STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Dental students by day, fitness gurus by night GRAC E KW O N Georgia ’21
IF YOU WALKED UP TO any dental student at your school and asked if they exercised, the answer would likely be yes. Malika Malik, Michigan ’21, and Libby Harmon, MidwesternIllinois ’21, have taken wellness to the next level by becoming fitness instructors in their respective communities. Malik, a Barre instructor, became involved with Barre during her gap year and became an instructor as a D1. Harmon began teaching kickboxing in undergrad and now leads cycling classes at CycleBar. Here they share how they maintain work-life balance and where fitness fits into their lives after dental school. CONTOUR: Describe how you became an
instructor. MALIKA MALIK: At Barre, they gave me a video of a five-minute routine, and then I had to teach it in front of the owner of our studio. They weren't looking for perfection, just your energy and your form. LIBBY HARMON: You have to do two songs, and
you can do whatever you want for them. You just have to show that you have the personality to motivate people, keep their attention and also make it worth $25 a class. It’s like you’re putting on a show for people. You have to have extra energy, personality and also be inspiring.
I teach three to four classes a week. I was hesitant to audition because D1 year was tough, and I didn’t know what D2 year would look like, but the job is pretty flexible. HARMON: I’m actually the lead cycle starter, so I also manage all of the other instructors,
the scheduling and the training for new instructors. It really depends on the week. The minimum I teach right now is five classes a week, and they’re 50 minutes each. I also make the playlists for them, which takes at least an hour per playlist, so that’s about 10 hours. And then managing everyone else could range from five to 15 hours a week.
How many hours do you devote to it a week?
How do you balance your job, your wellness and dental school?
MALIK: A class is usually an hour, and I’ll get there 20–30 minutes before class. Right now,
MALIK: I feel like I always struggle with the word “balance.” There’s always going to be
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times when you feel like you’re doing too much of this or too much of that. Some days,
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
I leave clinic and have to go kickbox or go spin because I had a hard day. But there have been weeks that I don’t work out other than teaching. I feel like a lot of dental school is learning not to regret things and learning not to be down on yourself because you didn’t get to go work out today. That doesn’t say anything about who you are, your health or your well-being. And sometimes it’s OK that you didn’t study as much as you wanted to because you’re probably in a better mental space after that 60-minute workout.
“We all know how hard dentistry is on your body, and working out is essential to being able to practice longer.” — LI B BY H AR M O N , M I DW E S T E R N -I LLI N O I S ’ 2 1
HARMON: I meal prep maybe once a month, and I make 20 meals and put them in my freezer. That helps me stay healthy throughout the week, even when I am super busy, and I don’t have to do that every weekend. I think having a part-time job in dental school is doable if you plan your week (or two weeks!) in advance and be efficient with your time.
What are some aspects of your job that overlap with dental school that you didn’t anticipate? MALIK: A lot of people in the dental school actually work
out at the studio, so I’ve gotten to meet a lot of D4s. I’ve also introduced people in my class or D1s to Barre, so it’s been cool to see them. Sometimes, D1s will come in, and they’re just coming to work out, but they’ll ask me a question about [dental school]. It’s pretty cool that I can be someone relatable to them but also help them de-stress. I’ve become much more confident in speaking to patients because now I stand in front of 20 people in a class every week. HARMON: I’ve done a couple of fundraiser classes for
ASDA, so that’s been cool to be able to instruct some of my fellow classmates. It’s always fun to do those and raise money for a good cause. I’ve also had some faculty and professors from my school come in and take my classes. Being in the wellness community, I do get questions such as, “Are root canals bad?” because of “Root Cause” on Netflix or questions about metal in their mouths (amalgam). I’m glad I can be a trusted member of that community to help guide them to the right answer.
Libby’s top-10 cycling playlist favorites 1. “Be the One (Netsky Remix)” by Dua Lipa 2. “Breathing Underwater” by Emili Sande 3. “’Til I Collapse” by Eminem featuring Nate Dogg 4. “Going Bad” by Drake 5. “Hurricane (ARTY Remix)” by Halsey 6. “Hate Me Now” by Nas 7. “Bad Guy” by Billie Elish 8. “Gimme More” by Britney Spears 9. “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo 10. “I Did Something Bad” by Taylor Swift
Do you think you will continue teaching once you are a practicing dentist? MALIK: I love working at Barre, but I also enjoy different workouts and making connections with other people who are excited about fitness. You find your own community of people who enjoy working out, so I definitely want to stay connected. Since dentistry does give you flexibility, owning my own gym later in life would be one of my biggest goals. HARMON: Yes, I definitely want to keep doing it. We all know how hard dentistry is on your body, and working out is essential to being able to practice longer. I love doing it, and why not keeping doing the stuff that you love? "
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