A brilliant Nigerian lady named Theodora Udounwa who gained admission into the University of Toronto, Canada at the age of 15 has bagged her bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the age of 21.
Theodora bagged her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto, Nigera after which she had earned a bachelors degree within two years of enrolment at the same universitry
She gained admission into the University of Toronto at the age of 15 to study for a degree in Pharmacology and Biomedical toxicology with a minor in physiology.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Theodora graduated from high school at a very young age due to a combination of an early start to kindergarten and skipping a grade due to her outstanding academic performance.
Two years after she enrolled at the University of Toronto, she completed her bachelor’s degree and began her doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program at the university’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.
“Pharmacy was always the plan. I enjoyed pharmacology greatly, but I was also interested in patient care, and I saw pharmacy as a bridge between applying those theoretical principles to patient care,” Theodora said.
“There are also a lot of career options in addition to patient care, like academic and research, that I thought would be a good fit for me,” she added.
She mentioned that her experience in a boarding house while in high school back in Nigeria helped her pull through at the university hostel where she was younger than her peers. In addition, the proximity to her older sister who attended university nearby meant she was able to spend holidays with family members in the area.
Theodora said she also took it upon herself to get involved with student groups such as the Nigerian Students’ Association, where she was able to meet students from her home country and share her culture.
Because she started the PharmD program during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Theodora grasped the opportunity to contribute to the public health response and strengthen her training.
She is delivered more than 1,600 COVID-19 vaccinations as well as numerous flu shots at Discovery Pharmacy pop-up clinics. Theodora also completed rotations at different hospitals, drugstores, and pharmacies across Toronto and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Aside from the Nigerian Students Association, Theodora was also involved with other student groups, holding several positions with the Black Pharmacy Students’ Association and the university’s chapter of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI).
She stated that one of the highlights of her time at the university was attending CAPSI’s 2023 professional development week where she supported 16 of the university’s delegates and took advantage of several educational and networking opportunities.
Theodora’s involvement in extracurricular activities earned her numerous awards including the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award and a Canadian Pharmacists’ Association Centennial Leadership Award.
Looking ahead, Theodora said she is keeping her options open but plans to work directly with patients in some capacity. She said her next step is her industry residency at pharma giant Novo Nordisk’s medical affairs and strategic operations department.
