networking skills for chevening scholarship
As a clinical pharmacists, I am opportune to interact daily with people from all works of life in providing health care services and work with many other health care service providers who perform specialized functions aimed at patient care. Networking has been one skill i adopt daily in my career.
Upon graduation, i got internship placement in National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) through the recommendations i got from the networks I made while in school.I worked in three different directorates charged with different functions and got to meet people from different aspects of pharmacy and other specialties.Earlier this year through NAFDAC social media which am a member, I learnt of an immunization seminar training for pharmacist conducted by WHO in collaboration with West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP). There I met and interacted with colleagues both locally and internationally and from diverse specialties who taught us on the best new practices on immunization. Different pharmaceutical companies were also present; I wasted no time in exchanging contacts and storming ideas together with them.
Severally at work, I have been able to contact these companies to source for vaccines and drugs especially the orphan drugs needed by my patients. I have also used my influence as having worked in NAFDAC to help direct them here on procedures in procuring dangerous drugs and using my contacts to make the process faster . The contacts I made in the seminar also encouraged me in starting my fellowship program with the West African Postgraduate College as most of them were currently fellows or members. They urged me to start the program as it will widen my network and career.
Joining the college has afforded me the opportunity of meeting, learning and networking with other students from West Africa. Our lecturers too have done a lot in opening our minds not only to the challenges of pharmacy in our immediate environs but Africa as a whole and we all work together to ameliorate these common traits.
Networking to me isn't just about meeting new people but cultivating a relationship with them that will influence me and others, As a Chevening Scholar, I hope to use my networking skills to meet and interact with people from diverse and same interest group that will propel my career. it will also provide me with a platform for sharing ideas, experiences and skills that will benefit the chevening community both scholars and alumina especially people of same interest to help push pharmacy out of the shadows it has been in the health sector.
