DAY IN THE LIFE
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
BASEL ALSAADI CEO, InstaPharm Inc.
Hi Basel! Thank you for joining me today. Before we talk about InstaPharm, can you tell me a little bit about your career path and how you got to be where you are today? Absolutely! I enjoy talking to students about my career path, and the endless possibilities pharmacy has to offer. As a student, I was quite interested in mapping out the pharmacy field from industry to hospital and community practice to policy making. I participated in various committees and events during my time as a student, and worked at multiple pharmacies. Once I graduated, I had built a network of contacts in different fields of pharmacy. Working at
PHOTO CREDITS: BASEL ALSAADI
QUESTIONS BY GHASAK HUSSAIN multiple pharmacies helped me develop a good number of contacts and learned from many different pharmacists (as opposed to one set of pharmacy staff at one pharmacy). This proved useful when I started looking for work after graduating. In my fourth year, I wanted to get as much experience in as many fields as possible, and that was my plan for the first two years after graduating. My advice to students is to consider as many jobs as possible, attend career fairs, and learn more about the opportunities that arise as a result of change. Pharmacy practice is not restricted to your local chain pharmacy. The instinct many students have is which community pharmacy should I work in? It should be realized that, with the changing landscape of pharmacy practice, and having graduated from a refined curriculum, students are in a great position to become leaders and innovators in the pharmacy field. So, I did apply to and interview for various
postings in industry, hospital pharmacy, government, insurance companies, community pharmacies, etc‌ I ended up working at the Cross Cancer Institute as a part-time pharmacist, and seamlessly, the community pharmacies I worked for as a student started asking me to work for them as a part-time or full-time pharmacist (employee). I held back. Then, I started receiving emails, and text messages asking if I can cover a few days here, and a few days there. Having learned from some independent consultant pharmacists who contract out their services as a student, I had a good understanding of the business aspect of providing services as a corporation or a sole proprietorship. I incorporated, and started to work on my own time, at my own rate, on my own terms under my corporation, while maintaining a part-time job at the Cross Cancer Institute, which provided for job security and benefits. I then moved on to the Grey Nuns Hospital, to work in a field that I am passionate about – psychiatric pharmacy, while still maintaining my on-demand contract work at community pharmacies. Fast-forward to today, all my previous experience led me to realize my passion, and the ideal route for me. I am currently managing an independent pharmacy and working on-demand at a few other pharmacies, while developing InstaPharm! How did the idea of InstaPharm