Dissertation Corner: Ife Anwo

Here, we present a brief Q&A session with Ife Anwo , a recent alumna of our MSc in Pharmaceutical Business & Technology programme. In this interview, we delve into her dissertation, explore the reasons behind her chosen topic, and invite her to impart valuable lessons for prospective MSc students!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi, my name is Ife Anwo. I am from Nigeria, my background is in pharmacy which I studied for 5 years in the University of Lagos, Nigeria. 

Why did you choose to study with Innopharma Education and Griifth College?

I chose to study with Innopharma and Griffith because of the vast level of knowledge provided in the course and the opportunities associated with being an alumnus of both bodies. 

Can you provide a brief overview of your Dissertation?

Yes, my dissertation is titled “Can the supply of medicines to Retail Pharmacies in Ireland be improved?”. It provides an overview on the current state of drug supply as of the time of my research in Ireland, the impact of drug shortages, the possible cause of drug shortages and potential mitigations to improve drug supplies to retail pharmacies. 

What inspired you to choose this particular research topic for your thesis?

In the course of my program, I worked part-time in a retail pharmacy and was really surprised and saddened by the level of drugs unavailable to patients in the retail pharmacy. One of the courses in my program known as Operational Excellence emphasized the need for operational flow in the pharmaceutical industry to provide optimum care for the patient. I decided to pursue my dissertation on the topic in a bid to give my own quota to operational flow and contribute to optimising patient care. 

Did you encounter any challenges or obstacles during your research and, if so, how did you overcome them?

Yes, I did. For the primary research, I had to reach out to pharmacists and wholesalers within a limited timeframe to get substantial data. These were significantly busy healthcare providers with little to no extra time on their hands and also with me working with a deadline. It was tasking but I reached out to each participant through every means possible, i.e., walk-ins to pharmacies, social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc and ensured to follow-up on them. 

What are the key findings or results of your study, and how do they contribute to the existing body of knowledge in your field?

The key findings from my research include; the need for real-time information and communication to those impacted by the medicine production, such as healthcare providers, wholesalers, patients etc. Also, the need for better pricing and reimbursement systems by the governments to encourage manufacturers and wholesalers to supply the Irish market. These are a few among others. 

What are your goals after graduation?

My goals would be broken into short term, middle term, and long-term goals and they would be; to secure a position in the pharma sector while building a strong foundation in industry-specific knowledge, then take on leadership responsibilities in my team, and to eventually attain an executive or managerial role in about 5 years where I can lead larger teams and better optimize operational excellence while contributing to the pharma industry. 

Looking back, what advice would you give to other students embarking on a similar dissertation in the field?

My advice would be to pay careful attention to the courses you are being taught because they are all related and are significant. Be open to learning more and be curious as my favourite lecturer in Griffith would say, always be curious and ask questions. 

Thank you for talking to us Ife, your insights have been truly valuable. Wishing you the very best in all your future endeavors!

You can read Ife’s full dissertation on our institutional repository at https://repository.innoskills.com/items/d9e5dc5c-8663-4eb7-af40-51ebe754102e