More than dispensing pills – Pharmacy Day at Rhodes University celebrates the full scope of the profession

By Siqhamo Jama

Most people picture a pharmacist in one setting only – behind a counter, counting pills and dispensing advice. Pharmacy Day 2025 at Rhodes University proved how much broader that picture really is. Over the course of the day, students were shown a profession that stretches from supply chains to veterinary care, from global regulation to local entrepreneurship – all tied together by a single pledge to serve.

The morning opened with a vinegar tasting session led by pharmacy lecturer Lili Flax-Nel, sparking curiosity about pharmacy’s intersections with food sciences and chemistry. From there, students attended career talks tailored to their year groups, where guest speakers highlighted the many pathways open to qualified pharmacists.

Lecturer Natalie Paterson spoke to fourth-year students about pharmacy economics, stressing the financial and policy dimensions of the profession. Quality Manager at biopharma company Sanofi, Stancia Natalie Langesa explored supply chain management, an area often overlooked but vital for ensuring that medicines reach patients reliably and efficiently.

In a faculty seminar session, Strategic Operations Head at Growthfin Capital, Sibabini Khatsha shared insights from his career in consultation, spanning regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and pharmacovigilance. He encouraged students to view pharmacy as a field of wide possibilities, not a single-track career. “What you currently have as pharmacy postgraduate students is training on the product,” he told them. “Once you qualify, you are an expert – and from there, you can move into many different roles.” Khatsha’s message was clear: adaptability and problem-solving are the keys to thriving in a profession where opportunities range from industry to entrepreneurship. “In your 20s and 30s, don’t sit too long in one company,” he advised. “Expose yourself. That’s how you grow.”

Lecturer Lynda Bryant, addressing first-year students, highlighted general career opportunities in pharmacy as well as entrepreneurship. She reminded students that pharmacists are well positioned to create businesses that meet the needs of their communities while advancing healthcare access.

Meanwhile, Chief State Veterinarian at Eastern Cape: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Gabriel Mutero drew attention to veterinary pharmacy, an area that remains underdeveloped in South Africa. He pointed out that many rural communities still lack access to veterinary services and medications, undermining both animal and human livelihoods.

“Pharmacists can help fill this gap if universities equip them with the right training,” he argued, calling for electives in veterinary pharmacy to be offered more widely in pharmacy curricula.
Together, these sessions painted a picture of pharmacy as a profession with extraordinary range: from economics and policy to manufacturing and regulation, from entrepreneurship to veterinary services.

As the faculty gathered for the Awards and Professional Pledge Ceremony in the evening, the focus shifted from possibilities to responsibilities. Academic achievement was celebrated with the presentation of the Dean’s Merit Awards. Head of Pharmacy at Rhodes University Professor Sandile Khamanga urged students to carry themselves with the discipline expected of practising pharmacists. He emphasised punctuality, professionalism, and the importance of completing their academic journey with integrity from the day they begin as students at Rhodes University to the day they graduate as colleagues in the profession. “Discipline is not something you adopt after graduation. It begins here and now – in how you carry yourself, how you manage your time, and how you respect the profession you are entering.”

The ceremony concluded with the Professional Pledge, in which students committed themselves to ethical practice, patient care, and the broader responsibilities of the profession. For many, it was a moment that tied together the day’s themes: the breadth of opportunities open to pharmacists and the common foundation of discipline and service that unites them.

Pharmacy Day 2025 was both a celebration and a reminder. It celebrated the profession’s many roles – scientist, consultant, entrepreneur, veterinary specialist, policymaker. And it reminded students that regardless of the path they take, they carry the same pledge: to serve with integrity, discipline, and care.