Ogechukwu Ezedimbu
from Nigeria
Email: 540884@mail.muni.cz
Describe your jouney to Faculty of Pharmacy
Growing up in Nigeria, I watched how fiercely contested admission into pharmacy programmes could be, which pushed me to start exploring international options well ahead of time. My priority wasn't just finding a programme focused purely on dispensing and patient care I wanted one with a strong foundation in industrial pharmacy, clinical pharmacology, and natural drug research, areas I'd become genuinely passionate about. Masaryk University's Faculty of Pharmacy caught my attention because it offered exactly that kind of depth, paired with the practicality of obtaining a recognized European qualification at a cost far more reasonable than many alternatives.
Having family based in Germany also made the move to Europe feel less daunting. Knowing they were just a relatively short trip away gave me a sense of security as I prepared to start a completely new chapter on my own in Brno.
What do you like about your studies?
The thing I value most is how structured and genuinely student-centered the faculty feels. Everything from the labs to the classrooms is kept modern and functional. The Student Office, in particular, was a lifeline during my first year and till date, always quick to step in whenever I needed clarity on something unfamiliar.
The teaching staff combine real expertise with an openness that makes the whole learning process less daunting. They're approachable, patient, and genuinely invested in helping students succeed. What's been most exciting for me, though, is diving deeper into subjects connected to industrial pharmacy understanding drug development, manufacturing processes, and formulation science ,alongside clinical pharmacology, where I've grown fascinated by how drugs behave in the body, and natural drug research, which has opened my eyes to the potential of plant-based and naturally derived compounds in modern medicine.
Outside lectures, Brno has turned out to be a great student friendly city. It's small enough to get around easily, yet positioned perfectly for cheap weekend travel across the continent.
What difficulties have you encountered before or after moving to Brno?
Settling in wasn't without its bumps. Leaving Nigeria meant facing a different climate, an unfamiliar culture, and initially, a language barrier that took time to overcome. Arriving without any prior Nigerian connections in Brno meant I had to be more deliberate about putting myself out there to build a support system from scratch. Finding the right accommodation also demanded patience and persistence before things came together.
The entrance exams were another hurdle. My secondary education in Nigeria hadn't fully prepared me for the depth of Chemistry, Biology, and Physics expected at this level, so I had to put in considerable extra preparation. If there's one piece of advice I'd give, it's this: don't underestimate Organic Chemistry. It's a cornerstone subject that becomes even more relevant once you start specializing in areas like industrial pharmacy.
What advice would you give to new students?
1. "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks at you." On your journey through pharmacy school, you'll constantly face distractions criticism from others, self doubt, minor setbacks, people who doubt you, or small annoyances that try to provoke a reaction. If you stop to fight or respond to every single one, you'll waste time and energy that should be spent moving forward. The lesson: keep your eyes on your long-term goal (graduating, becoming a competent pharmacist) and don't let every provocation pull you off course. Not every battle deserves your attention.
2. "For every storming situation there is always a peaceful wind." There will be periods in your studies that feel unbearable failed exams( (brutal exam period ), failed lab tests, overwhelming clinical rotations (during internships),lonely nights far from home, moments of self-doubt. But no storm lasts forever. Hold on through the turbulence, because clarity and peace always follow if you are patient enough to wait it out. But storms are temporary by nature; they always pass and give way to calm. This is a reminder to keep perspective during hard times: whatever crisis you're facing right now will end, and things will settle. It's encouragement to endure rather than panic or give up.
3. "Learning is a gift even when pain is your teacher." Some of the most valuable lessons come from failure, embarrassment, or hardship a bad grade, a professor's harsh feedback, a mistake in a lab or clinical setting. It's tempting to see these moments only as painful, but they're actually gifts in disguise because they teach you things that success never could. The advice here is to reframe pain not as pure loss, but as tuition paid for growth into becoming a resilient pharmacist.
4. "Patience is an excellent means to success." Success in pharmacy does not come overnight. Mastering complex subjects like Organic Chemistry, Clinical Pharmacology and pharmacology, dosage form and biopharmaceutical , and pharmacognosy (natural Drugs) etc takes time and consistent effort. Rushing the process leads to shortcuts. Embracing patience means trusting that steady, deliberate progress always pays off in the end. Trying to rush the process (cramming instead of understanding, skipping foundational knowledge) usually backfires. Patience means trusting the process, putting in consistent effort, and accepting that meaningful success is built gradually, not achieved in a single leap.
5. "There is no victory without running the risk of defeat." No great achievement comes without the possibility of falling short. If you want to succeed ,whether in your exams, lab test your research, or your career ,you must be willing to try, even when the outcome is uncertain. Because the willingness to risk defeat is precisely what makes victory meaningful. Real achievement requires courage: the willingness to expose yourself to failure in pursuit of something worthwhile.
In conclusion: Stay focused, keep perspective, learn from pain, be patient, and have the courage to risk failure for real success.