MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

If you fail to tell your own story, someone else would tell it on your behalf and you may not like his version of the story... So, make sure you're always telling your story....

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

Hey! It's a new season and a new dawn.

MMD wishes you a happy new year, we're rooting for you through every step.

Take the picture of every memory down the lane of this year, the story matters!

#MMD
#Anticipate
#BookLaunch
#2025
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1 year ago | [YT] | 3

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

STORY OF PHARM DR. FAVOUR MEYE O.

Good morning Michael, this is Pharmacist Favour Meye. I'm here to answer some questions for your interview for your Memoir and Documentaries.

Today is Friday, 16th August 2024.

The first question: A little background about my childhood.

Growing up was not a jolly ride, I think I've been saying this for a while now. It was not a jolly ride, and it wasn't also the harshest of conditions.

I grew up in a family where both parents, by the grace of God, were learned. My dad is a lecturer, he had his PhD as far back as 2009. He's an academic, my mum also is a government secondary school teacher. So, in terms of academic prowess or the importance of academics or education, it wasn't lacking for me. I had that, in fact, I had an abundance of that, a constant reminder that you should be reading; there should be no day that you should be seen without your book. But in terms of provisions, having everything I wanted, the things you need and the like; I remember then in primary/secondary school, my dad used to promise us that when we came first position, he was going to take us to Mr. Biggs, get us bicycles and so many promises. And we were always trying, either we came first position or second position.

Those things never came because where would they come from? Whose money? It was like that, so the needs were not usually always there, though the basic and essential ones were there.

Growing up was "interesting", in one word, that's what I'll say.

Motivation to study Pharmacy, hmm, I like to say that I didn't get the full motivation to study pharmacy before I gained admission to study pharmacy. My complete motivation started from 200L second semester and strongly in 300L. That was when I got this motivation, I was like, "Ah! Pharmacy it is!" Because, to be honest with you, before I gained admission to study pharmacy, I had written JAMB before, I had written JAMB in previous years, in fact, the JAMB I used to get pharmacy was the fourth one. Before then, I had written JAMB three times and, of course, after my second JAMB, I gained admission to study another course, Medical Biochemistry. I finished 200L in Medical Biochemistry in Delta State University before I got admission to study pharmacy in Niger Delta University.

I had to leave Delta State University, Abraka entirely to come to Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State to study pharmacy. So, it was a big decision at that point in my life. At that point, I wasn't looking at motivation again, I just wanted to study a professional course because that was what was impressed upon me.

My parents, my dad especially, had always advocated for the need for someone to study a professional course in this country. So, as at that point, that was just my motivation, the need to study a professional course. So, coming to Niger Delta University (NDU) to study pharmacy, I just did not know why I was there or what I was studying pharmacy for in the long run, I just knew that a pharmacist is one of the healthcare providers and life savers, so, it was just the normal answer any other student will give you – life-saving, a calling and the likes – but the motivation started in 300L, that was when I began to understand what the profession was all about.

How it all started?

I wrote WAEC in 2015, it was one sitting, and I cleared it all. It wasn't a problem. I also registered for NECO, and I cleared both, so I could have used any of my results. I also wrote JAMB in that year. In my first JAMB I got 258, which was low, especially because I was applying to one of the federal universities in the South. I don't want to mention names, I've already mentioned Delta State. I didn't get the admission with that first JAMB. In the second JAMB, which I wrote in 2016, I got 261. I chose Delta State University, and I gained admission to study Medical Biochemistry. So, in 2016 I was in 100L, and in 2017 I was in 200L. Now, I also wrote JAMB in 2017 and I got 285. Because the JAMB score was high, I decided to try medicine. I mean, high JAMB score na. I put in medicine for that year, I got 76 for the Post-UTME, and my aggregate was 74, which was high because, from the previous year, the cut-off mark for medicine was 65, and I'd gotten 74. When the cut-off for the year was released, we heard the cut-off mark was 74 on the dot.

After months of waiting, again an admission showed up, but I got physiology. I was already in Medical Biochemistry, so what would I do with physiology? So, I rejected it and I made up my mind to continue with my Medical Biochemistry, but then, my satisfaction was not there internally, though I was doing well in Medical Biochemistry, also coupled with my dad who was always there to encourage and guide, and my Mom also who would always tell me I could do better than this if I ever thought I wanted to try again. But honestly, I was tired. He gave me stories of people that tried, and even bagged their first degrees, and they kept trying.

I just saw that my dad wasn't satisfied and my body was also telling me that maybe I needed to try again. And I said to myself and to my God that this would be the last JAMB, come what may. He also advised that we try another school, preferably in the South, so I wouldn't spend too much time traveling. I was thinking, "What other school is there?" Until we did our research. At that point, prayer came in and, of course, I don't want to sound too spiritual – this is for a documentary – but it was in the place of prayer. I'd like to talk about my pastor, Pastor Stella Eyuruntela Ashe, she spoke to me that evening and said, "Do you know someone in Bayelsa or a relative?" This was January 2018, and I said, "No." At that time, I didn’t have a relative in Bayelsa, and even if I did, I didn’t know. So, I was like, "I think so, but I've never been there, Pastor," and she said, "...because I see you in Bayelsa, and it's like a class." That's how the word just ended, and she said I should pray about it. She also emphasized the importance of preaching the gospel when I got to Bayelsa.

A few weeks later, when JAMB form sales were about to close, my Dad called and said he just stumbled upon this school from his research, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. Immediately he said "Bayelsa", I said, "This is the second time I'm hearing Bayelsa in this month." So, I felt, let's see. I did the registration myself, of course, my dad provided the finances, but I went there when the registration was about to end. I registered for JAMB, not happily, I did that without telling any of my coursemates. It was really a trying time for me; I was sad when I was registering for that JAMB, I was discouraged, but I registered for it.

I wrote the JAMB when I was preparing for my second semester exam in DELSU, Medical Biochemistry. Of course, I also did well. But do you understand that, that JAMB was the lowest JAMB score I had in all my four trials? I had 255, and of course, I applied for pharmacy. I didn't apply for medicine, I said let me try pharmacy. It wasn't a high JAMB score, so, when I came to write the Post-UTME, I saw people with high JAMB scores. I was amazed and thought, "If 285 didn't give me medicine, what am I doing here?" But I also saw people with low scores, so we were all on the same queue to write the Post-UTME. I wasn’t dismayed because I knew what really happened, I would have scored more than that, but I didn’t have enough time to prepare – it came at very short notice.

After the Post-UTME, when the results came out, I saw the score, and I performed well. That's because I had time to prepare for that. After the second semester exams, which ended in June, the Post-UTME was at the end of August, so I had two months to prepare for it, and I gave it my all. Exactly one month after the Post-UTME, in the very first batch, I checked my CAPS on the JAMB portal on the 22nd of September and I saw, "Admission in Progress." I just informed my parents, and they said no problem. My dad wasn’t even around, he had traveled out of the state on an official assignment. So, on the 23rd of September, I woke up that morning, logged on to my CAPS, and I saw, "Admitted, PHARMACY." I was so amazed. It was the happiest day of my life then. I just called my Dad because I had informed my Mom and everyone at home. The atmosphere just changed; the story started changing from that day! It was like, wow, finally! I called my dad, he couldn’t pick the call that morning, so I texted him, and he replied immediately on WhatsApp and said, "Congratulations, the siege is over!" We still talk about it till today and laugh about it. His reply was, "The siege is over!"

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1 year ago | [YT] | 5

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

AGAINST ALL ODDS: DR. IDARA AKPAN EDET'S DETERMINED PURSUIT OF PHARMACY-PART_2

Continuation.....

Reading strategies that helped me really came through for me in 500L. I noticed that I did not like discussions, to me, discussing what I've read is stressful. Why don't you read it over and over and over, then before exams you can then ask questions. That's what I did.

So, 500L, I said that I was going to do better. This name "Akaeze Precious" will keep popping up in the story. He pulled me, if you ask him he'll say I pulled him but it was more of him pulling me to be better.

We didn't do much night class but we read together in the mornings and afternoons. That time, I was already working in a pharmacy, so I had to juggle going to class, going to work and coming back to read. Most people ask me "How do you do it, going to work from 4pm to 8pm, then coming back to read. Is it not stressful?" My answer was I had to meet up with my bills.

Akaeze made sure that we read, also making sure that all the key points he was knowing, I was knowing them too.

I'm a slow learner, so, I had to read it over and over to understand. Most times, I read my materials for like up to 5 times or 6 times so that I can get the message, such that without looking at it, I can explain it to you although I do not like explaining to people but then I could give you an overview of what you're supposed to know.

500L my grades shoot up. It was that good, I had A's, lot's of B's and only one C. The C I had, I wanted to go and contest the result but then, I just let it slide.

Then, second semester 500L when I wrote the organic chemistry 300L, I told God that I don't want to write this course again and I put in my effort. See, there's difference when you put in your mind and effort in doing something. The result shows and I had a B in that organic chemistry.

I had problem with drawing bonds and structures but I said I must learn this thing if I want to pass I need to put in the effort, so I learnt how to put the bonds, structures, product of reactions and all. It wasn't easy I'll tell you because it took a lot from me. I cried most times when I couldn't understand what I was reading but what kept me going was that I'll soon be done, I was going to be a pharmacist and I'm going to be better and the world out there will know my story (with a shaky voice).That was just what was keeping me going.

My fear started in 300L, because I thought I was going to fail out of pharmacy school. I thought I won't graduate with my mates, so I started becoming afraid. (And with a shaky voice) "Is it not to read, am I not reading it well." Then I decided to improve on my strategies.

Apart from pharmacy, did you participate in other organizations? Yes! In 100L when I entered school, Church, I was made the sisters coordinator. That time, I was still very young, I was coming into school with no idea but they saw something in me and made me the coordinator of the sisters in church. That was when I knew that I had to be better. Other projects, I was a member of ADMAP, Public health, We did outreach as a class and some volunteering groups I was into.

What's your view on school Politics?

In 200L I was motivated to go into politics but I didn't know how to go about it, I just let it slide. But I like the passion and zeal those in politics put in and one day my dad was like, "You're a politician." I said I know I am. He then said I should come out for a position na, but I said I don't know if I'll win. That was what was sleeping me back. I don't know if I'll win.

My advice to those in 100L, if you want to enter politics, you can but be sure that that's what you want to do, be sure that you're not going to lack academically and your grades won't be suffering because you're a politician, No. Find the balance, know when to do the whole politics and when to read so that you won't be a good politician and a failure as a student. So, as you gain admission, have fun! Pharmacy school is stressful, demanding and breathtaking, it takes your breath away but then, it's all worth it in the end!

If I'm to start again, what will I do differently?

I'll make sure I start reading well and have a good focus on what to do with myself knowing that this is where I'm supposed to be and I need to even be better knowing that I'm entering school to become the best. Reading early, meeting good friends that are not lacking.

I still wish to meet good friends then reading differently, reading on time, reading early because reading early towards the later part of my study in school really helped me because when you start early, you have a lot of opportunities to go through what you've read over and over and it really helps.

Even as we say it jokingly, School is not a scam! School is not a scam, school is not a scam. For other fields, you just have to have that certificate "BSc" then it pushes you further to do better things. You can't just come out from secondary school and scale up.

Certifications are important, that BSc is very important, even if it is in water resources, just have it. School is not a scam, we all need to go to school, we all need to see the four walls of a university. The stress, the joy and all that comes with being in school makes us better.

Say something to my friends!

I really love you all. You guys have in one way or the other pulled me through to this stage, Akaeze Precious, my course rep, Precious A., Marigold, Janet, Kevwe, Peter (Lemme not say Prodigal father), and lots of people that motivated me to be better even when I cried, even when I was dawn you were there for me, I really love you all and I appreciate you all.

Junior colleagues! Pharmacy is stressful, I can't tell you it will get better because it doesn't get better, it's until you're done you can say you're done! Just do all you can, put your head down, read the book because at the end, it will be all worth it!

You asked everything, right from jamb. So, it was really worth it. Though I still feel that very soon I'll be rolling on the altar and thanking God for everything because this story, this journey, it wasn't me, God really was there, people around me were there, my church people, the family I stayed with while I was in school, the Idehens, they were really there. They were like my parents here even when my parents were not here, so you pretty much asked everything about myself.

Thank you very much for this opportunity to be interviewed, I really feels honoured to be doing this. This is the second time somebody is asking me to like say something about myself and I real feel happy.

I hope this story inspires somebody out there that is wanting to study pharmacy to just study the pharmacy, put your head down, learn the ropes, not just what's in the book but reading to know outside what's in the books, being a better pharmacist because in 600L what you'll be tested on is not only what's in the book. It's your overall knowledge on what you know, your versatility in pharmaceutical care, how to handle patients, how to ask questions, how to communicate, so basically, that's just it.

Pray always, do not cease to pray, thank God always, do not cease to thank him because he is the one from which all blessings flow. Do not forget to give God the glory, do not forget the God factor. God is in it all. Live your life as though there's nothing else, live your life the Christian way. Be good to people, be humble, very important, your humility will take you places. Do not be proud, even though you're going to be a pharmacist, you're not the first to be a pharmacist so, just be humble, be humble. Do not forget God, do not forget your family and have good friends. Thank you!

1 year ago | [YT] | 6

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

AGAINST ALL ODDS: AKPAN IDARA EDET'S DETERMINED PURSUIT OF PHARMACY-PART_1

My name is Akpan Idara Edet. My hobbies are singing, dancing, listening to music, cooking and making new friends.

Growing up was fun and interesting. That time, from my primary school, I was intelligent I'll say, always coming first place, being a scholar was not an issue, how I did it, I still can't explain. I just know that I was passing and at the end of the term, I was either first or second.

I am from a family of four children, I have one elder sister, an elder brother, myself, and lastly my younger brother.

Growing up was fun until it got to one point when my dad fell sick.

All the money we had then was spent to keep him alive. The test results from the hospital always come out negative meaning nothing was wrong with him but he was sick, he was having a lot of issues, running in and out of the hospitals.

Our money finished from just taking care of him. In the same process, our landlord said he wanted to renovate the house and we had to move out. My dad was contemplating if he should rent an apartment or not.

Meanwhile, my dad had a Land as at the time but the building wasn't completed. He just said we should go. We were just living at the back side of the building with only one room completed, the other part was just blocks erected.

God has been really faithful. It has been God all the way. The story is plenty.

So, what motivated me to study pharmacy in the first place?

I didn't have a flare for pharmacy. Pharmacy was the least options on my mind because I did not like chemistry. And in my mind, you're studying pharmacy, so you must be good at chemistry, so I didn't choose it.

In 2015, SS3; When we were about to write jamb, I attended air force secondary school Ikeja and everybody in my class were filling medicine and surgery, Unilag, UNIBEN, this and that. So, I filled medicine and surgery University of Uyo. I went for the Post-Utme, that year I got 228 in my Jamb. That was my first jamb 2015. At the end, I was offered Biochemistry with my score but I couldn't go because of financial reasons. My dad wasn't financially buoyant to help me through that phase, I just had to let go.

I wanted to start first and then do another jamb later but my uncle said that was a waste of money, I should wait and write jamb afresh.

The second year, 2016 I was working in a school and I decided to go for Jamb lessons to put myself through so that I could remember some things because finishing school a year ago, I had forgotten a lot of things, so, I was going for tutorials while working. It wasn't easy, I paid for the tutorial fees with my money unfortunately, at the end of the day, when the jamb results came out, I got 186.

Ahh! 186, I cried for two days. I really cried because the questions were part of what we were doing during the tutorial but again, we were told the center had issues. That year, I filled physiology, the same universe of Uyo, I was not given any admission.

After that time, I almost gave up on writing jamb, my cousin called me one of the days and asked me why I was still at home that I should apply for uniben and pharmacy to be precise and I'll get admission.

I was like, "I don't understand, why will I put pharmacy, it's too hard for me." She said I should fill pharmacy that she's studying pharmacy and I'll enter UNIBEN.

Meanwhile, before then, I had already filled physiology again but this time for UNIBEN. I believed that uniben was going to accept me but let me study physiology. A colleague of mine said I shouldn't try that except I want to be selling medicine in buses. She said I could apply for MLS or pharmacy, so I said, my cousin had already told me pharmacy and she said I should fill pharmacy.

I did change of course, the stress was a lot. I went to Ikoyi almost 4 times, they kept directing me up and down before it was finally done.

Let me go backwards a bit, after writing WAEC, everyone was feeling all good. I had A's, B's and C's in my WAEC result.

Then, the last and final Jamb, I said I wasn't going to attend any tutorials at all. I was going to read at home, either I like it or not and I'm going to pass.

I still don't know where that motivation came from but then, I was very serious. I started going to work as usual. I was working in a school teaching, then at night I'll wake up and be reading, even when I was tired, I'll just have to try and just read something, solve the physics, read the biology past questions.

And all this was not because I was not having money to pay for the tutorials but I said, I want to do this by myself. After the jamb, we went for the Post-Utme in UNIBEN, I stayed with some people I don't even know, we just got connected from church.

After the exams, the score came out a week later and I had an aggregate of 58 and my jamb score that year was 230.

My church member who helped me to secure a space to where I stayed during the exam was like, "I can't get pharmacy, even Agric, I might not get". My response was, "anything that uniben wants to give, I'll accept", I just wanted to enter school.

At that point, I was already giving up. I said after that jamb I wasn't going to write any other jamb and whatever will happen should happen.

I told God; "Lord please just help me, let this just work out, your will for me should just come to pass."

When admission list was released, one of my cousins got admitted into UNIBEN. She was small that time, around 16 years and my dad was like, "see your cousin, she's gotten admission into uniben, you that have been writing since, you've not gotten admission" and the talk went on and on. That day I cried at the back of my house. My brother still reminds me of that story. I cried because, I said, "God, what's the problem, is it that I'll not enter the school?"

My cousin that's in pharmacy just said; "Ida, check your k'ofa page, your name might have come out on the admission list." I said; "Tini, how's that even possible? I got 58 and my jamb score is 230, how is that possible?" But in my depressed state I just checked and what I was seeing there was that I've been given admission to study pharmacy. At that point, my head was bursting with flames literally (laughs). I couldn't believe that I've gotten pharmacy after all these years. My dad, mum and everybody were very happy that I was going to finally study this pharmacy.

100L I was in the hostel. I remember coming to school with few foodstuffs, not up to a roll of milk and Milo, few tissues. I brought pots, spoons and plates but no stove. How was I going to cook? My daddy said I should just go, everything will be alright. The first week was not funny. I was trying to get used to my new environment.

We started going for classes in Faculty of Agric but I wasn't really feeling the school vibes. Then I met my friends, Grace, Kevwe and Jenet. At first we weren't that close, we were just there doing our thing, trying to get to know the ropes and all.

The exams came, I wrote them but had D's in my result. PHY111, Chemistry were D's, the GSTs were A's, my PBB was B but D in AEB, a 4 credit load at that. It was that bad.

I heard about the result of Precious Akaeze. I was like, okay, he's good because I was at the brink of failing before I even started. So, second semester I decided to meet him to put me through. We started going to library, Phillip, Akaeze and myself started going to library from morning to evening everyday. 8am to 6/7pm and most times till the librarians ring the bell.

The whole process really showed on my result because that semester I had an A' in AEB, a B' in PBB My three GSTs B', B' and C', PHY124 was a B', the result was just okay at that point. So, I said, if I could put in this much work, I'll have a good result. I really thank Akaeze and Philip for helping me through that stage.

200L, we began doing Physiology and all the borrowed courses, I wasn't having a place to stay, so I had to stay with my church members outside school, the process of coming into school everyday wasn't easy. In 200L I had good grades A's in my pharmacy courses then I had C's in BCH and Maths.

300L was my breaking point. When I say breaking point, I mean, I didn't feel the need to read again. I had mostly B's and C's in first semester. Second semester was where I had my first two carry overs in Analytical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. I said, "I wrote this thing well, what's happening?" I could not even cry because I just didn't know how I was feeling at that point. I decided to meet Akaeze once again to tell him what's happening. How do we do this? We were about to enter 400L first semester and he said; "As for this one, you read till you are tired." In first semester we read almost everyday going for Night classes, discussions and many other techniques with my friends. When the results came out, I had an E' in Pharm Chem. If you go back, you'll recall that I didn't like chemistry but it was not that bad that I was going to fail like that, but then, I failed and I knew that it was God trying to tell me to buckle up and just do better with my weakness and not let it weigh me down.

400L second semester was the bulkiest of all levels. We had to finish the whole semester in a Month and prepare for exams. We had practicals till 5pm, and when we get home, we will rest for a while and enter school by 8pm to read till dawn.

At one point, one of my other cousins came for PostUtme as she saw the way we were going, she said; "Aunty, you guys don't sleep?" And I'll tell her we will sleep, very soon. We will return from Night class, we have 8am class and we have to just go. The girl was surprised, in her mind, "is this what I'm going to do? I'm not ready for this."

...............

Check out Part_2 for continuation..

1 year ago | [YT] | 4

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

INSPIRATION FROM DR. ABIGAIL-PART_2

My service to humanity in school:

I was in ADMAP where we do Anti-Drug Misuse and Abuse Programs. We go for the campaigns, lecture secondary school students. I also join PANS health week outreaches when we went to IDP camp and/or go to the market and do free health checks.

I was also SDG director of operations, that's Sustainable Development Goals, university of Benin Hub. Together with the other excos, we arranged programs such as trainings, cleaning the campus or cleaning Uselu market, educating students about how the SDG's were related etc.

My view on Politics:

I was the clerk for Congress in my 400L, so we still got to see a closer view of school politics. We already see how politics is on the outside, like outside of school, sometimes it's reallyy dirty and people go extra miles to cause physical harm to their opponents, or emotional abuse or just any manner of abuse. It will just be nicer if people actually play politics in a way that you don't have to physically or emotionally attack your opponents just to prove you're a better choice. You have to just do what is right. It's okay that you're seeking this power, you want this authority, but do it with some integrity. If you win you win, if you loose you take it as it is and try again another time or with another position. It's not something that has to always be a do or die affair.

And also, in politics, we should remember that life doesn't end within the walls of school. So, the way you might actually treat your political opposition in school, shouldn't be so bad that it will damage your relationship for life, no! This is because you don't know where you're going to meet that person outside tomorrow, you might need this person's help, his leverage etc. There's no better way that this person will know you other than how you were in school, because that's how he's going to judge to you, he'll judge you based on how he remembers you in school, be it in politics, in associations or whatever. So, whatever it is that you do, stand with integrity, do your things with dignity. Let this identify you in school politics, so that even if it's outside or at a later time, your works that you did in school will always speak for you.

Is school a scam? Why?

An investment in knowledge and bettering one's self will never be a waste. School is NOT a scam.

If you were to start again, what would you have done?

If I were to start all over again, I'd probably let everything be as it was. I got a healthy mix of everything: bookwork, extracurricular activities, solid support systems, politics etc. I loved the challenges that I faced in pharmacy school. If you have things too easy, you'll never truly know what you're capable of.

Thank you for having me Meshach!

1 year ago | [YT] | 4

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

Inspiration From Pharm. Dr. Abigail-PART_1

First Published:November 14, 2023

An Exclusive Interview with: Pharm Dr. Abigail Amarachi Osolu.

Brought By: MMD

Hi Msquare, good evening.

How I started, the first time I wrote jamb, I applied for UNIBEN. My score then was 200+ not really high, so UNIBEN gave me Agric Education. I didn't take it. I wrote Jamb again at later time and got pharmacy, my jamb score was 282. So, that was how it started.

How I scaled through Every Level.

100L was Okay, it wasn't that such a difficult time, you know you're just getting used to the university environment, and how things work. Most of us attended tutorials outside school like boiling point, Cambridge and all of them. If you attended all these tutorials and you miss classes, you could actually do well, all you just had to do is to follow up if they had assignment to submit or the practicals. I think in 100L we did all those chemistry and physics practicals (PBB and AEB inclusive).

200L was now when we got an idea and the first taste of pharmacy school. It was in 200L that I actually had my first mental breakdown (laughs), I called my mum and I told her "Mummy! I feel so overwhelmed" she now said, it's not something I should have to worry so much about because you know "you're still starting out, all these feelings are bound to come up until you get your feet and balance in the system."

200L was the time that we started testing our skills, how we could manage time, how we could combine everything going on, that's when you do all those lots of practicals, you have to attend classes, we do joint classes with Nursing and Optometry.

It was in my 200L that I packed a lot of C's in my result, it was carbon chain, but it was Okay.

Then, by 300L, we were introduced to interesting courses like Pharmacology, we were now like, Ahh, there are so many nice things to actually learn, it's not such a big issue.

400L, when we came back from I.T, we were now feeling like, we belong, there was no much issue. Then second semester 400L was another "wahala", like they always talk about that 400L second semester, the way the courses now come together, you have to do so many practicals again as if you were in 200L. That part too was okay just that you have to write back-to-back exams in 400L.

I remember we did one course, I've forgotten whether it was PCG practicals, yes, and you know how tiring PCG practicals can be in 400L, you actually walk in the exam, you keep moving up and down, doing all those reagentsand stuffs like that, the by the time you're done, you'll now begin writing, Ah!

So, after that PCG practical, I went home and said let me just sleep a bit because I was really tired, I'll wake up later in the night and study because we had Pharmacology practical the next day. When I woke up, "day don break!" and I had exams that morning (laughs), it was such a crazy time, I don't even know what to do, I just flipped through my practical manual in the morning and just tried to recall and remember, "ọmọ! Na so I just go write the exam, thank God self them still give me C," because carrying over the practical is a lot of stress, you now have to come for attendance and all that, oh God! I was so happy when I passed!

Then 500L, that time we're actually getting to see the end of the whole thing. 500L is when you stop writing Pharmaceutical Chemistry practical. It was okay from that point. After my 200L when "dey first shake my leg" from that time onwards, I didn't make so much C's again, I think there were full sessions where I didn't make any C's at all in my results. That's how we kept going, then lastly final year.

I think in all of this, the point is, at the start of the semester, know all the courses you're supposed to do, note the ones that have a particular cutoff, like PharmLaw that you do in 400L that there's a B cutoff, when you make a C, it's a carryover.

So, at the start of every semester, you have to identify if there are any courses like that you're doing, okay, then you also check, are there any bulky courses? You can ask your senior colleagues or tell from the lecture schedules that the departments usually drop at the start of the semester.

When you check them, know how many lecturers are handling a course, whether they are bulky, then you now know where you're going to channel your energy and start reading on time, because that's one thing in pharmacy school, you can't just read your materials a week to exams and expect to pass, you have to start reading on time so that by the end of the semester, your workload isn't so bulky that you don't know where to start from. That's just the thing to passing at each level.

My fears, did I really have any fears? It was only my 200L that I was scared how I was going to keep this up for the next 5 years, but after that time, ọmọ, I was like, they should bring it on (smile). Every semester, every new huddle just gives me a chance to smile (Laughs) and keep pushing. At some point, the only thing I had to be careful about was being overconfident, because when my result started getting okay, and I kept doing well at school,I tried to be cautious not to be overconfident, not to be relaxed and say "what is there? Have I not been passing, let me just chill" those are the times where you'll just be surprised, you'll just pack F's or pack C's and you'll be shocked, so whatever it is you do, just remain consistent, don't try and relax and say, "I did well last semester, what's the worse that can happen this semester?" You might actually be shocked. So, that was one thing I was cautious about, not to fall into that kind of trap. My fears and challenges are similar.

My greatest moment of excitement.

Should I say it was in 600L, because I was involved in a car accident at the start of it where I broke my bone, distal humeral displaced fracture. When I resumed, it was approximately a month away from the start of exams.

So there's class, after classes I'll then have to go to my posting site because I missed a month of clerkship. Then I also went through some emotional personal issues, so both of them put together really tasked me that first semester, I nearly entered into depression, and then the doctors were telling me at the hospital that I had to do surgery for the hand immediately after my exams so it doesn't interfere with me writing my exams and costing me an extra year in school.

So, I was going to posting, I was trying to attend classes and keep up with materials, I was also going to hospital for my appointments and visiting UBTH clinic is hard work

Exams started, I did my best and I also met people that have been there since first semester to talk to me let me know what they have studied, my friends helped me get materials. We wrote six (6) courses and clerkship making it Seven (7). I passed all my courses, I made four (4) A's and three (3) B's. I was so happy, after everything I went through in first semester, I called my parents to share the news with them and my daddy sent me some money for the weekend and to motivate me for the second semester. It was just God because I really had a lot of fears that first semester, that was my final year, any course you fail will just make you have to take an extra year in school, because there's no other class you want to push it to and say "I'll write it in this other year". That's another thing to I'll like to talk about.

Some people have carryovers from lower level and sometimes they say, "I have a bulky course load this semester" and keep going that way until their final year. In final year, some of us may have to write like so many carryovers. Won't it be better to write them bit by bit since? Don't pack them till it's 600L when you know that if you don't pass it, it's going to make you to spill and stay back? People with carryovers should plan their time very well, spread the carryovers to make sure that they write them such that by the time they get to 600L, they have very little or no carryovers to write again, it's much better and safer that way.

Check out Part-2

1 year ago | [YT] | 4

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MMD TV (The 360⁰ Pharmacist)

The Journey of a Pharmacy Student (PharmD. Joshua)
(First published:November 13, 2023)

An Exclusive Interview with: Pharm Dr. Joshua Ohihon Okaingbuan.

Brought By: MMD

Joshua is a graduate from the University of Benin, Bachelor of Pharmacy, UNIBEN, Doctor of Pharmacy, Uniben, mPSN.
As a student, he was known prominently to have contributed a whole lot to the academic performance of many, a one time Academic Chairman of PANS.

He is data analyst and research writer. Let's listen to him as he pours his heart out to you!

Let's Hear Him Out!

Well, I was a transfer student, so I started in plant biology (PBB). Pharmacy wasn't my first choice, I wanted to go into medicine, but while I was in PBB, I decided to pharmacy. It was a friend of mine that convinced me and I saw the light in the course.

I transferred to pharmacy. When I began from 200L, there was a lot of confusion and the rest. Just like 200L is, a lot of people are taking time to find their stands. I'll say 200L was the hardest level though because you're doing a lot of stuff that don't really concern pharmacy and the rest.

It was a kind of a challenge and I did not have many friends at that time to rely on. It was just me and a few of us (transfer students) who were still trying to find our stands.

During our time, this Academic Committee was not strong and senior colleagues don't really care about you. Unlike now that senior colleagues care about their juniors, trying to do tutorials . Before, "nobody send you honestly". We actually found our steps by ourselves, we try to teach ourselves. Everything we did in that class to scale through to the higher level was by our own self.

Before, senior colleagues during our time were only trying to exploit you. Trying to exploit the girls in our class and the rest. It wasn't really easy starting pharmacy from 200L but thank God for how far he has brought us!

How I scaled through each level/greatest fear.

It was by God's Grace, I'll first of all thank God. I was never really scared of scaling through each level because it was never much of a challenge. Pharmacy school, I know it's stressful and the rest, I was never afraid at anytime that anything will happen.

My greatest fear was not doing the best I could or maybe when I put my best, I'm not seeing the grades to match it. The only issue we had in pharmacy school was that during our time we had a lot of strikes that to an extent made lots of us tired of the whole academic system and the zeal wasn't there again, we just wanted to end everything and it affected the performance of everyone.

My greatest fear wasn't even about myself because I just have this faith and I trust God that I will scale through. My greatest fear was my friends, because I lost a lot of my friends. Seeing I'm not the kind of person that like to be alone, I like to carry all of my friends along. Though those of them I was trying my best to make sure we scale through, some of them could not cope and other are graduating with me now. This was my greatest fear in pharmacy school, "leaving any of my friends behind".

Challenges

Well, for my challenges, there were a lot of them. In pharmacy school, like I said before, the academic part was not really a challenge, it was the work I had to put in.

Being a good student or a bright student in pharmacy school is not the only thing. You still need to put in the work. There is stress, you get. Imagine the schedule you have to go through, the classes you have to go to, the practical and everything, it's just stressful.

I'm not the kind of person that really like stress and don't like putting myself in a position that I'll be stressed, but pharmacy school pushed me to my limit. I had to even expand my limit honestly. 400L wasn't easy, it was just after the COVID-19, and the semester was so short. Imagine doing 2nd semester 400L within less than 2 months, we had to take in a whole lots of things within such short time. It took a whole lot from us, I literally had brain fatigue at a time.

Then, I had friends and I cherish my friends a lot. I do my best to make sure that we all moved forward. I had friends that helped me.

I'll always advice junior colleagues in pharmacy school not to always be a loner, always have somebody at least that you call your friend, that you can rely on, someone that can help you and someone that you can help. You shouldn't be a parasite. That's how pharmacy school is, it's not something you scale through alone, have someone. My friends were there for me, just as I was there for them.

There are times that you just will not be able to meet up, that's why you need a friend that will help you do that. Sometimes for report writing and the rest, all those things were not easy. At times you may even forget important things you should have done, but because you have a friend that can easily remind you, someone you read together and the rest. It makes your stay worthwhile at least, you know that those persons are part of the reason why you are still scaling through. That is one way to remain happy in pharmacy school, just have true relationships and friendships. it helps, it truly helps!

Greatest moment of excitement.

I don't really know if I have that lot of excitement in pharmacy school. Ok, I think I remember one.

My moments of excitement in school were when results come out, I always call my friends, check out on them to make sure their results were good. It's always my happiness that they did well.

The thing is, I have the passion of helping people, even before I became academic Chairman, I've always been holding private tutorial and I just try my best to make sure that these people pass. My payment was that when I ask them, they tell me that they passed. That was what was pushing me and keeping me on this path.

I like good results and it was also my service to humanity in this school. It was basically academic, I've always been a good tutor, that's what people have said and I try to do my best to make sure that I use what I'm good at to serve and help humanity especially in pharmacy school.

I've noticed that most persons fail in school not because they are not good enough but because they don't have anybody to put them in the right direction. Some of them have what it takes to do very well but just need someone to push them.

Not everybody can do things on their own, some of us can do things on our own, but there are some who need to be catered for, some need to be pampered. I've met a whole lots of persons and I used a lot of strategies to help them and my greatest excitement at the end was that it was impactful and that they passed. This was also my service to humanity.

My view on politics is... I really don't have anything against politics, but I just feel like it should be done well. Whatever is being done, should be done well. Though I know that politics as it is now is a game of interest but let's not forget about the common interests of all PANSites.

Politics is an activity that helps to bring in leadership and Leadership is very important and I feel like politics is also very important, I don't shy away from it. I vote for whoever I believe is competent and PANSites should engage and indulge in politics!

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Is school a scam? Why? If you're to start again, what will you do differently?

Well, for me, school is no scam, it is not a scam at all. Those that say school is a scam, I think it was just a joke, it trended but it's not actually true.

This is my reason, I believe that in everything you do, in whatever level you achieve, there have to be education, you have to be educated, especially attending tertiary institution. I'll give you a very good example.

Let's take for example, two people that have a skill, let's say both are fashion designers and one is in a tertiary institution. The one that's in a tertiary institution is exposed to a whole lots of customers base and experiences because the kind of persons you meet in tertiary institution are those that are refined. You wouldn't compare that kind of person to the other one that has the same skill i.e fashion designer that's outside.

Being in a tertiary institution environment will expose you to a whole lot of improvement. Putting academics at the side because the certificate is the basic thing you'll get. Apart from that, there are other things like your skill. Unlike me that was focused on academics when I first came to school, I wasn't interested in many things, I'm not a business person but later I found my ground and other things I began doing. I didn't understand early enough but through school I was able to get other things.

This I didn't understand earlier enough so, it would have been something I'll have done differently, getting involved in other skills rather than just focusing on academics alone.

The kind of skills you'll have compared to others who are having the same skills but not in shool are not the same, yours will be refined, you have better way to market it because you're among intellectuals.

I never developed a skill Early enough, it was at the later part of my schooling that I realized what I could do better. I have big passion for data analysis and also research writing and it has paved way for me a lot. Something I enjoyed doing now, I still got to understand this part of me while I was in school. So, even when you've not found your part, just by being in the school, that can help you because if the kind of environment you're in, you're surrounded by intellectuals, people you meet everyday are people that are refined and it helps you.

One thing UNIBEN is known for is; "Character Before Learning" you develop character, you build yourself, capacity building is part of why you're in school, not just your academics!

Tell us what you feel in the comment section!
Do you have a question for Joshua? just hit the comment section!

1 year ago | [YT] | 5

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