Q&A with Dr. Wandikayi Matowe—pharmacy alumnus, educator, and mentor

University of Alberta alumnus Dr. Wandikayi Matowe (BSc Pharm 1983, PhD 1989) began his career in pharmacy, and has worked across the world refining pharmacy education, contributing to research, and mentoring health care students. Today, Dr. Matowe is a Professor at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine.

What was your educational journey like?

I was born in Zimbabwe. I came to Canada to attend University, and my parents came as well. At that time, they immigrated to Canada, but then they eventually went back home. I did my undergraduate degree in Calgary at the University of Calgary. At the time, I was floundering a bit. I was a decent student, and my parents left everything up to me regarding what I wanted to do. I started off in geology, spent a semester there, and changed to engineering. I spent another semester there, and then I went to biology. I did a double major in biology and psychology. And then I thought I might want to do something else. I was trying things all over the place. It’s fun being a student.

At that point, I was thinking of doing medicine but I was not a Canadian citizen, and it was very difficult to get into medical school for non-Canadians. I did not make it when I applied. So, I decided to do another degree, in a program called Law with the Liberal Arts. I always wanted to be a lawyer, but my dad didn’t want me to be. So, I thought I would do something that was related. Unfortunately, that program was not very well supported, so I did not get all the courses I wanted that I should have got out of it. I ended up completing a Bachelor of Arts. At that point, I decided it was time to do something that would pay the bills. So, I went into the pharmacy program at the University of Alberta. 

What has your career journey been like?

After I finished pharmacy school, I worked for a couple of years as a pharmacist. I worked in retail and hospital pharmacies; I worked in Calgary for a bit at the Calgary Foothills Hospital; and I also worked in Fort McMurray in retail. Before that, my very first job was at Alberta Hospital in Ponoka. The practice at the time, in the 80s and 90s, was different from today. Today we have pharmacists doing injections, and all sorts of things. The most that we were doing clinically was going on clinical rounds, checking medication profiles and trying to organize treatment for patients. Now, I think pharmacists have become true clinicians.

Then I went into graduate studies back at the University of Alberta with Dr. Michael Wolowyk as my supervisor. I was his first PhD student. He was really my mentor. He was a great guy, and he was the one who encouraged me. He encouraged me to carry on research in North America, because of the lack of funding and facilities I would face if I returned to Zimbabwe. So, I listened to him and took my Canadian citizenship, and I continued. I did a postdoctoral position here with him, and then I joined the Department of Medicine with Dr. Jody Ginsburg, where I stayed for almost eight years. 

Afterwards, I moved to Saudi Arabia. A friend of mine, we’d been in grad school together, invited me over there, so I went with my family. It was a truly great experience, especially for my kids. We were there for about a year and a half, when I was invited by former U of A pharmacy professor, Dr. David Biggs, to apply for a position at Kuwait University, where he was starting a program in pharmacy as the Founding Dean. I helped found Kuwait University’s pharmacy school, along with a couple other U of A graduates. It was really a great time. We were there for about 10 years, and I really loved it. 

Then a new opportunity came up in Qatar to join the new Faculty of Pharmacy at Qatar University. Both programs were accredited by the Canadian accreditation body for pharmacy programs. I was only in Qatar for three years, as my kids had started university, so we decided to come back. 

After working abroad it is not easy to rejoin academia back here so I was ready to get back into practicing pharmacy. It was really fortuitous that I did not because I was offered a position at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. I went there, but the environment was not very safe at the time, so I decided to look elsewhere. That is how I ended up in my current position.

What are you doing now?

I am a professor of pharmacology at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten. It’s an American program. We teach the first two years of the medical program, which includes the basic sciences and introduction to clinical medicine. The students then go for clinical rotations mostly in the United States, and some in the UK and Canada. I am a full professor at AUC, the Course Director for Pharmacology, manager of the research laboratory, and I also the chair the research committee. 

What do you enjoy most about your current role?

I feel fulfilled interacting with young people. Just talking to young people really opens up your mind. If you’re feeling that you are set in your ways, they open your mind to new ideas. And I really like that.

We have medical students who are really doing their best. Because our graduates are called IMGs, International Medical Graduates, they do everything that the US grads do. We have students who also do the Canadian Residency Programs, and when they are done they can practice in Canada. What I really find fulfilling is being able to mentor students. A medical student wanting to be mentored by someone who is not a medical practitioner, especially in the area of research, is really special. We don’t have a very robust research program, but we try. I find that really fulfilling. 

What advice would you give to students or new grads?

If you want to follow something, follow your passion. If there is something you really want to do, and you think you can do it, go for it. But also realize that there are going to be hiccups along the way. Not everything is going to be smooth. You have to be dedicated. You have to be organized. And you have to work really hard.

What was your experience like at the University of Alberta?

I loved my time at the U of A. I loved my professors. And the friendships that I made in pharmacy and in my graduate studies are still my close friends today. We are still in touch today and we visit each other. We had a really good time. It was always fun being on campus.

Canada’s educational system is just one of the best. The students that we get in St. Maarten who are Canadian are usually in the top ten percent of our classes. And I think the University of Alberta is one of the top universities out there.