Highlight your Career Progression. In addition to your degree in pharmacy, have you obtained any certifications, or are you currently pursuing any that you would like to mention?
I have a regulatory affairs certification with the African Pharmaceutical Network and am currently pursuing a clinical trials certification with VIARES and another in project management with Coursera.
What are you most passionate about in your Pharmacy practice?
The feeling of satisfaction when you help a patient by making their day a little bit better. I always live by the mantra” Make it your mission to make someone else’s day a little bit better” from one of my favourite podcasts, the MINDSET Podcast by Rob Dial.
What do you love about being a Pharmacist?
When I started pharmacy school, I was certain I wanted to be a clinical pharmacist specialising in oncology. As time went by, I learnt to appreciate how diverse the scope of practice for a pharmacist is, and the thought of that was exciting. The possibilities are endless.
What do you consider the greatest achievement in your career as a pharmacist thus far? How has this achievement impacted your professional journey?
It is my appointment as the projects lead for the Young Pharmacists Group. Despite being a non-paid position, the role has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me think outside the box. The role allows me to think of projects that will impact young pharmacists, and by doing this, I identify the potential opportunities they can plug into. It has allowed me to create networks that I didn’t have in the past.
What has been your most challenging moment in the profession, and what valuable lessons did you learn from it?
Being a young pharmacist the most challenging moment so far has been when I was transitioning from Internship to employment. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t get a job despite being a pharmacist and getting recommendations from my internship preceptors. This opened my eyes, and I approached employment from a different perspective. One of the things I did was adapt to some of the weak traits in my personality, which was building networks; I have intentionally increased my visibility in my social and professional networks by volunteering to do a task or just being present. Two, I had to build some of the soft skills the market needs to perform a particular role.
What keeps you going?
My fitness journey is the only thing that gives me that mental clarity. I put myself in pain when lifting weights daily, but I know the goals I want to achieve at the end of the day, and there is no shortcut. I just have to keep pushing despite the injuries and the lack of motivation; I just have to do the work. I want to leave a legacy which requires me to show up daily. There are days when I doubt myself if it is all worth it, but I want to believe it will all make sense in the end.
In addition to being a Pharmacist, what else do you enjoy doing?
I love fitness. I want to be 40 years old and still compete with my kids and beat them. Going to the gym is the first thing I do in my day. I love it. My favourite day is leg day. I also enjoy nature walks and hiking. I enjoy watching football matches and FIFA.
What can you say to the young Pharmacist?
To the young pharmacist, the opportunities are limitless. Your success is on the other side, past fear. Identify what you are passionate about in pharmacy and run with it. Also, find ways to set yourself up for success by creating an environment which helps you become successful. This can be finding a social circle where you push each other or getting a mentor to help walk the path. Lastly, believe in yourself and be willing to put in the work even if you will get the results later.