For the senior class, the month of February is still in the beginning of the new 2015 year, a reminder that the last semester of high school is upon us and soon we will be thrust into the real world. Luckily, CPHS did not leave the senior class ill prepared – through COOL Week (Career Opportunities on Location), participating students got to visit a career location of their choice and spend the week learning how the occupation truly works. For some, this experience reaffirmed their dream job, while others got to figure out what they don’t want to be stuck doing before it was too late.

Because of my interest in the medical field and of people in general, I visited an orthodontist office in hopes of getting a feel for how my life will play out if I decide to pursue the title of orthodontist. At the lovely Wired Orthodontics, I was not disappointed. Wired Orthodontics was an amazing experience for me, and I learned a lot about the field, as well as about my future.

1. Orthodontistry is all about people

I could not recommend this job to anyone who wouldn’t want to be around people all day. The incredibly friendly staff were close with each other as well as their patients. Because orthodontistry doesn’t experience dire situations (like most medical fields would), schedules are made in such a way that they get an hour long lunch, and everyone eats and talks together. It was great to connect to the staff and the patients.

2. I would have to work, hard

Orthodontistry is no simple field. Most orthodontists require ten to eleven years after high school in college: four years undergrad, four years dental school, and two to three years in an orthodontic graduate program, because it’s a specialization. Dr. Chris, the Wired Orthodontist, stressed the importance of education and frugality – orthodontists do get a fat paycheck, but keep in mind the amount of student loans from the amount of schooling it takes.

3. If I’m ready for the challenges, I would be incredibly happy in orthodontics

Wired Orthodontics opened my eyes to how a job is different from an occupation. I could honestly see myself in those black scrubs, connecting to my orthodontic assistance technicians and giving my patients beautiful, healthy smiles. I only got to shadow the work (because obviously I couldn’t give it a go yet), and every minute was a lot of fun. I couldn’t see myself thinking of it as “work;” instead, it would be my life, and I’m perfectly okay with that.

For anyone who doesn’t have an extremely concrete future plan (and that’s most people), I highly recommend COOL Week. It’s exciting, interesting, and eye-opening. Mrs. Powell did an excellent job of coordinating everyone and everything and I would trust her to plan out the senior COOL Week again and again – take advantage of the opportunity she is organizing. I can guarantee that whether you find out what you really want to do or what you really don’t want to do, you will not regret it.