Professional- Profile Pharmacy Advisor

Name: Madeeha

Job: Pharmacy Advisor

A Levels: Biology, English Literature, Psychology

Undergraduate degree: Biology BSc (Hons)

Describe your journey in three words: Challenging, hectic, intense

Briefly describe your job role: I am currently working in a pharmacy alongside a regular pharmacist, dispensing prescriptions, cross checking pharmacists’ work, contacting medicine suppliers, doctors and surgeries as well as dealing first-hand with patients themselves. It’s a rewarding role but can sometimes be overwhelming with deadlines.

What motivated you to pursue a career in science?: I have always enjoyed biology in particular out of all the sciences. Undertaking the biology A Level course really set my heart onto the subject, having had inspiring biology teachers. Seeing the passion and love my teachers had towards their subject really made me enjoy learning about biology and it made me want to pursue the subject further.

Describe your work-life balance: I graduated last year but I only started my dispensing and pharmacy training course early this year. I’m only contracted to work weekends at the moment, so on weekdays I’m usually at home. It’s not the best routine, since everyone else is home on weekends and working weekdays. I don’t have much to do.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow the same career path?: Make sure you are prepared for gruelling amounts of hard work, pain, lots of sweat and perhaps a lot of tears. Pursuing a degree in the science field is no easy feat, so make sure you are determined, ready and sure of your choice. It’s important that you have passion for the subject you choose as well, since this is what is going to keep you sane when the going gets tough. Your love for your subject will help with the “tough gets going” part. Enjoy the process.

What do you feel is important when picking a university?: 1,000,000% you must be happy with the choices and variety you are offered within your course. Definitely look into the different module options available in your second and third years, since you want to be happy with your available range of choice. For me, most universities did not offer the varied type of biology course I was after - it whittled down to only two local universities that I was genuinely interested in applying to.

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Side note: If you would like to follow a more direct route into pharmacy. Check out Iyeshas student profile.