Ketan is an independent prescribing pharmacist, entrepreneur and visiting lecturer. Being diagnosed with dyslexia meant he was struggling with balancing studying and his training placement, so he reached out to Pharmacist Support for help. He has shared his story below on how the support from Pharmacist Support not only helped him through his training placement but inspired him to start his own business.

“I was diagnosed with dyslexia from a young age. During university, I struggled with completing exams within the allotted time, and it was not until my third year that I sought help after nearly failing an exam due to time constraints. The University of Hertfordshire stepped up and provided incredible support. I worked with the student wellbeing team, told them about my dyslexia and they helped in granting me additional time for exams, with my tutors going above and beyond to help me succeed.

During my foundation training year, the challenges intensified as I struggled to maintain a work-life balance. My slow reading speed made digesting content difficult, and I found myself staying up late to catch up on reading my BNF. The lack of free training and support only exacerbated the situation.

A colleague advised me to contact Pharmacist Support.

I used their Listening Friends support service and the support I received was phenomenal.

My Listening Friend guided me towards free resources and encouraged me to embrace my learning style, recommending techniques like taking periodic breaks after 20 minutes of studying and using mind maps to visualize content. The team at Pharmacist Support provided step-by-step guidance on managing my time and workload during the foundation training year while also helping me see the advantages of my dyslexia, which I now consider my superpower.

The support I received from Pharmacist Support was invaluable.

They listened and provided guidance when I needed it most. Inspired by their assistance, I collaborated with like-minded individuals to establish The Training Pharmacist Platform where we offer free training services to trainee pharmacists in their foundation training year and qualified pharmacists through our partnerships with universities. My main goal was to help trainee pharmacists in their foundation year who faced financial constraints access high-quality questions and provide clear answer explanations. Today, I find immense joy in inspiring the next generation of pharmacists and providing them with equal access high-quality training content.

When I think of Pharmacist Support, I am struck by the profound impact they have had in helping trainees and pharmacists overcome some of their most challenging times. I am proud to say that their inspiration has allowed me to support thousands of trainee pharmacists in their undergraduate and postgraduate training. The knowledge that we are making a difference and supporting the next generation of pharmacists one question at a time fuels our passion for ensuring they deliver confident and safe healthcare to their patients.”