A day in their scrubs

Meet D4 Katie Tatum.

Hometown: Richardson, Texas

Dental school survival strategy: Work hard, play harder. Keep a balance in life, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Most productive time of day: Outside of school, probably after 7 p.m. I usually give myself a break after clinic to relax, and then I have some coffee to get going again; however, I am not a night owl. I’m in bed by 11 p.m.

Best way to unwind after a long day in the clinic or lab: A visit to the Elbow Room with some classmates. And then I can have leftover pizza for lunch the next day!

Favorite energy food: Chocolate-covered coffee beans … Mmmm!

Goal after graduation: Residency in periodontics, and then we will see what life brings.

What people may not know about you: I am a survivor of a rare bone marrow disease. After the first year of dental school I fought the biggest battle of my life and won. I encourage everyone to register with Be The Match because some people aren’t as lucky as I was to have a sister who matched me. On a lighter note, I also love to play soccer, and my favorite professional team is Chelsea. I was able to tour their stadium this summer in London.