Women in Pharmacy: Q&A with Tobi Obatusin

Tobi Obatusin (PharmD 2022) is a student in the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Alberta and co-founder of the Black Pharmacy Students’ Association (BPSA). She is an advocate for Black representation in health care and at the University of Alberta, and is passionate about providing the best of patient care.

Why did you choose to become a pharmacist?

At the age of five, I was administered medications following a surgical procedure. Instead of post-operative relief, I experienced escalating fever. The pharmacist at a nearby community pharmacy believed that this might be due to a lack of active ingredients in the medication I was administered. He provided us with new medicines, and I was better after that. So, I always thought that it must be cool to be a pharmacist, and I wanted to do the same thing he did for someone else.

Tell us a bit about your educational journey.

I have been in school for nine years at a stretch. After moving to Canada from Nigeria, I did high school upgrading in 2012, then spent five years at Mount Royal University getting my Bachelor of Science in General Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry. Then I entered into the PharmD program in 2018. My pharmacy school journey will never be complete without my BPSA family's support, most of whom have been friends since my first year in pharmacy school.

When I am not doing school or BPSA-related activities, I enjoy spending time with my husband having debates about politics, religion, the meaning of life, and so many other topics. I also enjoy reading books in my spare time; I am currently reading The Skin We're In by Desmond Cole, and I have already lined up the next, which is Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. 

What made you want to start the BPSA? Why is it important to you? 

The BPSA started due to a combination of many factors. The underrepresentation of Black students and Black professors in the program and a general lack of discussion on how health conditions presented in the Black population within the curriculum were significant factors. The BPSA serves as a platform for Black pharmacy students to have a collective voice to address systemic racism, and improve our pharmacy education, including admissions, curriculum, wellness, and engagement in the hopes of improving health outcomes for our community and other racialized communities. Black pharmacy students continue to be my greatest support system within the program, and we see BPSA as an avenue to support one another and prospective Black students.

What does it mean to you to be a woman in pharmacy and in health care?

That question for me is about being a Black woman in pharmacy, and what that means has everything to do with my influence on young girls who look like me. It means that when I tell a little Black girl that they can be a pharmacist, I am speaking the truth. That their dream of being a pharmacist can come true.

What do you hope to accomplish in your career?

I have many things that interest me, such as mental health, academia, and caring for my community. Despite these interests, I am open to the possibilities that the future holds. For my career, I want to provide the best of care for my patients and to advocate for their well-being. That has always been the goal, and it continues to be; anything else after that is a bonus.

International Women’s Day is on Monday, March 8th, 2021.