Convocation Spotlight: Daniyal Khan
Kyle Ireland - 8 June 2023
Daniyal Khan
Daniyal Khan is graduating from the master of science in pharmacy practice program offered by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He is an innovative researcher who, under the supervision of Scot Simpson, primarily focused on vaccination rates and protocols being utilized in Alberta pharmacies, developing systems and mechanisms to promote and improve immunization rates for at-risk populations. He hopes the results of his research will help increase the uptake of pneumococcal vaccines by people with diabetes.
What initially drew you to pharmacy practice?
Identifying gaps in immunization delivery and how they can be addressed using currently available resources.
What achievement, accomplishment or moment are you most proud of from your time in the program?
Establishing and administering a provincewide survey of practising pharmacists to gather what injections they are currently providing and the types of barriers they face.
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
Working remotely with my supervisor due to the pandemic starting right as my program was underway. It made ideating and problem-solving difficult and required multiple iterations.
How did you stay motivated and who helped you keep going when things got tough?
Keeping my eye on the end goal of closing the immunization delivery gap within the province. My partner Jenna, my parents and siblings always helped me out whenever I felt lost.
What advice would you give to a student thinking of entering the program?
I would encourage them to work with their supervisor to develop concrete and measurable goals progressing toward their thesis. Developing a timeline to keep yourself focused and have something to work towards will help tie in those small achievements into a great overall thesis project.
What have you learned about yourself, and how will you use this going forward?
I am more resilient and resourceful than I thought. I also learned to allow myself to be open with close friends and family when I’m struggling, so they can support me as best as they can.
What comes next for you in your career/academic journey?
I’ll be pursuing a PhD in infectious diseases, studying how gut microbiota affects lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis.