Jacqueline Asubisa Awanzirigo is experiencing a hands-on process that blends classroom learning with real-world exposure, preparing students for the varied demands of Ghana’s health sector.

Now in her fourth year as a Doctor of Pharmacy student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), Awanzirigo says the programme has steadily equipped her with practical skills, professional discipline and a clearer sense of purpose.

Her choice of KNUST, she explained, was shaped by the University’s reputation for academic rigour and its record of producing graduates who contribute meaningfully to national development.

“KNUST had been my dream school since senior high school,” she said. “I knew it to be the best university in Ghana, and the kind of graduates they train are people who help the country and the world at large.”

Awanzirigo’s decision to pursue pharmacy, however, was rooted in patient care rather than prestige. She described the profession as one that places practitioners at the centre of medication safety and therapeutic outcomes.

“Patient safety is the reason I chose pharmacy,” she said. “You get to intervene, correct medication errors and do other things that directly help the patient.”

Beyond technical knowledge, she said the programme has strengthened essential soft skills, including time management, communication and the ability to cope with pressure.

“One of the key things I’ve learnt is how to manage my time under pressure and how to combine my studies with my social life,” she noted.

A defining feature of her training, she added, has been the structured exposure to different areas of pharmacy practice through internships and practical placements.

“They take us through different trainings, from community pharmacy to hospital internships and industrial placements,” she said. “All these experiences prepare me for the future.”

As she reflects on her academic journey so far, Awanzirigo described her learning experience at KNUST as broad and career-oriented, opening pathways across multiple sectors of the profession.

“Pharmacy is a professional course. They don’t narrow you to one field,” she said. “We have regulatory, industrial, clinical and community pharmacy. From my internship experiences and classroom learning, I believe I’m well equipped for the future.”

By: Belinda Danso