PRIME PARAGON INTERVIEW: PHARM BEN NWOGU

Considering an unconventional field of practice in pharmacy? Or looking for some motivation and direction for grad school? You will definitely find timely and helpful this interview with high-flying scholar, Pharm Ben Nwogu. In this interview, he shares his academic and career interests as well as his future aspirations. Enjoy!

WHO IS BEN NWOGU AND WHAT DOES HE DO?
Ben Nwogu is an Igbo lad from Mbaise, a popular town in the heart of Imo State, Nigeria. I am the third of four children, born and raised in Lagos. I am a Nigerian-trained Pharmacist, who received Public Health training at the University of Nottingham, UK. Before leaving for my Masters, I had worked in both the community and hospital pharmacy settings. At the moment, I work with Advantage Health Africa, a health solutions company, as a Partnerships Executive.
I also like to describe myself as one who has a knack for helping people fulfil their dreams of pursuing graduate school education abroad. This proclivity birthed PharmGrad, a virtual hub that I co-founded in 2019 with a friend, Deolu, aimed at assisting and guiding young Nigerian pharmacists in their pursuit of acquiring an advanced degree overseas. Since its inception, we have recorded huge successes. This year alone, we have more than ten scholars travelling to the US on fully-funded scholarships and two Erasmus Mundus scholars. We are equally guiding and mentoring those actively preparing for subsequent admission cycles. The goal is to continue to bring pharmacists closer to their dreams of schooling abroad and to help the Pharmacy profession grow in leaps and bounds.

SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT/WHO INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER CHOICE.
My choice to study pharmacy was more serendipitous than premeditated. As a kid, I have always wanted to be many things at various points in my childhood: a banker, a lawyer, a scientist. You know how children are free-thinking and easily malleable. However, at the point I was about to take the UTME, I had this fantasy of becoming a marine engineer. I didn’t entirely know what it entailed but I once heard someone say he wanted to study “Marine Engineering” and I liked the way the course sounded. So, on a particular day, I was with my mum discussing what program to fill in my UTME form and once I told her that I wanted to be a Marine Engineer, she quickly dismissed it with something like “How many seaports are working in Nigeria?” (you know African parents). Since I didn’t have any solid reason why I wanted to become a marine engineer apart from the sweet-sounding title, I easily succumbed. Then she began suggesting other courses to me, including medicine. The fact that my dad was a medical doctor, and my elder brother was also studying to become a physician at the time made medicine a less appealing option to me — I wanted to study something different. Finally, she suggested pharmacy, citing her sister who was a practising pharmacist in the United States as a prime example. And that was it. There and then, I decided to become a pharmacist. So I would say my mum, and by extension, my aunt (mum’s sister), was a big influence in choosing to study pharmacy.

TO HAVE FINISHED WITH A DISTINCTION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS IS NO MEAN FEAT. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS?
Just like achieving anything worthwhile, you have to put in the work — the hard, sometimes unpleasant, work.

In pharmacy school, I always had a mental strategy, sometimes translated into writing, on how to ace each course. This often required a deep-thought process of identifying what areas of the course I needed to pay keen attention to, whether I needed to read external resources to gain more insights about an elusive concept, and identifying and preparing for likely questions that could be asked in the exam. A recurring tactic, however, was to read every handout or study material at least three times before I sat for the exam. Interestingly, many people do not know this or may find it hard to believe because they think Ben is super smart and has a “magnetic” brain that grabs things quickly and easily. But the truth is I am not that special. I hardly remember the fine details of what I read at first encounter, hence, the need for multiple reading sessions to coalesce my understanding. By the time I study a material the second time, I become more acquainted with the content therein, and the third time makes me even more grounded in the subject, brimming with confidence. I would say that was the single most important strategy that earned me a distinction.
Even more important than hard work, I believe, is having the right mindset, a burning unyielding desire to succeed, whatever the cost, and believing it is possible; that you can do it. I know that expression sounds trite and tired, but that does not make it less true. I say this because not everyone that works hard gets the desired outcome. I believe that many times, the clog is a lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, or whatever phrase you may choose to qualify it. While in Pharmacy school, I came across certain persons who tell me how hard they studied, perhaps harder than I did, but somehow, they still felt they were ill-prepared for exams. That partly explains the mindset dilemma I was referring to. Right from when I got admission into the University of Lagos, my aim was not just to finish with a distinction but to emerge as the best graduating student. Not to sound cocky, but the former objective was almost like a done deal. Right from the beginning, I was pretty sure and confident it was going to happen (i.e. graduating with a distinction). I had prepared myself mentally for it. And with each result on the scoreboard, this belief was reinforced.

Finally, I would say tenacity played a huge part in my success. Anyone who has gone through pharmacy school knows how tortuous the journey could be: from searching for trichomes under duress in Pharmacognosy lab to staying up late at night to write lab reports, to the string of closely packed in-courses and exams you have to prepare for and other ‘gbas gbos’ you have to deal with. This invariably means you have to develop a thick skin to withstand these inevitable hurdles and to thrive.

FINISHING WITH DISTINCTION HAS ITS MERITS... CAN YOU SHARE SOME BENEFITS IT HAS ATTRACTED TO YOU, ESPECIALLY CAREER-WISE?
Graduating with a distinction is not only rewarding but fulfilling. Beyond the benefits you may derive from it, there is an inward gratifying disposition that comes with it. You look back and feel incredibly proud of what you have achieved. This serves both as a reminder of your ability to achieve great things and fuels your motivation for future achievements. To explicitly answer your question, the main perk for me thus far is being placed at a vantage position to secure international study scholarships. I believe, for instance, that my exceptional academic background helped in getting a 100% tuition waiver to study at the University of Nottingham.
From a career perspective, I do not think the mere fact that I finished with a distinction has provided me with an express ticket to landing a job, at least not yet. I still typically have to go through the old-fashioned job-hunting process of applying, sitting for exams, and being interviewed. Plus, I think it’s rarely the case that someone hands you a job simply because you graduated with a first class. Maybe it might get you an interview slot, but you still have to prove yourself to get the job and to stay on the job. If anything, making a distinction raises the level of expectation of people around you. There is an arbitrarily high standard expected of you based on your academic record.

YOU HAVE A MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH (AGAIN WITH DISTINCTION) FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, UK. WHAT HELPED YOU REPEAT THE FEAT?
Essentially, I tried to apply the same study strategies I used in Pharmacy school and maintained the winning mindset I had cultivated over the years to ensure continued academic excellence at Nottingham. However, things were slightly different there. I experienced a new type of challenge, one I was ill-prepared for. Here is why: In Pharmacy school, I had mastered the art of reading and smashing closed-book examinations which were the main assessment tools; however, during my MPH program, I was confronted with unconventional grading methods that required writing open-book essays, and making presentations. These areas were not my forte, I soon realised. In truth, I struggled with academic writing, and some courses were completely assessed through essays and often involved poring over a spate of academic publications. I think my highest score in a writing task was 71/100. I had to make a conscious effort to improve my writing which included going through some useful online resources. The experience made me insecure, fearful, and worried about my chances of finishing with a distinction. I wondered, for instance, if I was just a local champion, perhaps I could only excel in Nigeria, but not in the white man’s land. This was a game-changer, particularly when juxtaposed with my Pharmacy days where I was certain of a distinction right from inception. Now, achieving the same feat in Nottingham seemed like a distant dream. For context, I was doubtful about graduating with a distinction until my final result (dissertation) was released and I had an A-grade, a glorious 70. Omo, I was all over the place, screaming. Amidst the excitement, I called my mum to inform her, and I didn’t realize when I became joyously tearful. It meant a whole lot to me. It is quite interesting when I hear people say that studying abroad is easier than studying in Nigeria, and most times imply that having a first-class or distinction over there is less difficult or less demanding. From my experience, you can tell I do not entirely agree with that philosophy.

DID YOU ENJOY ANY SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS? IF YES, HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO SEEK THE OPPORTUNITIES, APPLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY GET CHOSEN?
I have enjoyed several scholarship benefits right from my undergraduate days till date. During my first year in pharmacy school, I applied for and secured the Agbami Scholarship after sitting for a computer-based aptitude test. I owe this scholarship to my elder brother, Udo, a medical student at the time, who informed me about it and urged me to apply, being a beneficiary himself. My consistent above 4.5 cGPA (on a scale of 5) also earned me the annual endowment scholarship awarded by the University of Lagos. This funding was given automatically to those who met the criteria and did not require an application.
Moving on to graduate school, I was fortunate to be awarded the University of Nottingham’s Developing Solutions Masters Scholarship to pursue a Masters in Public Health (MPH). This scholarship which covered the full cost of my tuition required interested applicants to complete a separate application after receiving an admission offer from the school. I learnt about the scholarship through a friend, Arinze, who was a recipient in the previous year. Recently, I also received a fully-funded PhD offer from the University of Washington, Seattle. This time, the scholarship came with my admission letter and I did not have to specifically apply for funding. In such situations, your application for admission doubles as a scholarship application. I took interest in the school and subsequently applied after I participated in some of their online courses. In response to how I became a beneficiary of these scholarships, I’d say it is because I applied. It sounds obvious but that is the first and perhaps most important step: you have to make an application. There is no way to get selected if you do not apply. Having said that, I put in my best to ensure that my applications were compelling and competitive. I tried to ensure that every aspect of my application was solid, and there were no loose ends. This could mean different things depending on the scholarship you are applying for. Broadly speaking, it implies taking out quality time to write, review and revise your essays, scoring high in standardized tests, drafting a well-structured academic CV, etc. However, scholarships can be tricky and highly selective. You may put in your best, tick all the boxes, and still not get the desired outcome. But anyone that has been through the process long enough knows it is all part of the game. I have had far more unsuccessful scholarship applications than those I clinched. And even if you receive an unfavourable response, you learn from it, you become better in your next application.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A FRENZY AMONGST US PHARMACISTS ABOUT MPH, DO YOU AGREE? WHY IS THAT?
I completely agree. It is not just among pharmacists. Generally, an MPH is a highly coveted degree among healthcare professionals. The reason behind the “frenzy” is varied but not farfetched. First, it’s a multi-disciplinary degree and can therefore find multiple applications in diverse areas such as global health, social and health policy, humanitarian services, and international development - just to mention a few. For many, it brings them a step closer to landing gigs with international NGOs which are typically known to preferably hire those with an MPH. So, it’s unsurprising that many young pharmacists have their eyes on it. The pay associated with such positions also seems more attractive compared to conventional pharmacy jobs. For others, perhaps they want to study something unrelated to Pharmacy but still within the healthcare space, so an MPH appeals to them. Additionally, some persons just want to join the bandwagon for fear of missing out.

FOR YOU, WHY PUBLIC HEALTH?
Shortly after pharmacy school, I decided I wanted to get a Master’s degree. After thinking through the core pharmacy options, such as Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, and the likes, it was clear I was not particularly intrigued by any, at least not enough to spur me to pursue an advanced degree in that area. So I felt that perhaps I wanted something outside mainstream pharmacy. Also, at the time, I was quite fascinated about working with health-focused NGOs. In retrospect, I think I was partly attracted by the seemingly chilled life and big paychecks associated with such jobs. Trying to get my foot in the door, I recall volunteering to work with LiveWell Initiative, a Nigerian-based NGO, and also participating in campaigns organized by the LagosFood Bank. My understanding then was that these activities will prepare me for clinching a job with an international NGO (I was already making contacts with FHI360). I believe all these experiences shaped my decision to pursue an MPH at the time. But my impression about an MPH was slightly altered after I started the program at Nottingham. I realized my original motivation for pursuing the degree was quite parochial. And this has nothing to do with the degree itself but my views about it. Of course, an MPH is an excellent degree and I am grateful that I have one. However, there is more to just having an MPH, I would soon discover. I think the issue with my view of an MPH then was that I thought it was all I needed to have a successful career, to have a secured future. More like "get an MPH and you are made for life". Soon, I realized the flaws in my thinking. It became clear that having an MPH did not make me special, and while it was a nice degree to have, it was still not an express ticket to get the NGO jobs I yearned for. In a nutshell, I would say I began to think beyond the degree. I realized there was more work to be done even after getting the degree to have a rewarding career. I also became open to other opportunities and learning experiences outside traditional public health domains.

WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU, PARTICULARLY BEING IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY? DID YOU EXPERIENCE CULTURAL SHOCK? WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU FACED AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE THEM?
My epiphany was more of a “cultural awareness” rather than a “cultural shock”. I was fascinated with meeting people from different countries, backgrounds and cultures, particularly on campus and in lecture rooms. These interactions liberated my mind, giving me a nuanced view of life. It’s one thing when you watch stuff on TV, it’s a completely different thing when you have a lived experience. Another interesting realization was that life, as I had experienced, was not as hard. I mean, you don’t have to worry about the basic things: electricity, water, safety, etc. A major challenge I faced was the occasional feeling of boredom and loneliness. I recall spending the Christmas of 2018 alone in my room. This was the first time I spent the festive period away from home and family. Unlike back home where you can easily call a friend to hang out or just go to chill with your next-door neighbour because you both most likely have a bond, it is quite different over there; people are often busy, and time is golden. And you may never get to know or talk to persons living next to you.
Another notable setback I had to deal with was working while schooling (my scholarship did not include stipends). It was remarkably challenging, having to meet the demands of school- assignments, coursework, classes - and still, find time to work because you have to pay the bills. This was not optional for me, I had to fend for myself and I chose not to call home for financial support. It was tough having to make that decision and keep to it. There were times I had to convert some of my savings in my Naira account to British Pounds to pay my rent. And this is not even because my part-time job was not sufficient to take care of my bills. But sometimes, you are swarmed with plenty of school stuff that does not afford you the desired flexibility to work, particularly if you are like me who would not prioritize going for a work shift over scholarly duties that require immediate attention.

YOU WERE ABLE TO PRACTICE AS A HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT AT VP FORENSIC LTD IN THE UK. WHAT DID THIS ENTAIL? (HOW)DID YOUR TRAINING HERE IN NIGERIA HELP YOU IN THIS ROLE?
VP Forensic is a healthcare agency that provides third-party staffing solutions to mental care homes and hospitals. This means that I got to work in various mental health facilities the company partnered with, based on their demand and my availability. I worked as a healthcare assistant/support staff. In this position, I provided strategic and technical support to the mental healthcare team. This involved active interaction with patients to understand and support their needs, de-escalation of patients with anxiety, panic, and aggressive disorders. My routine also required that I observed and documented patients’ daily activities to ensure signs of life, and to prevent them from self-harm and other risk behaviours.

I believe my pharmacy training played a significant role during the recruitment process at VP because the company required a person that had some health background/training, preferably in mental and geriatric care. Even though I did not have robust prior experience in that preferred area, I was able to leverage my pharmacy background in convincing the recruiters during the interview that I was a good fit for the job. I also received additional training after securing the job.

COMPARING THE WORK CULTURE IN THE UK PARTICULARLY IN PHARMACY PRACTICE, WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES?
As in most developed countries, the UK has a strong work ethic and value for time. Most jobs pay on an hourly basis, which implies that showing up late at work means that you won’t get paid in full and you could be reprimanded or even laid off if it becomes routine. You equally get paid extra if you work overtime. More importantly, when you are at work, you work. There is no room for laxity, frivolous chit-chats, or undue complacency. For context, on one of my night shifts, I was tasked with observing a high-risk patient who was asleep (it was past midnight). During my observation, I got a bit bored and decided to pick up a newspaper to fill the time. After all, the patient was sleeping. Omo, one of the staff sanctioned me. I was told that reading was not allowed and that doing so meant that my attention was divided, and therefore, I was not doing my job. And frankly, she was right.
Concerning pharmacy practice, I might not be in the best position to compare the work culture in the UK to what we have here in Nigeria because I never got to practice or even work in a pharmacy. But the ethos should be about the same: great value for work and time at work. From my observation, I would say that pharmacists in the UK are more valued and appreciated both by the public and the healthcare system. You hear stuff like "My pharmacist advised that…", which is not so common here. The role of a pharmacist is also more encompassing to include administering vaccines, prescribing (after specialized training), residency/specialization pathways, and regulatory roles.

YOU’RE BACK IN NIGERIA. SOME PEOPLE WILL FIND THAT ODD. WHY DID YOU COME BACK?
Lol…This is a question I get asked a lot so I am not surprised it’s coming up again. The major reason I came back or perhaps why I had to come back was that my student visa was due. My study permit only included a six-month post-study period. Now, if you are lucky to get a job during that period that allows you to transition from a student visa to a work visa, great, you can stay back after your study and work in the UK. I did apply for some jobs, though without much zeal. Honestly, I was not hellbent on staying back so I was not seriously job-hunting or actively seeking means to prolong my stay in the UK. The reason for this laid-back attitude was that I was preoccupied with preparing and sending PhD applications to US universities. This was demanding and time-consuming as it required searching for schools, preparing and sitting for the GRE, mailing profs, preparing for recruitment interviews, etc. That was my priority then and didn’t allow me to pay much attention to staying back. So yeah, that explains why I returned to Nigeria.

YOU CURRENTLY ARE WITH ADVANTAGE HEALTH AFRICA. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK THERE AND WHAT INFORMED YOUR DECISION TO TAKE UP THE ROLE?
That’s right. I serve as Partnerships Executive at Advantage Health Africa (AHA), a health solutions company headquartered at Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Essentially, I am responsible for identifying and onboarding viable partners for strategic, synergistic collaborations to address pain points in drug access, distribution, and delivery to patients. This involves an iterative process of prospecting, engaging prospective partners, setting up meetings to discuss the basis of the intending partnership, reviewing/revising partnership proposals, etc. Our typical partners include telemedicine companies, HMOs, health organizations, and financial institutions. After onboarding, we help most partners fulfil the medicine needs of their clients and subscribers, either through picking up medications from any of our partner pharmacies or delivery to their target locations. In this role, I also ensure the smooth running of operational activities with existing partners. Additionally, I assist in writing and preparing grant applications for the company, and we have successfully clinched some, notably the Bayer Women Empowerment Award.

My decision to take up this role was premised on my inclination to gain valuable experience outside conventional pharmacy practice. I wanted to glean valuable skills and expertise in the areas of strategy, consulting, and management, which I thought traditional practice would not have availed me. Working in, say, a community pharmacy was more like a front-end role, interacting directly with customers, dispensing, counselling patients, making sales etc. However, I wished to experience what it felt like to be at the back-end of things, the management and operational side of things. That was the main motivation behind seeking something different. I identified AHA as a place where I could achieve this objective. So I reached out to Abimbola Adebakin, the CEO, who also happens to be my mentor, and told her about my interest in working with her company. Thankfully, she was pleased with my request, and a few weeks later, she informed me about an opening in the fledging partnerships department, which I gladly accepted.

WHAT IMPACT HAS YOUR SOJOURN HAD ON YOUR PRACTICE SINCE YOUR RETURN. WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENTLY?
While I am currently not in conventional Pharmacy practice, my experience during my Masters and time in the UK exposed me to the boundless opportunities I was once oblivious to. Like I noted earlier, I understood that an MPH was not a terminal destination for me, but rather it presented a platform to build upon and explore other possibilities, at least that’s the effect I experienced.

In fact, when I came back to Nigeria, I was more interested in getting into management consulting–solving complex problems across diverse markets and industries– rather than the NGO gigs that originally intrigued me. I found new interests and took on a broader, better, and nuanced perspective about my life and career. I think that’s what international exposure does to you: it liberates your mind and prompts you to begin to view things differently and holistically.

YOUR RESEARCH SEEMS TO FOCUS ON PHARMACOECONOMICS. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS (PLANS)?
Pharmacoeconomics, in simple terms, involves marrying “Pharmacy” and “Economics”. Also known as Pharmaceutical Economics, this field is focused on measuring, evaluating, and comparing the costs and benefits of drug interventions to the public and healthcare system, to determine if they offer great value for money or return on investment. It, therefore, provides a useful tool for institutions, governments, and policymakers to guide health spending decisions to ensure that the most equitable and cost-effective choices are consistently made within the healthcare system. Given that healthcare needs are infinite and resources are limited, Pharmacoeconomics presents robust evidence to inform health policy decisions, ensuring that scarce resources are used judiciously and health outcomes are optimized.

DO YOU STILL HAVE PLANS TO STUDY ABROAD AGAIN?
Sure, I do. Thankfully, by September, I would be commencing my PhD in Pharmaceutical Economics/Pharmacoeconomics at the prestigious University of Washington, USA.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS, WHAT MORE SHOULD WE BE EXPECTING FROM YOU?
At the moment, I am focused on getting a PhD in Pharmaceutical Economics. The goal is to build a successful career in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), a fast-growing niche within the healthcare industry. I think there’s a limit to how far into the future we can plan for because our choices and preferences keep evolving in relation to our environment and prevailing circumstances. Nonetheless, I envisage engaging in cutting-edge research to engender equitable and cost-effective use of health resources, optimize health outcomes, and promote access to safe and affordable medicine, particularly in resource-limited countries such as Nigeria. I am still very much interested in management consulting and would definitely love to work in any of the flagships (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain). It would also be cool to occupy a C-level or high-profile position at a top pharma/biotech company. I equally intend to continue to mentor and inspire the next generation of pharmacy leaders.

ANY TIP FOR YOUNG PHARMACISTS LOOKING TO EXPLORE ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND OUR GREEN SHORES?
Just get started! It is certainly not enough to dream or fantasize about schooling abroad; it must be accompanied by deliberate actionable steps. Decide what program you want to study, identify target schools offering the program, ready your documents (transcripts, personal statement, international passport, degree certificate, test scores, etc), and start making applications. It is that simple, though not easy as the process can be tiring and time-consuming, but ultimately rewarding. You also have to believe it is possible because it truly is: you can do it. It is also important that you surround yourself with people chasing the same goal as you. Having a tight network of like-minded individuals exposes to you very useful information, provides a solid support system, and serves as an incredible source of motivation, particularly when the going gets tough. Additionally, I wrote an article that details the steps and requirements of securing funded international graduate school opportunities, from a pharmacist’s standpoint. The post was featured on the YPG-Lagos Medium account and can be accessed using this link: https://psnypglagos.medium.com/graduate-school-opportunities-a-pharmacists-guide-a2047d2f2ef1. I strongly recommend this article to young pharmacists wishing to gain clarity and direction on the graduate school process.

We hope you enjoyed our interview with Pharm Ben Nwogu. This interview was conducted by Pharm Sejoro Tonuewa, a member of the PSN-YPG Lagos Editorial Committee.