Convocation Spotlight: Alina Bejoy
Kyle Ireland - 6 June 2023
Alina Bejoy
Alina Bejoy is graduating from the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program offered by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Bejoy recently won the Class Award at the 2023 Blue & Gold event organized by the Alberta Pharmacy Students' Association (APSA).
While completing her program, Bejoy pursued many opportunities to practise her studies, working as a student pharmacist in storefront pharmacies and at a hospital. To further her skills she attended the Summer Institute for Medical Students (SIMS) at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, spending a week alongside patients and clinicians in the treatment unit to learn about the disease of addiction.
What initially drew you to pharmacy?
Becoming a pharmacist has been a dream of mine for the longest time, because I have always wanted a career in the health-care sector. Ever since I volunteered at my local pharmacy in Grade 12, handing out my first prescription and building a rapport with patients to now almost eight years later graduating from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in a whole other province, I have always kept my passion and I now know I was never wrong in the path I chose. My personal interest to become a pharmacist is rooted in my desire to be involved in improving the health of others, to be knowledgeable in different topics related to health care, and to acquire the means to explore my full potential through a meaningful career.
What achievement, accomplishment or moment are you most proud of from your time in the program?
Though there were several moments, one is the time I won our annual RxFactor, a talent show with all funds going to the Movember Foundation where contestants from each graduating year showcase their talents. Another one would be the time I won the 2023 Class Award. These were some of the proudest moments of my time at the University of Alberta.
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
Adapting to a new province away from my family in Ontario. Navigating a professional school where many students already knew their school and the city was a bit difficult for me, as I had to take care of myself and work to afford tuition and rent. But it never felt lonely and within a few months of starting school, I was able to make an amazing group of friends and met some caring and friendly colleagues for whom I am grateful.
How did you stay motivated and who helped you keep going when things got tough?
Finding this amazing set of friends at pharm school was the main reason I didn't feel like quitting. School can be hard and it is OK to feel lost and confused. It is OK to even contemplate whether the decision you made was right or wrong. But in those times, it is OK to admit that you need help and seek help. And the best people that I could turn to, whether it be day or night, were my friends in pharmacy school. From little pick-me-up treats and cafe dates to happy hour at Earls, to long study sessions over Facetime — these were the many little things that kept me going. This further affirmed that I was not alone.
What advice would you give to a student thinking of entering the PharmD progam?
My advice would be to try to get a volunteering position at your local pharmacy. Entering the field a bit in advance will let you make an informed decision to determine if this is your calling. Learning daily patterns/workflows at a pharmacy, talking to patients and developing a professional relationship, seeing the drugs and always being inquisitive to learn more about what drugs do and what pharmacists do daily will help you realize the significance of the profession as a whole. This is especially true in Alberta, where the scope expands beyond what many pharmacists in other provinces do in Canada. I am extremely proud to have chosen to come to U of A for pharmacy school — after all, I got the best education surrounded by the best people. Shoutout to the Class of 2023.
What have you learned about yourself, and how will you use this going forward?
I have learned that perseverance is key. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. I upheld this courage ever since my first rejection letter from another pharmacy school back in 2017. It has been a long journey but I am proud of where I am now and the journey I took from Ontario to Alberta. Going forward, I will never let success or failure define me; it is who I am at the end of the day that matters most. What made me stand out was my resilience and commitment, and I shall never, ever forsake that part of me.
What comes next for you in your career/academic journey?
I will be starting as a clinical pharmacist in Alberta in a community pharmacy in a rural town.