Beyond the Counter Podcast

Découvrez notre tout premier épisode en français du podcast Beyond the Counter, avec Hadjer Bisserni, pharmacienne formée à l’étranger, qui partage son parcours de délivrance de permis au Québec. Hadjer nous fait part de son expérience, offre des conseils pratiques et présente des stratégies pour aider les DPE à mieux comprendre et réussir leur parcours vers l’exercice de la pharmacie au Québec.

The licensure steps for IPGs in Quebec

Join us for our first French-language episode of the Beyond the Counter Podcast, featuring Hadjer Bisserni, an internationally educated pharmacist who shares her personal licensure journey in Quebec. Hadjer discusses her experiences, offers practical advice, and shares strategies to help IPGs navigate and succeed throughout the licensure process in Quebec.

In this episode of Beyond the Counter, we sit down with Gamuchirai Chinogwenya, an internationally educated pharmacist who turned mentorship into success. Through the IPG Mentorship and Integration Project's virtual one-on-one mentorship program, she expanded her professional network, gained valuable insights into Canadian pharmacy practice, and successfully became a licensed pharmacist in Canada. Tune in to hear her inspiring journey, practical advice and the lessons she learned along the way.

In this special short podcast, Kerolos Saleib, Program Manager, Training with the Canadian Pharmacists Association, covers what pharmacy employers look for when hiring unlicensed IPGs, how to highlight transferable skills and experience, and ways to strengthen your resume and interview approach. You’ll also learn practical strategies for applying strategically, building confidence, and positioning yourself as a strong candidate.

The podcast explores how to navigate unexpected change as an IPG balancing the licensure process, family responsibilities, and working in pharmacy settings. These challenges often bring uncertainty and unexpected changes and can leave many IPGs feeling discouraged, behind, or even hopeless. In this episode, Atai Okokon shares strategies for adapting through difficult transitions, and handling unexpected changes, drawing from her own experience with major policy changes that significantly delayed her licensure journey just as she was within reach of becoming licensed.

In this episode of Beyond the Counter, Khamoye Williams shares her experience pursuing pharmacy opportunities in rural communities as an International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG). She discusses the advantages of working outside major cities, the professional growth it can offer, and why rural practice is something IPGs should consider while pursuing licensure. From gaining valuable hands-on experience to building strong professional connections, Khamoye explains how rural opportunities can help accelerate your path toward a pharmacy career in Canada.

Khamoye Williams and Monica Micheal are back, but this time on the Beyond the Counter Podcast. In this episode, they break down what the MCQ and OSCE truly demand, from strategic preparation to mental resilience on exam day. Tune in for candid insights from two experienced IPGs who have supported and guided hundreds of IPGs. If you’re preparing for these exams, this conversation will sharpen your approach and elevate your understanding of the process.

For many IPGs, not passing the EE, PEBC Qualifying Exam, MCQ or OSCE can feel overwhelming. A setback can bring fear, embarrassment, disappointment and self-doubt. But the truth is this: you are not alone. An unsuccessful attempt does not define your future as a pharmacist in Canada.

In this episode, I’m joined by someone who understands this journey firsthand: Gagandeep Kaur, an IPG who has navigated exam setbacks herself and now uses her experience and expertise to help others rise, rebuild and return stronger.

This episode is an especially meaningful one. We’re diving into what it truly takes to integrate into Canadian pharmacy practice without prejudice or personal bias and why equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are far more than buzzwords. They’re practical, everyday tools that shape how we deliver compassionate, effective and patient-centered care.

To explore this important topic, we are honoured to be joined by Dr. Yazid Al Hamarneh, an internationally trained pharmacist, educator and advocate for inclusive, equitable pharmacy practice. His insights and lived experience offer a powerful lens on what it means to show up for patients and for each other in meaningful ways.

In this episode, meet Atai Okokon, an internationally trained pharmacist who successfully became licensed while balancing family, work, and study. She shares her personal journey, effective study strategies, tips for tackling the PEBC exams and tools that helped her succeed on the first attempt and now inspire other IPGs on their path to licensure.