Ha’s hometown is about 120 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), but she spent most of her adulthood in the city. She received her pharmacist license originally in Vietnam graduating from the Medicine and Pharmacy University of Ho Chi Minh City in 2014.
Ha first came to Canada as an international student, having a dream to study abroad since she was small. She originally went to Toronto in 2016 to study English as a Second Language. She then moved to Winnipeg, gaining a one-year certificate at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT). Ha later decided to study to get her pharmacist license in Canada.
“At first, I wasn’t confident about that, because when I came to Canada I had to study English. I never thought I could go this far.”
She said she had a classmate who was a pharmacist from India. He encouraged her to give it a try. He gave her a thick book, telling her she would have to memorize everything in it to have a 50% percent chance of passing. She would spend two hours reading each page, doing a few pages a day. Eventually, she made it. She and her friend keep in touch.
One advantage of having to study pharmacy in the country was it really helped Ha develop her hold on the English language. Starting with almost nothing, she is now quite fluent.
It took Ha about three years to get her license in Canada. This was not including breaks to have her family and to move back to Vietnam during COVID. Her first province of practice was Manitoba. She moved to Calgary and now is licensed to practice in Alberta.
Back in her home country, pharmacy is a little different. Ha said clinical pharmacy is not as well developed as in Canada. Graduates will often work in manufacturing. She said about 10% will work in a hospital, 10% teaching and the rest with international pharmaceutical companies. She worked in different areas within that realm in Vietnam, if not specifically community pharmacy. While in Canada, she had to learn how it all worked, and was able to work under others who taught her the ropes.
“I learned a lot. I started as a volunteer in a pharmacy, then became an assistant. Then I studied for a pharmacist license. I have been in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba. All of them are slightly different. Independent pharmacies are different, big corporations are different.”
She has been with large chains like Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall as well as a few independent ones. Ha said Hazelwood’s is the best she has worked with.
“In the way we work closely with Dr. Nell and Sheryl (Campbell, NP). We have a very good relationship with them and we work in collaboration with them, which I rarely find in big cities,” she stated. “Second of all is how people here work as a team, how they try to support each other. I like it here very much.”
She had another contract possibility in Alberta when she was contacted by Hazlewood’s owner/pharmacist Megan Hamilton. Ha wanted to know a little about the pharmacy, and from what Hamilton described to her about the practice, she was sold.
At this point, she feels she is still developing her confidence and skills as a pharmacist. Ha will be serving a total of three months in Boissevain, and is planning on returning to Vietnam to help as volunteer. She is looking to help people with their English, to teach them to use medications safely. Her three months here, as well as her real estate/investment business in Alberta, will help fund those endeavors.
As for further in the future, Ha is unsure what will occur. Owning her own pharmacy is a big project, although it would help her provide affordable medication to her people. As for returning to Boissevain, there is every chance.
“If Megan ever needed me, I’m very happy to be back. I think this pharmacy is following a very good practice,” she explained. “When I was coming here, I had cancelled my Manitoba license because I thought I would not practice in Manitoba again. It was work to get it back, but I felt I would have a team that worked well together, I was going to have a good working environment with other pharmacists that support each other, have an opportunity to work closely with the doctor and provide a service to the people, which will make an impact.”
“I have a bunch of joys and happiness here that I will bring back with me. A lot of memories. If I have a chance in the future, I will visit.”
by PAUL RAYNER
Recorder staff