098 Hong Thoong: Rising to the Challenge: A Pharmacist's Inspiring Journey of Perseverance and Determination

<p>On this episode of the podcast, I share an honest and inspiring conversation with Hong Thoong about her career journey. Hong starts our conversation by sharing a very personal story from her childhood and how she migrated from Vietnam to the UK in the 1980s with her family. Being raised in the UK was challenging as her parents were not educated and she lived in government housing and on benefits for many years. A hard experience for a young child, however, at the age of 10, she had an epiphany that she wanted a better life for herself. The podcast episode dives deep into how this epiphany guides Hong into becoming a brilliant and inspiring pharmacist.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Hong&#39;s life story highlights the importance of identifying how to overcome challenges and in order to achieve success in any career. The conversation then moves to the challenges of being a pre-reg trainee pharmacist, including the stress of the exam and the pressure to pass on the first try. Hong shares how she failed the exam twice before passing on the third try, and how that affected her confidence. She talks about the importance of not comparing yourself to others, especially in school and university, and the value of focusing on your own journey. This serves as a reminder that success takes time and effort, and that everyone&#39;s path is unique.</p> <p><br></p> <p>As we dive deeping into the episode, Hong shares her experience as a paediatric pharmacist at a specialist hospital where she worked with children and their families to ensure they received the best care possible. She talks about the rewards of being in a specialist area of pharmacy, seeing patients grow up and being a part of their lives, and the satisfaction of helping patients with rare and challenging conditions.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The conversation then moves onto her current role at Great Ormond Street Hospital in Medicines Safety and Governance, where she focuses on ensuring patients receive safe and effective treatments and medications. We talk about the challenges o