Written By: Nadia Al Mazrouei
November 8, 2019
As a mother and as a professional, I managed to balance between my work, my doctorate study, and family commitment and I found satisfaction in doing so.
In the 1980s, our field of professional practice was male-dominated, but that did not stop me from pursuing my goal. It motivated me to continue studying and learning more about the health sector and playing a significant role as a professional pharmacist in delivering the best care to our community.
I am a firm believer in justice and equity, and male predominance at that time was alarming. Organisation diversity not only welcomes the exchange of ideas and perspectives, but it also benefits health outcomes.
I was the first woman to join the military hospital in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a pharmacist and make my way through the ranks of the military. I achieved the position of deputy commander of medical services corps, but that did not stop my pursuit of knowledge. I was keen to continue advocating and emphasising the importance of implementing clinical pharmacy services in the UAE.
After 25 years of military medical service, I decided to pursue my dream. My undying love for knowledge and research led to my current job position as an assistant professor and assistant dean in professional development at Sharjah University, College of Pharmacy. I became an advocate for improving the pharmacy profession through education and implementing the latest educational strategies.
Besides my extensive work experience, I had other skills which are vital in the accomplishment of any organisational agenda; time management, teamwork and communication skills are always helpful when an internal situation needs to be solved.
What I’m passionate about is decreasing the gaps between pharmaceutical science, practice and education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Educators have an obligation to share their knowledge and experiences, and to inspire future pharmacists. We should be able to prove that pharmacists play a vital role in the evolution of the pharmacy profession around the world and make a difference in our region. Pharmacists can have an active role in all 10 of the current threats to global health identified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
I’ve faced a lot of challenges throughout my career but I managed to grasp opportunities as they came, working on finding the best solutions possible. In the healthcare sector, one of the problems was the increasing prevalence of diabetes identified by the WHO and the International Diabetes Federation. The UAE has the second-highest rate of diabetes in the world, so a pharmaceutical care programme has been introduced in order to reduce the prevalence of this disease and to reduce its complications by managing risk factors through patient education on adherence to their medication.
At the end of the day, we should empower professionals in different areas to achieve valuable change rather than be worried about genders; however, gender equity in the pharmacy profession must be of the utmost importance. As women reach leadership roles, they must have a visible and recognisable role in the pharmacy profession. I am proud that my country supported me through my career and helped me in achieving my goals.