSheikh:
When Iwasworking
as a full-timeclinician, it didn’t takeme
long to realize that Iwasnot entirely
satisfiedwithmy job. Being in researchand
academiaprovidesmewith the intellectual
stimulation that Iwasmissing inapurely
clinical setting. I’vebeenan inquisitive soul
sincechildhood. Nothingmakesmemore
excited than theprospect of aquestion that
needspondering.Myaim is tobecomea
researcher/academic/clinicianandpromote
dental health researchandeducationacross
Canada.
Whatdoyou thinkare thekey factors
determiningsuccess ina researchcareer?
Hardworkandperseverancealwayspayoff.
But, inour competitive times, success cannot
beensuredbymerelyputting inhours. Every
candidateapplying for aprofessorshiphas
degrees andpublications; you shouldbring
other attributes to the table togiveyou
andedgeover theother candidates. I feel
that theNetwork for CanadianOral Health
Research (NCOHR) plays an important role
in this, as it provides agreat platform for
students andyoung researchers tobuild their
networkand start collaborations.
Educated inKarachi, Pakistan, andLondon,England,Dr.ZeeshanSheikhworked for twoyears as a clinicianbefore
deciding topursuehis interests indental research (on the fabricationand characterizationof bone grafts) inCanada.He
recently completedhisPhDatMcGillUniversity’s facultyof dentistryand is poised tobeginapostdoctoral fellowshipat the
UniversityofToronto.CDA spokewithDr. Sheikhabouthisdecision to followa career in research.
ZeeshanSheikh
BDS,PhD
Whyaren’tmoreyoungdentistspursuing
careers in research?
Financial security is theprimary reason, inmy
opinion. After graduation, theopportunity
towork inaclinicandmakemoney topay
off student loans isprobablyoneof themain
reasons that youngdentistsdon’t followa
career in research.
Secondly, not everyone is cut out tobe in
research. It requireshoursof dedication
andhardwork, and sometimes thereareno
results to show for it.
And thirdly, there is a lackof awareness and
knowledgeamongyoungdentists about
careers in full- or part-time research. The
annual NCOHRworkshopsprovidedental
undergraduate studentswithanopportunity
tomeet andbe inspiredbyclinicianswhoare
in research.
Whohavebeenyourmost important
careermentors?
I havebeenblessedwithhavinggreat
mentorswhohavealwaysguidedme in the
right direction:myMSc supervisor,
Dr. Ihteshamur Rehman;myPhD supervisor,
Dr. JakeBarralet; Dr. FalehTamimi; and
Dr.Walter Siqueirahaveall playedacritical
role inmyprofessional development.
The annualNCOHRworkshops provide dental
undergraduate studentswithan opportunity tomeet
andbe inspiredby clinicianswhoare in research.
Hear the full
audio interviewat
