In this special episode of Pharmacist Diaries, recorded live during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, I welcome back Claire Brandish, a distinguished leader in antimicrobial stewardship and global health. Claire Brandish currently works as the Lead Anti-Infectives pharmacist at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Senior Antimicrobial Resistance Technical Advisor for the Commonwealth Pharmacist Association. In her role, she supports the Fleming funded Commonwealth...

In this World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) episode, Rachel Berry shares her journey from hospital pharmacist to antimicrobial stewardship specialist. Her passion deepened when her young son was diagnosed with leukemia, highlighting the critical importance of effective antibiotics in modern medicine. Now working at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) as a Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Fellow, Rachel combines her clinical expertise with national policy work. The...

In this powerful World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) special episode, we hear from Vanessa Carter, a remarkable Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) survivor turned global health advocate. After a devastating car accident in 2004 led to multiple facial reconstruction surgeries, Vanessa developed a drug-resistant MRSA infection that changed her life's trajectory. Her journey from patient to Chair of the WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors highlights the critical importance of patient...

Frances Garraghan, Consultant Pharmacist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and AMR Technical Lead for the Commonwealth Pharmacist Association, shares her inspiring journey from NHS pharmacist to global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) leader. In this wonderful conversation, Fran reveals how she transitioned from surgery to antimicrobial stewardship, driven by personal experiences that shaped her career path. She discusses the unique challenges of tackling high resistance rates in...

We dive deep into the remarkable journey of Brijesh Thaker, a successful pharmacy owner who transitioned from India to establish himself in the UK healthcare system. With ownership of four independent pharmacies and over 17 years of experience, Brijesh shares invaluable insights for international pharmacists and those aspiring to pharmacy ownership. Brijesh's story begins with his arrival in the UK in 2007 to pursue a master's in pharmaceutical sciences. While working as a Christmas temp at...

In this engaging episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I sit down with Virginia Chachati, a pharmacist turned medical copywriter, health content creator, and entrepreneur. Virginia has been a UK registered pharmacist with the GPhC since 2014, but in 2020, her career took an unexpected turn. After moving to Germany with her husband, she could no longer practice pharmacy, which pushed her to explore new career avenues in the digital world. What started as an attempt to figure out how to make money...

What does it take to push through personal and professional hardships and emerge stronger? In this episode, I sit down with Kwame Osei Owusu, an NHS clinical pharmacist with a special interest in mental health, as he shares his compelling journey of resilience and perseverance. Kwame is not only a dedicated healthcare professional but also an award-winning mental health advocate, having received the Diana Award in 2021 for Youth Leadership and Mental Health Advocacy, and recognition at the...

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries Podcast, I sit down with Julie Doan, a pharmacist and life coach with over a decade of experience in diverse healthcare settings. Julie’s journey began in acute and ambulatory care, telepharmacy, and as a clinical project manager overseeing the implementation of electronic prescribers at a tertiary care center. However, the stress of these demanding roles led her to seek tools for managing mental overload and burnout. This search introduced her to...

Dive into the world of pharmacy entrepreneurship with this inspiring episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast! Ashley Kay Pendrick takes us on a thrilling ride through her professional evolution. From the halls of pharmacy school to the exciting realm of entrepreneurship, Ashley's story is one of resilience, creativity, and passion. Ashley's story resonates with many young pharmacists: the struggle to find fulfillment, the endless job applications, and the creeping dread of burnout. She...

Prepare to be inspired as we sit down with Surayyah Aziz, an exceptional pharmacy student whose journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Surayyah’s passion for science, combined with her family's guidance, steered her into the world of pharmacy, despite facing significant medical challenges during her school years.  Her academic achievements are impressive, with 5 A-Levels at A* A* A* A B, complemented by hands-on experience at leading organisations like GSK, Pfizer, and Thermo Fisher...

In this awesome episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, I interview Reena Mehta, a Consultant Pharmacist in Critical Care at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London. With over 15 years of experience in critical care, Reena shares her remarkable journey from junior pharmacist to her current role as Consultant Pharmacist in Critical Care and Chair of the Intensive Care Society's Learning Division and Pharmacy Professional Advisory Group. Reena discusses her career progression...

Are you ready to elevate your pharmacy career to the consultant level? In this must-listen episode, we're joined by Chloe Benn, a Consultant Pharmacist specialising in paediatrics at Barts Health NHS Trust, who shares her invaluable insights on mastering the path to consultant status. With over two decades of experience, Chloe is not just a leader in pharmaceutical care for children across a major London Trust; she's also a specialist Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Pharmacist with expertise...

Join me as we embark on a fascinating journey with Anna Hodgkinson, a consultant pharmacist specialising in diabetes, as she shares her career progression from community pharmacy to becoming a consultant pharmacist.  Anna is a Consultant Pharmacist for Diabetes and works across primary care, intermediate care and secondary care. She joined the Lambeth diabetes team over 10 years ago and has been working in the Lambeth diabetes and renal community clinic for over 6 years. Anna is also part of...

Welcome back to another episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast! In this episode, we dive into the topic of work-life balance and managing stress as a consultant pharmacist. Our guest, Jo Crook, a consultant pharmacist in paediatrics at King's College Hospital NHS Trust, shares her inspiring journey in the pharmacy field while balancing her career and family life. Jo Crook is a Consultant Pharmacist specialising in paediatrics, focusing on children with liver disease, including those who...

In this enlightening episode of Pharmacist Diaries, we dive into the world of Consultant Pharmacists with Sital Shah, Consultant Pharmacist in Hepatology at King's College Hospital. She shares her path to becoming a consultant pharmacist, from her early fascination with science to specialising in hepatology, highlighting the role of family connections and summer placements in shaping her career choice. Sital emphasizes the power of mentorship and diverse experiences, discussing how mentors...

Join me for the first episode of a 6-part series on becoming a consultant pharmacist in the UK, featuring Sukeshi Makhecha, a consultant pharmacist with 25 years of experience in paediatric respiratory care and asthma. Sukeshi shares her inspiring journey, highlighting her passion for paediatrics and her dedication to enhancing asthma care for children through education and research. This episode delves into the essential clinical skills, competencies, and specialist knowledge required for...

In this engaging episode, we explore the diverse and inspiring career of Khaleel Loonat, a clinical pharmacist who has successfully branched out into football scouting and pharmaceutical consultancy. Khaleel shares his journey from initially considering quitting pharmacy school to becoming a valued member of the Leeds United Academy scouting team and an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) student. Khaleel's story begins with his pre-registration year in community pharmacy, where he felt...

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, we deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence in pharmacy with the Aditya Aggarwal, Senior Service Manager at Hillingdon NHS Trust. Aditya shares his journey from being a pharmacist to his current role, shedding light on the intersection of pharmacy and technology. His curiosity and passion for emerging technologies led him to pursue a Master's degree focusing on artificial intelligence in pharmacy. Aditya's research highlighted the...

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of interviewing Georgina Fihosy, a pharmacist and entrepreneur with a fascinating journey. Georgina shares her experiences transitioning from a hospital, to primary care and then working for Novartis while also running her own greeting card publishing company, AfroTouch Design, and being a mother of 3! Georgina's journey into pharmacy began with a desire to help people, leading her to explore various specialties within the field. She...

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, I dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship within the pharmacy profession. Joined by Krysti-Lee Patterson, a pharmacist from Australia, the conversation explores the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from traditional pharmacy roles to entrepreneurship. Krysti-Lee and I discuss our personal journeys into pharmacy, highlighting the unexpected paths that led us to where they are today. Krysti-Lee shares her experience of starting her...

In this episode of the Pharmacist Diaries podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Shilpa Patel, a GP practice pharmacist who has taken her career to new heights. Shilpa shared her incredible journey from transitioning from community pharmacy to becoming a GP partner within just two years. She also unveils a secret on this episode that she hasn't yet shared on social media!! Throughout the conversation, Shilpa dives into the various projects and opportunities she has spearheaded in...

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of diving deeper into Shilpa Patel's incredible journey of building and nurturing a team of ten pharmacists in her GP practice. Shilpa, a pharmacist & entrepreneur, shared her insights and strategies on how she transformed her passion for career development into purpose. This is a 3-part series so make sure you tune into all the episodes and you will gain so much insight into the world of GP practice from this incredibly talented...

In this episode of Pharmacist Diaries, I had the pleasure of chatting with Shilpa Patel, a pharmacist who made a successful transition from community pharmacy to a GP practice. This is a 3-part series so make sure you tune into all the episodes and you will gain so much insight into the world of GP practice from this incredibly talented and inspiring pharmacist. Before I dive into the episode itself, let me introduce you to Shilpa. Originally from Norway, Shilpa is proud to be among the...

In this engaging episode, Hibaterrahmane (Hiba) Zitouni, shares her unique journey into the pharmacy profession, starting with a serendipitous entry into pharmacy school in the UAE. Hiba earned her Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2023 as an Algerian international student in the UAE,  and is currently navigating the licensure process in the country.  She has been named class valedictorian in her year group which fills her with gratitude for the unwavering support from her mentors, peers, and loved...