DR BEST

SAFE genotype combinations:

- AA × AA = all children AA
- AA × AS = children are AA and AS
- AA × SS = all children AS

UNSAFE genotype combinations:

- AS × AS = children can be AA, AS, or SS (25% chance of SS)
- AS × SS = children can be AS or SS (50% chance of SS)
- SS × SS = all children SS

CHECK YOUR GENOTYPE TODAY

DO NOT PUT YOUR CHILDREN AT RISK

Happy World Sickle Cell Day🩸

5 days ago | [YT] | 3

DR BEST

Let’s have a conversation

Should pharmacists be allowed to prescribe medications for common illnesses without a doctor’s prescription?

If “YES” Why ?
If “NO” why not?

1 week ago | [YT] | 4

DR BEST

A LETTER TO A PHARMACY STUDENT

Dear Pharmacy Students,

I am genuinely excited about the growing opportunities within the field of pharmacy, especially at a time when healthcare is rapidly evolving through technology, research, and innovation.

Pharmacy is no longer limited to dispensing medications alone. It has expanded into clinical practice, pharmaceutical research, public health, pharmacovigilance, drug development, informatics, and digital health solutions. As students, this is the best time to begin positioning ourselves for these diverse opportunities.

Academics remain the foundation of everything we will build in this profession. A strong understanding of pharmacology, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, and clinical pharmacy not only helps us excel in examinations but also prepares us for real-world problem-solving. I encourage every pharmacy student to take their studies seriously, not just to pass, but to truly understand how drugs interact with the human body and how we can improve patient outcomes.

However, academic excellence alone is not enough. The modern pharmacist must be proactive in exploring opportunities beyond the classroom. I strongly encourage students to:

* Participate in research projects early, even at undergraduate level
* Join pharmacy associations and professional bodies
* Engage in internships and hospital/community pharmacy exposure
* Learn digital skills such as data analysis, pharmacovigilance tools, and health tech platforms
* Attend seminars, webinars, and conferences to build networks and broaden perspectives
* Volunteer in healthcare outreach programs to understand real community needs

As pharmacy students, we must begin to see ourselves as future healthcare leaders, researchers, innovators, and educators. Every lecture, every practical session, and every opportunity for exposure is a stepping stone toward that future.

The profession is wide, and the opportunities are even wider. What sets you apart will not only be your degree, but your curiosity, consistency, and willingness to grow beyond what is taught in class.

Stay committed, stay curious, and build yourself intentionally.

— Dr. Best

#pharmacy #pharmacystudent #FutureLeaders #HealthTech #Drbest

1 week ago | [YT] | 4

DR BEST

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PHARMACIST

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning, but I wasn't exactly excited because I woke up feeling very tired. To make matters worse, I had to report to the UBTH GPC Unit as early as 8:00 AM for my clinical rotation.

I woke up quite late that morning, so I couldn't eat before leaving for work, and trust me, I was already hungry 🤤.

What could I do? 🤷

I signed up for this, so I had to report to my duty post with or without food.

I got to work that morning and was assigned to the Counseling Stand.

And no, I don't mean I'm a counselor in a local government secretariat 🌚😂.

This is what I mean 👇

In every pharmacy, especially a hospital pharmacy, there are three major units/stands:

1. Assessment Unit
The pharmacists here are responsible for assessing prescriptions to ensure they are safe for the patient, appropriate for the disease condition, and free from potential or actual drug therapy problems.

2. Dispensing Unit
The pharmacists here are responsible for dispensing the prescribed medications after they have been properly assessed.

3. Counseling Unit
The pharmacists here are responsible for counseling patients on the proper use of their medications to improve adherence, discuss possible side effects, and recommend lifestyle modifications needed for better disease management.

So, on that particular day, the first patient I encountered was a man who wasn't exactly in the best frame of mind after a terrible experience with the doctor—although I didn't know that at the time.

When he walked in, I greeted him with my usual sharp smile (because I am always happy, irrespective 😂), and after exchanging pleasantries, I proceeded with my professional responsibility.

I started by asking him what he complained about to the doctor 👨‍⚕️.

(We call this the Chief Complaint.)

Now, someone may ask:

"Why ask what he complained about when all you need to do is counsel him on how to use his medications?" 🤷

Here's my reason 👇

As a pharmacist, before any medication gets into a patient's hands, I always make sure it is being used for the right indication.

Knowing a patient's complaints also helps me provide better counseling, recommend appropriate lifestyle modifications, and identify additional concerns that may have been missed during the consultation.

Sometimes, patients don't tell their doctors everything—especially when communication isn't very effective.

So, as a pharmacist with excellent communication skills 😎, trust me to bring out every piece of information that could be helpful to the patient.

At the end of our conversation, I discovered a few important things.

1. The patient was prescribed a blood pressure medication, but he didn't know why.

In fact, he believed he didn't have high blood pressure.

And if you understand the mindset of many Nigerians regarding BP medications, you already know where this is heading.

There was a high chance he might not even take the medication.

But was the doctor wrong for prescribing it?

NO.

The doctor checked his blood pressure, and it was 149/93 mmHg.

From our conversation, I could tell there was likely a valid reason for the doctor to recommend the medication.

The problem wasn't necessarily the prescription.

The problem was that the patient didn't understand why he was receiving it.

According to him, whenever he tried asking questions, the doctor wasn't responding properly and appeared visibly upset.

Well... maybe the doctor was also one of us having a rough day 😂.

2. The man didn't know when he was supposed to come back to the hospital.

After our discussion, he asked:

"When can I come back to the hospital?"

Apparently, his doctor didn't tell him, and he didn't bother asking because he was already upset by the doctor's attitude.

So he simply kept all his questions to himself.

But he could ask me because he felt comfortable enough to do so.

That's the power of effective communication.

His medications were meant to last for only 7 days.

So I advised him to return to the hospital on the exact day he completed the medications so the doctor could reassess him and determine the next line of management.

After the counseling session, this man was genuinely happy that he had encountered me that day.

He thanked me warmly and then said:

"It looks like you people here are better than the people over there."

Funny enough, this conclusion was based on interactions with just two different healthcare professionals 🤷😂.

Humans can be funny sometimes.

LESSONS YOU MUST LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE

1. No matter how angry, stressed, or sad you are, don't transfer it to someone else—especially in a professional or business setting.

And don't make it too obvious that you're having a bad day.

A lot of people are already going through a lot.

No be only your own dey worry you 😂.

2. As a pharmacist, good communication skills are not optional—they are a necessity.

Patients rarely communicate effectively unless they feel comfortable around you.

3. Never leave your patients to chance.

Always find out their chief complaints and any other meaningful concerns.

That information can make a huge difference in providing effective pharmaceutical care and interventions.

4. Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can give a patient isn't just medication—it is understanding, reassurance, and clarity.

Follow for more.

See you in the next one.

*Dr. Best

#Drbest #clerkshipdiaries #clinicalrotation
#pharmacy #pharmacist #pharmacyschool #pharmacylife

1 week ago | [YT] | 15

DR BEST

Almost all pharmacy students at a particular point in their pharmacy training had to deal with this question of
*”where can I learn the most between community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy”*

If you are reading this, relax Let me save you the headache and give you clarity
Especially those that are yet to or about to begin their Industrial training

Learning, I must say is a personal task and the extent to which you can learn mainly depends on you. Although your environment plays an important part as well as the people around you.

As someone who has been into community pharmacy practice for years and did all my clinical clerkship rotation in different hospitals, it’s good to say that I have a good knowledge of both hospital and community pharmacy practice and I am in the Best position to guide you through.
So, listen to me carefully

The sincere truth is.
You can learn a whole lot in both hospital and community settings but there are little differences to what you can learn and extent to which you can learn in specific areas in both settings

1. COMMUNITY PHARMACY: In a community pharmacy setting (I mean a standard community pharmacy setting) you can learn a whole lot in a short while. And these are what you stand to gain

A. You are exposed to every possible drug that you need to know. Drugs for the management of all possible disease conditions. So, community pharmacy gives you a broad knowledge of medications

B. It strengthens your clinical pharmacy skills . From communication to clerking to disease assessment to dispensing to counseling and lots more . Because you get to interact more with patients and most times you don’t just asses prescription you also assess the disease conditions as opposed hospital pharmacy where you have to assess only the prescription

C. Business management. Community pharmacy is not just place to learn about drugs, disease conditions and the rest clinical orientation stuffs . It’s also a place to learn business management and business skills including marketing.
More reason most community pharmacists are more business oriented compared to their counterparts in hospital pharmacy

2• HOSPITAL PHARMACY: this setting gives you a specialized training in some areas of pharmacy practice. You can really learn in depth about some disease conditions and have good clinical knowledge in some specialties .
I can boldly say hospital pharmacy trains you to become an expert. Here are my reasons

A. In a hospital pharmacy setting, You learn in depth in some specialties. This is because all disease conditions are managed in the hospital and each unit has a pharmacy allocated to it and every single drug in that pharmacy unit is to treat every possible disease conditions in that specialty. so you gain in depth knowledge as prescriptions comes in on a daily basis especially in management of some chronic disease conditions that can not easily be managed outside the hospital

B. It challenges you to improve your clinical pharmacy knowledge as you will be assessing different prescriptions from different doctors and as the drug expert that you are , you are the last resort before a medication gets to a patient. So, you have to ensure there is no prescription error from the doctor, no possible or actual drug therapy problem and the medication is safe for the patient

C. It strengthens your team spirit, tolerance and documentation skills . Because in a hospital pharmacy, you are part of a healthcare team playing different roles to achieve a common goal.
Also most times you have to deal with the frustration of exhausted patients who had waited for hours to see their doctor and at this point just want to get their medication and get away. so sometimes they can be very annoying.
sometimes you might also have to deal with the arrogance or misunderstanding with some of your counterparts at the other end .
as for the documentation skills , you go document tire because nothing must be missing either by mistake or by correction and not documenting properly can easily put you in trouble even though nothing is Missing. And documenting can be so frustrating sometimes

Now, finally let’s get to answer the question together.

If you ask me which one to go for. I will not ask you to go for anyone but I will guide you on how you can navigate yourself to get the Best possible experience. and this is what I will suggest

For your industrial training.
Which is your first ever pharmacy practice experience. Go to a community pharmacy so you can get a general pharmacy practice experience and also get to know about a lot of drugs .
This will also help you to do better in some PCN and PCO courses in higher level and also help to build your business mindset as a pharmacist

Then, in the later stages of your pharmacy school, when you begin your clinical clerkship rotation, do well to go to a hospital pharmacy at least twice before you graduate

This will give you a comprehensive knowledge of clinical pharmacy practice and by then you must be very prepared for internship

I hope this was helpful and I am looking forward to seeing your comments and reactions because it took me a lot to put this together just to make sure you become a better pharmacist in the nearest future

It’s your favorite senior colleague and leader
Dr. Best

Follow for more and feel free to reach out to me for anything or clarifications as regards pharmacy school and pharmacy practice

Dr Best

#drbest #pharmacyschool #pharmacylife #pharmacy #chronicles

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

DR BEST

From CENTRAL HOSPITAL to FAITH MEDIPLEX, and finally to UBTH…🏥
That was the exact sequence of my clinical clerkship journey in pharmacy school.

No community pharmacy—just pure hospital pharmacy back-to-back, as if I was destined to end up as a hospital pharmacist. Meanwhile, ironically, that is the *least* likely place I’d ever want to practice!

I know you’re probably wondering why, but let’s go back to where it all started.

It was a bright, sunny Thursday morning, and I was feeling incredibly hyped to finally resume my clinical posting.
*E dey shack normally.*
If you know, you know! 🌚🌚

I was particularly excited because it was going to be my very first real taste of hospital pharmacy, since almost all my prior experience had been in the community pharmacy space.

But truth be told? My first impression left me pretty disappointed. You might wonder why the sudden shift from excitement to disappointment. 🤷‍♂️

Well, to put it mildly, the healthcare system in most Nigerian hospitals can be heartbreaking, and I truly wish we could do better for our citizens. But let me not dwell on the negatives.

Central Hospital turned out to be a really lovely place. The pharmacists there were fantastic, super accommodating, and always willing to teach. I genuinely loved working with them.

When I moved over to FAITH MEDIPLEX*, it was a whole different ball game. I was posted straight to the Pediatrics unit. Now, mind you, this was the exact same unit I had just finished serving in at Central Hospital!

I had to pause and ask myself: *“What is it with me and PEDIATRICS? Abi it’s a sign that I am about to become a father?”* 🌚
I quickly rebuked the thought and requested a swap to the Bulk Store instead! There, I locked in and learned a massive amount about inventory management, logistics, supplies, and strict record-keeping.

Before I talk about my final stop at UBTH, I need to drop some truth for the pharmacy students reading this:

*It is incredibly easy to go through a hospital clerkship and learn absolutely nothing and it’s also possible to learn a lot .*
It all depends on you

I walked away with a wealth of knowledge because I built a personal learning strategy. Maybe it's because I’ve been around the practice for a while, but here is the exact framework I used to stand out

My "No Stranger" Drug Rule:

For every single new drug I came across, I never let it slide. I made sure to research it inside out—
Ensuring I know everything regarding its:
✔️mechanism of action
✔️indications
✔️precise dosage regimens, and ✔️adverse drug reactions.

If I couldn't look it up instantly , I wrote it down in a special notebook so I could dissect it the moment I got home.

My motto was simple:
*I must not know any drug that doesn't know who I am.* 🤷‍♂️

As a drug expert, I am the custodian and commander-in-chief of medications.
So Ensuring their safety and efficacy in the lives of my patients means staying completely updated is a non-negotiable duty.

Finally, the journey reached its peak at the *University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)*.
This was easily my best posting experience, even though it was stressful as hell.
At one point, I was literally tasked with manually dispensing 30,000 tablets of Vitamin C in under an hour! 😭😭 That’s a crazy story for another day. 😂😂

Looking back, the real highlights of my posting weren't just the medications I dispensed, the prescriptions I assessed, or the patients I counseled. The real transformation happened across three core pillars:

1. LEADERSHIP 👑
Clinical posting stretched my leadership capacity immensely. I ended up being the group leader in almost every single unit I was posted to, and my teams consistently delivered the one of the most outstanding clinical presentations.

Behind the scenes, it meant working tirelessly—preparing slides, filling out complex pharmaceutical care forms, and anchoring presentations. It taught me that for any group you lead to succeed, you must be willing to sacrifice your time and energy. Success doesn’t just happen; it is a direct product of deliberate effort and sacrifice.

1. DISCIPLINE 🎯
Working in a corporate, fast-paced clinical environment requires an insane amount of discipline, patience, and humility. Without discipline, no institution can stand.

There were days I got scolded for arriving late, but instead of sulking, I made sure I was the very first person at work the next morning. I don't see discipline as a punishment; I see it as a mandatory call to get better.

3• THE ABILITY TO LIGHTEN UP A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT:

This is a superpower I didn't realize I had until I entered a corporate workspace. When my team got to our final unit at UBTH, the atmosphere was incredibly tense. The staff were rigid, serious, and everyone of us was almost walking on eggshells.

I decided to change the narrative. I started interacting freely, cracking calculated jokes, smiling, and bringing good energy to the floor. By the end of the rotation, even the pharmacy technician who used to be dead-serious was cracking jokes and complimenting my liveliness!

There is still so much more I want to share with you, but this is already getting long!
I hope you've picked up a thing or two from my journey so far. 🙌

**I will be breaking down the details even further tomorrow.**
Make sure you turn on post notifications and stick to my pages, because what I’ll be dropping next will benefit your career and academic journey whether you’re a pharmacy student or not

Dr. Best

*#PharmacySchool #Chronicles #ClinicalClerkship #DrBest #pharmacy

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 16

DR BEST

Life is full of regrets
At some point, you will regret going to school
At some point, you will regret learning that skill
At some point you will regret not making it as at the time you wished to
At some point you will regret making it as at the time you did .
At some point you will even regret getting married as at the time you did. And sometimes you may even regret getting married to the love of your life.
Different phases of your life will have its own regrets and most/some times your regrets will be another man’s wish

Choose your regrets wisely and don’t waste all your time and energy for a particular regret because you will need those energy for even greater regrets in the nearest future

Happy Sunday from someone with regrets 🌚😂🤷
Dr. Best

#Drbest #sundayvibes #happysunday

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 12

DR BEST

Pharmacy school, they say, is a "very jealous school."

The popular narrative was simple: “You cannot study Pharmacy and do something else.”

That was the orientation we received, and trust me, it was never a metaphor. That was just our lecturers and senior colleagues being brutally honest (in the words of my darling friend, Hawah).

But then, I gained admission into pharmacy school at the absolute peak of my hustling life!

Talk about breaking the rules. While facing the most jealous course on campus, I was actively:
✔️ Managing a busy community pharmacy shop
✔️ Running an online tutorial platform
✔️ Building a YouTube channel
✔️ Juggling multiple other side hustles
…and to top it all off, I got heavily involved in PANS politics!

Naturally, some of my friends would look at me and ask,
“Dr Best, how you take dey survive?”💔

Truth be told, at some points, it really felt like I wouldn’t survive it.
I might have appeared strong, unbreakable, and always on top of my game in public, but in my silent moments? Omo, I cried.

I will never forget the night before my PCH 412 (Medicinal Chemistry I) exam.

I had crammed, studied, and practiced all the chemical structures from the very beginning of the semester. But that night, under the heavy weight of extreme burnout, everything went blank. I couldn't effectively draw up to 20% of those structures.

Ah! My God. Is this how I am going to fail this course? 😭😭😭😭

Immediately, tears started rolling down my eyes. It wasn't because I wasn't strong enough; it was the pure trauma of imagining having to read that massive course all over again.

don't even get me started on the SHIKIMIC PATHWAY —that was another special kind of academic hell! 🔥

Yet, sincerely speaking, the books weren't even my biggest challenge. My biggest battle was balancing my relentless hustling mentality with the fiercely demanding daily realities of being a pharmacy student leader.

But today?
Today is for thanksgiving. 🙏✨

I am not only proud that God has seen me through all of these struggles, but I am incredibly fulfilled that this journey of a thousand miles is finally coming to an end.

More than anything, I am grateful that my life stands as living proof that YES, you can study Pharmacy (or any other "jealous" course) and still excel beautifully in other areas of life.
You can achieve absolutely anything you set your mind to, as long as you believe in yourself and trust the God who gives grace to everyone—even to the very least of us.

The dream is gradually becoming reality.
Congratulations to myself and all my amazing colleagues in advance! 🎉
Pharm. Dr. in a bit! 🎓💊

#Drbest #pharmacyschool #pharmacy #finalyear

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 9

DR BEST

DAY 5: THE SUGAR DISCUSSION

Sugar is everywhere.

It’s hidden in:

🍪 Biscuits
🍞 Bread
🥤 Soft drinks
🍫 Snacks
🥣 Cereals
🍨 Desserts

So, Many people consume far more sugar than they realize.

Too much added sugar can contribute to:

⚠️ Obesity
⚠️ Diabetes
⚠️ High triglycerides
⚠️ Fatty liver disease
⚠️ Dental cavities
⚠️ Chronic inflammation

Benefits of reducing sugar intake

✅ Better blood sugar control
✅ Reduced cravings
✅ Improved energy levels
✅ Better weight management
✅ Healthier teeth
✅ Reduced risk of metabolic diseases

NB: The first few days can be difficult.
But remember:

Cravings are temporary.
The benefits are lasting.

Dr.Best

#NoSugar
#7DaysHealthyLifestyleChallenge

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 3

DR BEST

DAY 3: THE TRUTH ABOUT SMOKING

Every cigarette contains thousands of chemicals that are capable of damaging your health.

Many of these chemicals damage blood vessels, lungs, and even DNA.

Smoking increases the risk of:

🚭 Lung cancer
🚭 Chronic bronchitis
🚭 Emphysema
🚭 Heart attack
🚭 Stroke
🚭 Peripheral artery disease
🚭 Erectile dysfunction
🚭 Infertility

Pls do note that Smoking doesn’t only affect the smoker.

Secondhand smoke can also harm children, spouses, and family members.

what are the Benefits of stopping smoking?

✅ Improved breathing
✅ Better oxygen delivery
✅ Better exercise tolerance
✅ Improved circulation
✅ Reduced coughing
✅ Improved sense of taste and smell

Every cigarette NOT smoked is a victory.

Your lungs are cheering for you.
Quit smoking today

Dr.Best

#NoSmoking
#7DaysHealthyLifestyleChallenge

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2