Think about a time from your research, work, or volunteer experience when you had to work with a difficult team member while still meeting a clear deadline or objective. What was the context, what specific steps did you take to address the situation, and what did you learn that you would bring to group work and clinical teams in dental school?

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In my third year, I was part of a public‑health outreach project planning an oral‑health fair for about 150 low‑income families. One team member consistently missed deadlines and dismissed feedback, and we were three weeks away with only about 40% of the logistics finalized. Instead of escalating immediately, I asked to meet one‑on‑one and focused on understanding his perspective. It turned out he was juggling a part‑time job and felt his ideas weren’t being heard. We agreed to rebalance tasks, putting him in charge of sponsor outreach, and I paired short check‑ins with clear, shared timelines in a Google Sheet. Our follow‑through rate with families improved from a projected 60% to 85%, and we secured four community sponsors. I learned that early, direct but respectful conversations and transparent planning tools can turn conflict into collaboration, which is exactly how I’d approach clinical team dynamics.

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