FIRST YEAR ORIENTATION 2021

Every year there’s a new lot of KSCE leavers that are admitted to The University of Nairobi and last year wasn’t an exception. In September, Nairobi University Pharmacy Students’ Association (NUPSA) welcomed its first group of admitted student pharmacists and this was done in Chiromo Campus. After their registration at the Associate Dean’s Office, they were directed to the NUPSA Help desk ‘tent’ where they registered and made payments for lab coats, name tags as well as a NUPSA Registration fee. A WhatsApp group was created by the NUPSA Pre-clinicals Representative and various newly admitted first year students were added to the group to ease communication.

On the 8th of October,2021, NUPSA held an orientation of first year students at the Department of Pharmacy, Kenyatta National Hospital. The aim of the orientation was to bring more clarity to the students in terms of what exactly the course entails, requires and what expectations they should be drawing towards as they continue pursuing the pharmacy profession.

Walter Oluoch, the second Vice chairperson was in charge of the planning and organization of the orientation. This was in terms of venue, main speakers as well as the transportation. Throughout the previous weeks, he made phone calls to the various Department heads as well as to the Office of the Chairman, Department of Pharmacy. Eventually, he received confirmation of the presence of Madam Marilyn; Dr. Oluka; Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy Department Representative, Dr. Njogu; Pharmaceutical Department Representative, Dr. Sylvia Opanga; Clinical Pharmacy Department Representative. The venue (Pharmacy year 2 lecture hall) was cleaned and organized beforehand to ensure effective social distancing during the scheduled meeting.

Students were transported from Chiromo at around 2:30pm and dropped at The Department of Pharmacy, Kenyatta National Hospital. Approximately 78 students were ushered into the building and shown around. The meeting then commenced with an introductory message by the NUPSA Chairperson after which the various lecturers gave speeches about their respective Departments. Immediately after their speeches, the lecturers were allowed to take their leave and the second session of the orientation begun. The students were served with snacks and drinks i.e. biscuits and sodas thereafter speeches from fellow students were commenced. The first speech was from the IPSF representative, Manyala Silvanus Peter. Then various NUPSA officials including Arusei Bryan; the NUPSA Chairperson, Walter Oluoch and Mugisha Shanon; the NUPSA treasurer.

The meeting came to a close with the selling of NUPSA lab coats, nametags, report books and wristbands. The students were then transported back to Chiromo as well as Hall 10 by the school bus.