Emeka has just completed his trainee foundation year in community and hospital pharmacy and is the former president of the BPSA. Now he’s successfully passed the assessment, he hopes to continue working in community pharmacy whilst developing his career as an independent prescriber in dermatology. In this Trainee ACTNow story, he shares how he looked after his financial wellbeing during the foundation year and the small habits that made a big difference.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt throughout my journey into pharmacy, it’s that there isn’t just one route to becoming a pharmacist.
My path certainly wasn’t the traditional one and I hope that reassures anyone who may be starting their own journey. After receiving GCSE results that I wasn’t particularly happy with, I decided to study a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care. It was during my second year that I realised I wanted to continue my career in healthcare, but I wasn’t sure whether pharmacy would still be possible through the route I had taken. After researching universities that accepted BTEC qualifications, I discovered the University of East Anglia (UEA), which offered a foundation year before the MPharm programme.
Attending UEA’s summer school completely confirmed my decision. It gave me the opportunity to learn more about the profession and the many career pathways pharmacy can offer. Moving from London to Norwich was also a refreshing change of environment especially during the year of Covid in 2020, and it helped me grow both personally and professionally.
Throughout university I also developed an entrepreneurial mindset.
Alongside my studies, I was running a record label which was co-founded with two close friends, which taught me valuable lessons about leadership, business and financial responsibility. Those experiences inspired my long-term ambition of owning a community pharmacy in the UK before eventually expanding into chains of pharmacies in less deprived countries, including my home country of Nigeria. For me, pharmacy perfectly combines two passions: making a meaningful difference to patients’ lives while also creating opportunities to improve healthcare access through entrepreneurship.
Before starting my foundation year, budgeting was already something I knew I would have to think seriously about.
Moving away from home meant paying rent and managing all the usual living expenses, so I knew I needed a plan. However, I’d say my biggest lessons came once I actually started working.
One habit that made a huge difference was meal prepping every Sunday. I would cook my lunches and dinners for Monday to Friday, portion everything into containers and stick to a weekly food budget of around £30. It not only saved me money but also saved valuable time during the week. After a full day at work, the last thing I wanted to do was cook before revising for the GPhC registration assessment or completing portfolio entries. Having meals pre-prepared meant I was saving time and money, where I could stay focused on both my wellbeing and my studies.
Fortunately, financial pressure never significantly affected my wellbeing or confidence, but it was always something I remained conscious of throughout the year. Times like Christmas and Easter brought additional costs, and I learnt the importance of planning ahead rather than reacting when those expenses arrived.
One cost I hadn’t fully appreciated before starting my hospital placement was travel. I travelled from Weymouth to Dorchester every day, which was only two train stops, but at around £6 per day it quickly added up to approximately £120 each month. Individually it didn’t seem like much, but over time it became a noticeable expense that I hadn’t initially factored into my budget.
As the year progressed, I also became much more aware of how easily money can disappear without you noticing.
Contactless payments and Apple Pay make spending incredibly convenient, and because you’re not physically handing over cash, it’s easy to lose track of how much you’ve spent. Regularly checking my bank account became an important habit that helped me stay accountable and make sure I was spending within my means.
If I could offer one piece of advice to trainees, it would be to understand your own financial limits from the beginning.
Everyone’s circumstances are different, so avoid comparing yourself with others. Find practical ways to reduce costs where you can, whether that’s meal prepping, planning your weekly shopping or budgeting for travel expenses in advance. Small habits might not seem significant at first, but over the course of the year they make a huge difference.
Most importantly, remember that looking after your finances is also looking after your wellbeing. When you have a plan and feel in control of your money, you free up valuable mental space to enjoy your foundation year, focus on becoming the best pharmacist you can be and make the most of the incredible opportunities the year has to offer.
