What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.
C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)
I recently gave a presentation for pharmacy students, which included BAME students (Black and Ethnic minorities) at a UK university and was struck by how straight forward my journey to becoming a Pharmacist in the UK was...well relatively and not without its hiccups.
What I wrestled with on my journey home was the idea that ethnicity is linked to success. Is it true that your ethnicity limits or elevates the chances of success in your career? I don't want to believe it's true, but I have to accept the concern it has created in the minds of those yet to cross the finish line to the beginning of their journey.
The data published by the GPhC, that have caused these concerns are a snapshot in the potential lifelong journey of an individual. Whilst it has highlighted the differences in training for pre-registration pharmacist (and with it an opportunity to spark change), it was limited in the information it provided.
The life of the individual behind an exam result is as multi faceted as culture itself and we do not know their stories once the exam is over and the result is out. Anyone who sits through a four year degree or top-up course is a striver and therefore failure is not the end of their story.
Whilst its hard to pinpoint the problems, all should remain resilient, by facing the problems that come our way and choosing our battles carefully. No one should look to the past with regret, nor be smug, having lived through it. We need to systematically learn and of course, pause to appreciate the journey but no matter what, strive for momentum.
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