Creating the pharmacy society has allowed me to find a community

What made you want to work in healthcare, and why did you decide to train as a pharmacist specifically?

“I had always enjoyed science subjects like biology and chemistry and I knew that’s where my passion was.

“While in year 12 I applied for an opportunity called Reach for Excellence which included many taster sessions and workshops based around healthcare, including pharmacy and medicine. It was then that I realised I really enjoyed working with patients.

“I chose pharmacy over medicine as I enjoyed learning the theory behind the drugs more than I did with the topics studied in medicine. I chose pharmacy over pharmacology as I also liked working with patients rather than being in a lab most of the time. I also took part in work experience based in a local community pharmacy that helped me realise my skills were better suited for pharmacy as I enjoyed working with my team, communicating with patients and dispensing a few medicines.”

What drew you to the University of Sheffield's Pharmacy programme?

“What drew me to Sheffield was its Patients as Educators programme. This programme allows us, as students, to interact with real patients and gain experience and knowledge about how patients really feel in a pharmacy setting. It also allows us to learn how important a good rapport is between pharmacists and their patients.” 

What have you enjoyed most about studying at Sheffield so far?

“I’ve enjoyed spending time in the Peak District, which you won’t find elsewhere. I've also enjoyed the city centre and visiting new cafes and spaces to spend my time leisurely with my friends.

Downtime is so important for a university student, or any student, and Sheffield has many opportunities and spaces to breathe, with your friends or just by yourself.

Asmaa Parveen

MPharm Pharmacy

“Creating the pharmacy society has also allowed me to find a community and a comfortable environment with others on my course. As it's the first year that Pharmacy has been taught at the University, there was not a society for the course. So, with the help of my lecturers and friends on the course, I took it upon myself to create one. 

"Running a society is a lot of hard work but having such a helpful and determined committee definitely makes it much easier to deal with. We have been having so much fun putting together events for the members in the society, such as games nights, quiz nights, OSCE practices, as well as non-sober socials!”

What parts of the course are you most looking forward to?

“The part of my course I’m looking forward to is the treatment of diseases module in the second year, as we get the opportunity to learn about female and male health including things like contraception, fertility, obesity, and diabetes.

“This module will allow me to spread my knowledge further as, coming from a South Asian background, diabetes and hypertension are very common and a lot of people would benefit with the information on how to treat these issues and how to live an overall healthier life.”

What advice would you give to someone considering studying Pharmacy at university?

“I’d say you should be able to manage your time to some extent as pharmacy includes a very busy timetable, but with the right time management, fun can still be had!

“I’d also like to add that feeling nervous or scared is completely normal! But don’t let those feelings limit you. Everyone is in the same position as you, or similar, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!”