Hi! My name is Bryan Loh Yan Min, a graduate of the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) programme from IMU, and this is my 5-year journey with IMU.

As I approached the end of my secondary school years, I often pondered the question, “What do I want to be in the future?” Growing up in a typical Asian family, we are often expected to become a professional in a certain field, be it a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer. At that time, I was inclined towards becoming a healthcare professional, believing there would always be a demand for those involved in patient care.

I was interested in finding a profession that offers great diversity in career opportunities while at the same time still being involved in disease management. This led me to choose pharmacy, a field dedicated to optimising the treatment of diseases through medication. In addition to clinical settings, pharmacists can explore various careers, including positions in the pharmaceutical industry, retail pharmacies, and more.

I chose to join IMU for my tertiary education because I was drawn to its mission of nurturing excellent and knowledgeable healthcare professionals who would provide better and more thoughtful patient care.

My journey at IMU began with the Foundation in Science programme (cohort FS1/19) in 2019, after which I continued with the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) programme (cohort BP1/20) in 2020. Reminiscing my years of studying at IMU, frankly speaking, those times were more bitter than sweet. There were many sleepless nights spent rushing to meet assignment deadlines, preparing for Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCE), and trying to grasp new concepts in lectures.

Not forgetting during exam periods, how I have tried cramming information about the side effects and mechanisms of various drugs just weeks before the tests, and how I have tried to remind myself to always ask about patient’s allergies and remember to shake and prime metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) before using it during OSCE.

However, the silver lining in these challenging times was my peers and colleagues of BP1/20. We encouraged one another repeatedly, ensuring that we never gave up. Many of my fondest memories stem from the friendships and guidance I received, reinforcing the idea that we were not facing these challenges alone but together as a team.

I have always been passionate about becoming a pharmacist in a clinical setting in which I can apply the pharmacological knowledge that I have learned in helping patients and this passion grew during my years of studying pharmacy at IMU. Hence, I plan to join a public hospital as a PRP and then progress to become a registered pharmacist. While waiting for my application into the public hospital, currently I am working as a pharmacist assistant in a retail pharmacy to learn more about the tricks and trades of a community pharmacist.

My current goal is to become a passionate pharmacist with strong clinical knowledge—someone whom others can look up to.

Lastly for anyone considering studying pharmacy, it is indeed a challenging field; however, if you persevere, I guarantee that the outcomes and career opportunities will be worthwhile.

On 8 November 2024, Bryan Loh Yan Min was awarded the Book Prize for Pharmacy Practice, sponsored by Alpro Alliance Sdn Bhd, during a Prize Presentation Ceremony at the University’s Bukit Jalil campus.