Transcription
Hi everybody. Um, I'm grateful for Dr. Hernandez today. She's actually a recently accepted candidate. Dr. Hernandez originally is from Cuba and uh, she came to Florida and she graduated in 2014. Came to Florida after a couple of years, worked here, became a DA, became a hygienist and then applied to CAPID. And I was fortunate that I got to talk to her, her husband and I was a part of her journey in the admission process. I was working with her through the fellowship program and I've been fortunate that she got accepted recently and I wanted her to come and talk to me and with other people especially Hispanic candidates so they can uh understand her journey, the challenges she got through and got accepted in her first cycle.
So hola doctor uh thank you for coming. Thank you >> doctor. How are you today? >> I'm doing good for >> having me today. >> Good. Good. The people who are watching is you will laugh at this before we started recording. I was trying to learn some Spanish these days. So I was discussing and it was really funny. But uh first of all doc thank you very much. I'm very grateful to you and your husband. uh overall um I recent over the past years I have more Cuban friends more Cuban candidates I've been working with Venovalance and I felt like they the Hispanic community over overall has been very nice to me like in my dentist school my best friend name was Eduardo Garcia he was from Venezuela and he's the reason I graduated because I he helped me in all the lab work he would save me with the like all the school knew that Adriel is not going to work at Vard is going to come and help him. So I I I personally feel overall the Hispanic community like all the Hispanic students are very nice to me and I'm I'm so so that's one of the reason I wanted to share your story.
So imagine the people who are watching this it could be Hispanic or non-Hispanic. So you graduated in 2014 and now you got accepted to Nova uh South how NSU >> Nova Southeastern University. >> Yep. Which is 38 months long. So tell us about a little bit about your process about coming from Cuba and what did you have to do in order to get adjusted and become a hygienist up here.
>> Okay. Um, thanks for having me today. [laughter] Hello everyone. My name is Navis Hernandez. I graduated in Cuba in 2014. As you are explaining, uh, I'm as many Cubans. I moved to Ecuador where was work as senal assistant in Ecuador for around nine months. And in 2015 I moved to US. I there was a about seven years gap where during which I work different roles as an RBT that is a registered behavior technicians, medical coder biller also as as a home health aid and over all of this uh I also was learning English which has been a big challenge for
Well, you're doing a great job, Doc. And so, since you mentioned you work different jobs and I have friends who went through the same process and language is the biggest barrier like you know it, I know it like for especially for Cuban candidates who come to Miami or to US anywhere, first thing is they the the most problematic thing is to learn everything in English. So what and you can speak in Spanish to people who are listening. What would you say in that seven years helped you or gave you the most confidence? Because even though you can speak English but to speak it confidently in front of people is a different challenge, right?
>> Yes. >> So what helped you overcome that first challenge? I will say I took some courses in English because my English was I have to learn English from basics >> from very basics >> and take talking some courses in English was really helpful and and during my application process in Capit I will say that uh working with you was really a key during this process because it helped me to be organized uh to build my confidence during my preparation with you for the interview part was really really really helpful during uh during my my interview.
So when you and before that time when you started working as a dental assistant and then you became a hygienist, how tough was it for you to work as a dental assistant and then pass the hygiene exam? Was it tough for you?
>> Yes, it were really tough because um I got my license as a dental assistant in 2023. I have to work full-time. uh during this time I also has to study for my IMB uh IMBD. I passed my MBD in 2024. At the same time I after that I took TOEFL many times >> and in the same year in 2024 I got my license as dental hygienist. I has been working as a dental hygienist since 2024.
Okay. And how what was your TOEFL score? The highest one you got? >> 96. 96. >> That's a good number. The reason I'm asking this because I tell people that they don't expect Hispanic candidates or Ukrainian to have the same number of score that an Indian candidate would have because in India or Pakistan, English is normal, right? Because it was a British colony. So even if it's in the '9s for a Hispanic candidate, it's still good enough to get accepted.
So when you were applying to school, I remember you wanted to stay in Florida and NSU was your like favorite school where you wanted to be. So did you visited the school before or did you create any connection or anything like that?
>> Oh, I was yes, I was there uh two times previously. Uh the first the first time was when se like seven years ago. >> Mhm. >> And I I meet I met with an advisor. She explained me all the process at that time. Uh the program the program the program was here in in for Lauderdale. It's very close to Miami. Um but I was unable to to get my documentations to pass my >> Mhm. >> because in Cuba it's very difficult to have >> documentation >> any document. Yes. Any document from from a school or from the government it's it's kind of difficult. And two years ago I was again in Noah [laughter] and I met with Carvin. Carvin is one of the people from admissions from one of the that buyers also. I was talking to him and he explained me that the program was moved to Tampa because they uh expanded shares. Mhm. >> Yes. Um that's mostly like he explained me many things about the program but that time was during co and they don't have any prectorship or you know like >> person yep
so how how was your interview doc uh when you gave interview at NSU how was that what kind of questions did they ask you
>> uh the the interview is The it was a two-day process, right? Uh the first day you have uh in the morning we have two lectures about the preparations. It was really really helpful for me because it was in in details about the criteria they are looking they want us to focus on. And in the same day uh on the afternoon we have like four hours on the lab to practice on the chair >> and during this time they call one by one to have the personal interview. >> Mhm. >> Uh the personal interview thanks to you thanks to the preparation that I have with you uh I was very confident. Uh there were mostly about questions that you know like the same time as question tell me about yourself tell me a weakness and a strength there wasn't some questions that you know like new new type of question like how do you communicate with your patient if you have any kind of problem communicating with your patient >> but I think that's was like my strongest part during my during this whole process >> because uh my mentor Adriel told me [laughter] >> okay okay wait let me tell people uh Dr. Hernandez husband name is also Adriel. I talked to him and so that's usually funny when I talk to her I'm like how's Adriel? And it's not a very common name as far as I'm concerned. So usually we laugh whenever she says Adriel >> but as uh I I as I was telling you um the interview was uh very good very good. I remember you when you told us uh read the room, read your interviewer. >> Yes. >> H how is a conversation? No. And I felt so calm during this time like uh I couldn't say how many times I can recall all the scenes that you were we were practicing previously during the interview. Uh I remember he asked me about an specific question. I think that that was the key during my interview. He asked me about um if I have any problem communicating with my patients and I was explaining you know like uh the first thing is I will met all the patient expectation from the treatment explaining each step and I know that in this moment you when you see that the person is like agreeing with you during the interview was was a relief not to to
so your question a lot of time when I'm working with Cuban candidates and even non non-hispanic candidates they are very worried oh my English is not good enough and I tell them they know your English already do not worry about your English they are actually trying to see what kind of a person you are so from your experience before the interview you were worried about more about the English but when you went in there you realized it's more about creating a connection with the other person.
So what would be your advice to people who are worried about their English but have interviews coming up?
I will say if you have the opportunity to work with a mentor to with an advisor and be prepared before be prepared for the questions you know be prepared for for be confidence during the interview will be my advice. Work with someone that guide you during this process. Uh because sometimes is how >> you can say it in Spanish. It's fine. I I say it in Spanish. Yeah. Go ahead. >> I will try to in Spanish. having some confidence to the time you answer your questions >> makes sense. Okay. Okay.
So overall people that who don't know not only was I was fortunate like throughout her journey I was part of the like she was part of the fellowship where we worked on the personal statement the application resume all of that and I I was super like happy that she actually got accepted to NSU. I knew she would get accepted somewhere but the good part was that you live in Florida. you got accepted in Florida so you don't have to move around a lot and that's actually a very good opportunity.
So doc uh just to be uh respectful of your time. So what other advice would you give to people who are just starting this process who are preparing for CAPED who are trying to give TOEFL even right now and I'm I'm I would say if you have to speak in Spanish speak in Spanish to them but what advice would you give to these people right now?
I would say that be prepared financially and also mentally for the process. There are a lot of uh lot of costs, lot of fees during the application process. If you apply for more than 10 universities, you will have fee for copy for >> how much approximately how much have you spent until now including my fee everything schools to what would you say 20,000 30,000 >> 20 20k like 20 25 maybe >> so is I include my IMBD my dental hygienist license >> uh In Florida, you have the opportunity to get your certification on anesthesia also. So, it's it's kind of expensive, but it's a lot of experience and handsomes on on the job training >> and you get more jobs, too. When you have anesthesia license, people want to hire you.
So my advice to people if you're somebody in Florida live nearby and you're applying for CAPID or you just came in here my advice to everybody is get your hygiene license because with the hygiene license at least you can make what 30 how much approximately on average $40 $50 they make at in Florida right now [gasps] >> on average I'm not asking >> on average it's it's difficult to say because Miami um the hourly rate can range from 25 to 30 40 >> but in other cities is you move a little bit more uh >> it will be 45 to 60. >> Yeah. So overall if you live in Florida, Tampa, Orlando and you want to have [clears throat] some money, my suggestion is get the hygiene license, >> make it like I know somebody who worked for 5 years as a hygienist and then they moved to a a residency in Ohio. So their hygien license got transferred because they worked for five years. So they got Ohio's license as well. So at least during your for example you on your weekend you can go and do hygiene work and make a little bit money right. >> Yes. >> Even though the schools don't tell the school because they won't like it. But the point is you have a license in your pocket and you can make some extra money once in a while when you need to.
So uh doc except for this uh before we end this call and I'm grateful for your time and in Spanish the we would say gracias pompo right something like that. [laughter] >> Yeah I'm I'm trying I I should have learned it earlier. I have so many Spanish friend I should >> you're doing great. [laughter] >> Thank you. So, so any what would be your last advice and I want you to speak in Spanish to people who are listening to you. What word of encouragement? I've known one thing my Cuban friends including Venezuelans as well overall are very hardworking people like they are like one of the like you worked all jobs to get where you are and you still are very happy about it. You're happy in life. You're lively. You can connect with people. What happened with other people? I've seen because they have done so many jobs it takes away their happiness and it's very sad when I talk to I have a lot of people coming from different cultures and some culture like when you work so hard and the culture is very hard it's like everybody's very tough you become more and more callous harden I've seen my friends or people that I've seen from Cuba and other Hispanic countries like even after working so part they are still enjoying life they like that's the good part that I I've observed so what would be your last advice to all these people and I would encourage you to speak in Spanish so you can connect to them
>> never give Note for your Gracias. How do you say never give up? >> Okay. I I'm going to listen to it later on again.
Well, thank you. Thank you, doc. And I hope people who are listening to this, they get encouragement to become if you're in nearby Miami or Florida. I mean, go for the hygiene license, work hard, make some money. TOEFL is going to kick your butt. All right? TOEFL not going to be easy for you. Don't worry, just stick to it. Get the classes, get the coaching, keep working on it. And later on, if you need help with the capit process, whether it's fellowship, whether it's interview, whether it's personal statement, you can always reach out to me. And hopefully in future, I'll see you in a more meaningful video. Meanwhile, thank you Dr. Hernandez at this time. Giving me gracias. It has been really a privilege for me to work with you. Same here. Thank you.