Bushra Ali is enjoying a fulfilling career as a dentist for the National Health Service Corps in beautiful Palm Beach County, Florida. She credits Passaic County Technical-Vocational School (PCTVS) for putting her on the path to success.
Ali, originally from Haledon, graduated in 2012 from the Academy of Health & Medical Sciences at PCTVS. While at the academy, she developed her passion for dentistry by taking classes that offer hands-on learning and real-world experience. She also competed in regional and national competitions through her participation in HOSA – Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America. The global student-led organization empowers participants to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration and experience.
Career and technical student organizations, such as HOSA, complement the focused curriculum offered at a county vocational-technical school. Ali recognized the head start she got on high-level subject matter as one of many benefits of attending PCTVS.
“Being in the Academy of Health & Medical Sciences afforded me endless opportunities to learn and grow,” she said. “The biggest impact came from the teachers and friends who later became a great support system throughout my academic and professional careers.”
After graduating PCTVS, Ali continued her education at Montclair State University. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in 2016. While at Montclair University, she pursued a biology major and chemistry minor, published research in the Journal of Advances in Microbiology, placed first at the TechLaunch Future Scientist Competition, and was selected as the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biology.
Ali then studied dentistry at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine in 2021. She was the Valedictorian and the only recipient of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Dr. William S. Kramer Award of Excellence.
Soon after graduation, Ali completed a year-long General Practice Residency in Dentistry at Morristown Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma Center and highly ranked hospital in New Jersey.
“Thanks to PCTVS and their embracing of diversity and opportunity, I did not fall short in receiving a foundational and comprehensive education,” said Ali. “I am very grateful and proud to call myself a bulldog.”
