Sadaf Faisal, shown above in her her pharmacy, balances grad school, home life and pharmacy ownership during COVID-19
Being a grad student is tough 鈥 there鈥檚 course work, comprehensive exams and research to balance on top of managing personal commitments and teaching duties. When you add working at a pharmacy during a global pandemic into the mix, the days only get busier.
But that鈥檚 precisely what Sadaf Faisal, 蓝莓视频 PhD student and pharmacy owner, has been doing.
Sadaf is one of nearly a dozen graduate students at the School of Pharmacy who is a licensed pharmacist working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Sadaf and her husband own St. Mary鈥檚 Pharmacy in Burlington, a small, independent pharmacy that serves a community of older Ontarians, as well as a local retirement centre.
Things are busier than ever here. I鈥檝e been practicing for over fifteen years and this experience is so different from anything I鈥檝e been through. Even at home, my youngest daughter would typically run to hug us when we got home. But now we say 鈥榮top, wait until we鈥檝e changed and washed up鈥.
Keeping her two young daughters on track with homeschooling is just one more of Sadaf鈥檚 many responsibilities during this unprecedented time.
鈥淎s pharmacists, we鈥檙e active on two fronts 鈥 at work with this virus, and at home, trying to do the best we can for our family,鈥 she says.
Sadaf and her husband opened their pharmacy in 2015 which is attached to a retirement home, a detail presenting its own challenges. Before COVID-19, they often had residents come by to pick up medications and other supplies. However, due to the risk of the virus to seniors, Sadaf closed the retirement home entrance. Now, she and her husband take orders and prepare packages which are delivered to the home鈥檚 front desk and distributed. They also continue to prepare prescription medications in a variety of packaging forms, such as blister packs and provide counselling over the phone or to caregivers.
Faisal, Sadaf's husband, at work beind the plexiglass barriers at their pharmacy
鈥淲e鈥檙e experiencing drug shortages in a variety of areas, so pharmacists across Canada have been instructed to limit prescriptions to just a 30-day window,鈥 she says. 鈥淥f course, patients have concerns about this and I鈥檝e had many conversations explaining the importance of this procedure in ensuring that everyone can access the medications they need. We鈥檝e served some of these patients for years, and they鈥檝e been very understanding of the position we鈥檙e in.鈥
Sadaf began her graduate studies in 2018 at the School of Pharmacy to enhance her knowledge in medication management techniques and to contribute practice-informed research in this area. She鈥檚 preparing now to write her comprehensive exams, a major milestone in the PhD program, online. Throughout it all, Faisal has been supportive, even as Sadaf made the decision to switch from the MSc to the PhD program.
Sadaf and her family
But even during all of the structured chaos, Sadaf and her husband make sure to spend whatever downtime they have together with their daughters. The time with her family helps Sadaf stay positive.
The uncertainty is the most stressful part. Not knowing when it鈥檚 going to be over. We tell our girls we just have to take it one day at a time. Things are different now, and things will continue to change. All we can do is continue to work hard and do our part to stay safe.