My choice of university was correct — ex-student
JAMES VOO Yau Hon is a senior clinical pharmacist at the Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan. He studied at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Here he speaks about his time at Monash, his decision to become a pharmacist and what his job is like.
Why did you choose to study pharmacy?
My father is a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patient and hence he needed to use a variety of inhalers. Back in the secondary school, I accompanied him to the hospital to get his medications.
I still remembered how a pharmacist behind the counter who counselled my father with his utmost dedication regarding his inhalers.
The pharmacist even went to the extent of repeatedly asking my father to demonstrate to him how he used his inhalers, despite my father saying he was very skilled enough to use them and had used them for few years.
Alas, the pharmacist detected some errors on his inhaler technique and patiently corrected him.
It was really inspiring to see how pharmacists can be so passionate in making sure that patients understand proper medication use. This is a life-changing moment where I start to aim to go for pharmacy course.
Why did you choose Monash?
Studying abroad was my dream, and it became a reality when I was offered a prestigious scholarship from Malaysia government to study pharmacy in Australia!
Monash University is the only university in Melbourne that Malaysia government recognised for pharmacy course during that time and even up until now. Without a doubt, I made up my mind to choose Monash University over other universities in Australia and have never looked back since.
My choice proved to be correct as Monash University is currently ranked number two in the world. I am very proud to be one of the Monash alumni.
What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying the same course as you?
The pharmacy course structure at Monash University was built on a strong foundation of pharmaceutical knowledge and core skills which prepares you for the future workforce.
Enjoy your university life as much as possible! Have a proper study and social life balance. Trust me; you will definitely miss the time in university more than anything.
What did you most enjoy about your undergraduate degree at Monash, what were the most rewarding part/s of your course?
When I was selected to be the President of Parkville International Student Association in Year 3 and also to be the Student Ambassador for the following year (Year 4). I got to know more of the friends around the world and enhance my social skills for better future. I also learnt to organise events from small to big scale. That's why I always feel grateful to the people around me as they entrust me to be part of the teams. After all, without all these rewarding leadership experiences, I would not have such strong foundation to practice in current pharmacy field.
Where was the best place to go for lunch?
I would say the restaurant in Lygon Street! I really love the freshly baked pizza from the oven and the ever so yummy gelato which I would still eat during winter!
Is there anything else you would add about your time at Monash that you wish to share?
I would say that Parkville campus of Monash University did give me a lot of sweet memories where I met a lot of new friends and I still keep in touch with them until now! Friendships built during university time are so strong and I am very glad that I am able to study in Monash to get the connection and networking pathway.
What are your current position tasks & main responsibilities at the Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan?
Before I took my full paid study leave to study my Masters' degree in September, I was incharge of Pharmacy Emergency Department which is the first establishment in the East-Coast of Sabah, Malaysia.
As a senior clinical pharmacist, I participated in daily emergency ward rounds with emergency physicians and provided evidence-based information to the emergency colleagues (medical doctors and nurses) during the ward rounds if any discrepancies of medications occurred. I also provided concise and timely responses to requests for drug information from patients and healthcare providers.
In addition, I underwent medication reconciliation activities with patients who were admitted to the emergency observation wards for accurate history of medication. I also screened daily medications charts in Emergency Department to ensure appropriateness and accuracy for individual patients.
Last but not least, I dispensed the prescribed medications with counselling on the methods of administration of all forms of medications to patients who were discharged from Emergency Department
What is it about your job that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?
As a pharmacist, the most satisfying occasion would be seeing a patient became well and discharged from the hospital with adequate knowledge of the medications prescribed. I also realised that I never stopped learning being a pharmacist, from medication knowledge to life lessons, especially from the patients.
I learned a lot from them by interaction and communication where all these are valuable lessons to my life experiences.
Please tell us a little bit about the other roles you have held since graduating
Besides becoming a senior pharmacist, I realised that I have a passion for teaching as well. With that, I have a sense of responsibilities to younger generation of pharmacists in educating, cultivating and equipping them with pharmaceutical knowledge. I am truly glad that I can become a good role model to them.