When Eseme arrived in Canada as an internationally trained clinical pharmacist, her journey was anything but easy.

While earning a postgraduate diploma in marketing at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), she prepared for the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) exams while balancing three jobs, intense study, and life’s unexpected challenges. Despite it all, she graduated from SAIT with honours and passed both the MCQ and OSCE on her first attempt.

Her path tested her resilience in every way, from a serious wrist injury that left her unable to write for six months, to navigating emotional stress while supporting her family from afar. Through it all, she stayed focused, resourceful, and determined.

Today, Eseme is a successfully registered clinical pharmacist in Canada!

She credits her success not only to her hard work, but also to the support she received:

“Directions for Immigrants helped me discover my learning style and provided strategies that truly worked for me. Rachel Malahay was a tremendous support when I was preparing for the OSCE and MCQ exams. She served as my accountability partner and constantly encouraged me to stay confident and focused. Also, Reza, one of the OSCE facilitators, made a lasting impression by reminding me that needing to retake an exam does not define my intelligence." (She didn't need to take it, though!)

Her advice to other internationally educated pharmacists?

"Believe in your ability to succeed even when the path seems daunting. Start with the humility to recognize what you don’t know and build your knowledge diligently from the ground up. You are often stronger than you realize and capable of mastering new challenges as you go.​

Visualize your success; imagine seeing your registration number on the PEBC website for pharmacists or your professional licensure status updated and use that as motivation to study hard and stay focused on your goal.

Seek out mentorship, join study groups, and rely on proven resources and strategies such as consistent practice, tackling sample questions, and maintaining a balanced routine with self-care. Every step forward, even the tough ones, becomes part of your achievement."

We love your advice and your success, Eseme Kwasitsu. Thank you for letting us be part of it! And we can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

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