Maryam Mahmood appointed Pharmacy Student of the Year
Maryam Mahmood has just begun her second year in the pharmacy program at the University of Gothenburg, but she has already made a strong impression with her drive and dedication. Now, she has been named Pharmacy Student of the Year 2024 by the Swedish Pharmacists' Association.
Maryam was completely unprepared for the news that she had been selected as Pharmacy Student of the Year, she shares:
"It feels amazing but also very surreal. I was at work when I got the call, and it came as a shock! I hadn’t expected it at all."
A student in the lab
Pharmacy runs in Maryam’s blood: both her mother and her two sisters have chosen the profession. For a long time, she herself was set on studying law, but after a school visit to Stem Cell Day in Lund, she realized she also wanted to become a pharmacist. There, she was inspired by researcher Daniella Ottosson to pursue pharmacy, with a focus on research and teaching. Today, she is a volunteer student in Elisabeth Nyström’s group at Medicinareberget, where she assists with monitoring gene changes in PCR experiments within mucin biology.
Committed to students
Maryam describes her first year in Gothenburg as something of a rollercoaster. Academically, things have gone well, but her social life has been more challenging. She shares that she experiences periods of depression and has found it difficult to find her place in her new city. Her involvement in the student union has meant a great deal to her.
"I joined the student union almost immediately. I saw an ad on social media and barely knew what the student council was, but I signed up anyway," she says.
This engagement has now led to her becoming a board member of the student union, and she has her sights set on becoming the chairperson after graduating.
Lifting others
Maryam has also been active in the course committee, where she has raised the voice of pharmacy students on various issues, something that is highlighted in the reasoning for her selection as Pharmacy Student of the Year. She is also happy to support her fellow classmates.
"Some courses are tougher than others, especially in the first semester. I think my competitive spirit has helped others realize that if you fail an exam, you have to push forward and not drop out," she says.
On October 8, Maryam will travel to Stockholm to receive her award as Pharmacy Student of the Year. She is almost done preparing the speech she will give at the ceremony. Accompanying her to Stockholm are her sisters and a close friend from Kristianstad, where she grew up.
"It’s still hard to take in, but I’m very grateful and excited to continue on this journey," she concludes.
Text: Elin Lindström, info@sahlgrenska.gu.se
Pharmacy student of the year is Sweden's Pharmacists' prestigious annual award, which is awarded to a student on a pharmaceutical undergraduate course who has contributed positively to improving the pharmacy industry or the situation of pharmacy students, and through this inspires pharmacy students to commit to their profession.
The pharmacy student of the year is appointed by the board after nominations from the members.