From my heart…

Dear Young Pharmacist,

Writing to you is something I look forward to with excitement. I sincerely hope we would have a physical conversation soon. While we wait for that, I would love to relate my recent strings of thought  that has occupied my mind about you.

I have met a number of young professionals. I have had discussions with them. I discovered that you rank high among the most intellectually and ethically sound. I am not surprised. I have an idea how you were trained. How you learnt the principles of life hidden behind cumbersome curriculum. You learnt the law that governs relationships and results in pharmacology’s agonist, antagonist and receptor theories. How you can produce synergistic results from good relationships. You would also remember how you learnt to see and draw pictures of the invisible from pharmacognosy. I hope you do remember the trichomes. Life requires you to do this as only those who see the invisible can do the impossible. How you would leave very funny discussions with your roommate on remembering that you have volumes of material to read. You learnt to deny immediate gratification for a greater good. You learnt communication,  management, logistics, and an endless list of other skills. Pharmacy school configured you for greatness. It wired you for success.

As a pharmacist,  I can boldly tell from the level of training you had that YOU ARE TOO LOADED TO FAIL

Dear friend, my reason for writing this is to remind you of the triumph you had in pharmacy school, irrespective of the number of times you tried. I am reminding you perhaps it will bring you to a place where you will agree with me that GREATNESS LIES IN YOU, VICTORY LIES IN YOUR DNA and that there is NO DREAM THAT YOU CANNOT ACHIEVE!

I would also like to inform you that life is a cycle of preparation and success. Each level of success leads you into a level of preparation for another level of success. You have graduated. Yes! It’s just the beginning dear. Your dreams for a great future, a career that would leave an indelible mark on humanity. Your dream to lead corporations requires PREPARATION. Your dream to change the way pharmacy is practiced in Nigeria needs PREPARATION. Your desire to lead a great national cause, drive public health policies that are far reaching needs PREPARATION.

I would love you to project five years forward. If CNN or Forbes decides to run a documentary or write an editorial about you, what would you love them to write? Pause and think about that. You can do well to make a long or short list on what you would love them to say about you. Then ask yourself,  “Can I make this happen?”. You have what it takes. Yes I know. I know you can make it happen. So look at your list again and write the skills you will need to acquire, the courses you will need to take and calls you need to make to achieve your 5 year “Forbes dream”. From today, decide to do something daily about your list. I believe if you do this, in no time, you would exceed your “Forbes dream” and you would be reaching out for MUCH MORE!

YOU WERE CREATED FOR GREATNESS.

I would love to have a conversation with you if you read this through.

So tell me the other life lessons that you feel were hidden behind cumbersome pharmacy curriculum. Drop your comments and questions in the comments section.

See you at the top!