Christine Amoko

• Current City: Winnipeg, Manitoba

• Year arrived in Canada: 2000

• School(s): The University of Winnipeg (BSc.), University of Saskatchewan (PharmD)

• Academic Program(s): BSc. Biochemistry, Doctor of Pharmacy - PharmD

1. Having done all your schooling in Canada, what was your experience going through the Canadian middle-school and high school system?

It wasn’t too hard, there was a lot of familiarity. I went to high school with my friends from junior high and elementary school. But I was in International Baccalaureate (IB) program in high school and there wasn’t anyone from my background, or black people for that matter. So, I found it sometimes challenging finding peers to connect with.

2. What inspired you to pursue Pharmacy out of all the academic programs that were available to you? 

As is the case in most South Sudanese households, the only professional that counts is a Doctor, a Lawyer and an Engineer. Originally out of high school, I wanted to go into physiotherapy. I thought it would be  a good career. My parents did not like that. I like Biology and Chemistry, so a premed degree was ideal. I enrolled in Biochemistry. I was on track to go to Medical School to fulfill my parents’ dream. I wrote the MCAT and I didn’t do too well. Between second and third of my undergrad, I came to the realization that Medicine wasn’t for me. A family friend is a pharmacist and one of my friends was in Pharmacy at the time, so it captured my attention. It involves a lot of chemistry, which I really like and there is a lot of work-life balance that you don’t get with Medicine. I applied to U of S and got in.

3. How different is a Doctor of Pharmacy from a standard Medical Doctor?

Initially, a Pharmacist would have a regular undergraduate degree. Now they are mirroring the US by introducing the Doctor of Pharmacy designation. Regular Physicians can diagnose, prescribe, and assess patients. As a Doctor of Pharmacy, we can only assess, but we cannot prescribe for most things. Depending on your province, we can request lab work and then recommend dosage from that.

4. What is your main success factor so far, would you say it is academic ability (inherent intellectual aptitude) or hard work, discipline, and dedication.

I think it is a bit of both. Yes, I have the intellectual knowledge, but you also must know people and how the system works. It takes effort to study the process and understand all the different requirements. It takes drive and hard work.

5. What role did your parents play to help you get to where you are right now?

My parents have always been a drive for me, encouraging me to pursue IB and helping me with my homework whenever they can. They also   sure I understand that they immigrated to Canada to give me a good life and that it is up to me to shape how my life is going to pan out. This has always a motivating factor at the back of my mind. I have a lot of opportunities they never had, so I don’t have the option to not be great.

6. Do you feel like you got more support from your family than your Canadian peers/classmates? I mean did you feel more deprived compared to them?

I think a got a little bit less support. Sometimes my parents just don’t understand. Especially, the amount of effort and commitment needed to do certain things. Mental health considerations are non-existent in most African households. Sometimes they will push you to do this, do that, with no regard to your interests and mental wellbeing. This is a serious disconnect in most African immigrant households and my parents are not any different. 

7. Do you think finances impact someone’s success? Is having a lot of (or less) money relevant when going through school?

I think it does. Money helps you acquire more study resources. You see colleagues who have money can just buy what they want. There is always less money in immigrant households. Sometimes you feel guilty asking for just a little more because you feel like it is going take away from something else. Especially if you parents have to support some relatives back home. 

8. Do you have any South Sudanese that you grew up with and what are they doing now? Any that you know from when you were 8-9-10 years old?

There is a big community in Winnipeg, including some that came to Canada on the same day as us. They live 15minutes away from my house. Some have had a similar journey and have their own careers. For some, life happened, and they had to drop out of school. Others had a wrong company and just fell off.

9. If you rank your top 5 challenges in Canada, which one would be at the top of your list? I mean, if you did not become a Pharmacist, what would have been the main reason you did not achieve that goal?

The main reason would have been money. Financial issues would have been the cause if I didn’t become a pharmacist.

10. What gets you excited about being a pharmacist? What gets you up very early on a rainy Monday morning?

Interacting with patients. Talking to patients and making a difference in their lives drives my motivation., especially when they are grateful for listening to their issues with care and going the extra mile to help them. 

11. Do you have a mentor? If so, how have they helped you in your academic life so far?

I don’t have a mentor. There is one lady that I want to make my mentor but I don’t know how to approach someone and ask them to be my mentor.

12. Is your racial profile helping or hindering your success? That is, if race is a factor at all.

I don’t think my race has hurt me yet. But I am starting to be engaged with Black Pharmacy Students activities, so I am not sure how that is going to be perceived by potential employers. My name sometimes doesn’t come across as black, so I have had some interesting interactions when I turn up black to in-person interviews. Also, my accent sounds very white Canadian to a lot of people, so that adds an interesting dynamic to my interactions. For the most part, I always get the job because I interview very well.

13. Looking at how things have gone so far, what do you wish you had known when you were in grade 12?

I wish I did not do IB. It helped me get the merits, but it did not help me get ahead very much like they had advertised it. It was not worth all the long nights of studying in high school.

14. If you can reflect on your overall experience, what does it take to succeed in Canada?

Overall, I think you need to work smarter. This shouldn’t take away from the fact that there is no substitute for self-discipline and hard work. But you must recognize the need to put yourself out there even when it is uncomfortable. Your name and what you stand for has to be out there. Marketing yourself and cultivating your brand is important. People need to be aware about you and your aspirations. No one will go out of their way to bring new opportunities to your attention if they don’t know what you need.

15.  Would you say that your aspirations have been met?

I think my aspirations have been met. I wish made the decision to do Pharmacy sooner. I would have been done much sooner. Going back to South Sudan this past fall really opened my eyes to all the things a pharmacist could do. I still have a lot of aspirations to pursue but I am happy with where I am today.