From Dentistry to AI: Why I Chose to Start Over
Introduction
I have wanted to become a scientist or engineer who could change the world since I was young.
I was always drawn to science and mathematics.
Not because I was the best at them,
but because I genuinely loved them.
Early Personality
I was a sensitive and introspective person.
I struggled with environments that required conformity.
Even when I had friends and social roles,
I often felt that I was losing my own identity.
I preferred horizontal relationships,
but most environments were not.
School Years
I entered a science high school and studied hard,
but I was not among the top students.
Later, I learned through a formal cognitive assessment
that my intellectual ability was not the limiting factor.
What I lacked was not potential,
but confidence and direction.
Turning Away from Engineering
I entered an engineering track at a good university,
but my confidence continued to decline.
I began to believe that I was not suited for science or engineering.
Eventually, I chose a more stable path
and entered dental school.
The Mismatch
During dental school and clinical practice,
I consistently felt a sense of mismatch.
This is not where my deepest curiosity lies.
While others focused on exams and clinical routines,
I was thinking about systems, data, and technology.
Persistent Interest in AI
My interest in AI began in high school.
The idea of modeling and extending intelligence
was something that deeply resonated with me.
It was not just interesting.
It was something that made my heart race.
Rediscovery
Even during dental school,
I continued studying programming and technology on my own.
Eventually, I met a forensic dentist
and began working on a dental record system.
Through this experience, everything connected:
- dentistry
- data
- systems
- computation
This was not a new path.
It was a return to what I had always been drawn to.
Realization
After years of hesitation and exploration,
I reached a clear conclusion:
I am not meant to remain within a single discipline.
I am meant to build systems
that connect medicine and technology.
Commitment
I am no longer at the beginning.
I have spent nearly 10 years exploring different paths.
Now, I am ready to commit fully.
Even if the path is uncertain,
I am willing to invest everything.
Why MIT
I want to experience a larger world.
I do not want to stay in environments
where people are passive, political, or resistant to change.
I want to be in a place
where ambitious problems are taken seriously.
For me, MIT represents:
- the frontier of AI research
- an environment that values engineering thinking
- a place where interdisciplinary work is natural
Interest in AI
I am particularly interested in:
- generative AI
- deep learning
- long-term development toward artificial general intelligence (AGI)
When I study this field,
I feel a level of excitement that I cannot ignore.
Conclusion
I did not take the shortest path.
But I believe I am now on the right one.
Even if the probability of failure is high,
I want to move forward without regret.
Because this is the first time in my life
that I am certain about what I want to pursue.