Overcoming Obstacles to Overdeliver

By Isabel Chin

What if I told you there were pharmacy students who lead by example- not just in WANTING to do so, but actually PRACTICE that integrity through the actions they take in their personal and professional lives? 

Healthcare professionals already putting what they learn and preach into practice by putting in the WORK to make their #health a priority.

To invest in their OWN health, so that they can bring their very best selves to the patients they serve, and inspire those with whom they work to do the same for themselves?

THAT is what #TheFitPharmacist movement is: a community for inspiration, collaboration, and sharing our journey in staying fit in Pharmacy!

By sharing our struggles and successes, we can help empower each other to live our best lives and lead by example!

Every Friday for over a year, I’ve been featuring an individual who embodies this lifestyle to help YOU on your own journey!

This week's #FitPharmacistFriday feature story is future pharmacist Isabel Chin, PharmD(c)!

Being a fit pharmacist to me means “Learning how to take care of my mind & body so that I can help others to do the same.”

The start of my pharmacy journey begin at 17, when I entered Nanyang polytechnic in Singapore, doing a diploma in pharmaceutical science before applying for pharmacy school in college. 

Amidst the heavy workload of school, I took up extra-curricular activities such as Badminton, choir and guitar in order to gain a competitive advantage to my peers so that I would have a higher chance of getting into the college of my choice. I pushed myself hard in order to excel in my academics, sports and performing arts.

The pressure I placed upon myself was huge. Slowly, it begin to crush me. I began withdrawing myself away from my family and friends. At lunch time, I hid myself in a quiet corner of the school in a bid to finish revising my lectures & complete my assignments. Skipping lunch slowly became the new norm. 

When the time for exams came around, things got worse. Anxiety gripped me. The thought of not doing well enough drove me to withdraw even more. My eating habits became completely ridiculous. I began replacing all my meals with slabs of chocolate bars out of convenience to curb my hunger. The extra study time that I got while cutting out meals seemed to work. I did pretty well for my exams and foolishly continued. 

A year later, I started to see the effects- most notably of which consisted of me always being sleepy and my hair falling out. My friends became increasingly worried. I found myself waking up in the morning with the sole intention to grab a sweet treat: I was addicted to sugar. During one of our pharmacotherapy tutorials, while I was taught how to use blood glucose monitors, I found out I was in the pre-diabetic range.

Shock and fear washed through me: I was not going to ruin myself.!

That’s when I decided to make a turning point. I told myself to not let the pressure get to me and instead rely on God for help.

 I told myself to do my best and let God do the rest. 

Taking my health into control, I started scheduling 6AM workouts and meal times instead of sleeping in. As I ate proper meals, my sugar cravings decreased. I was still having sweet treats, but not as much as I had been. 

Fast forward a few years, and I ended up doing well in school and managed to enter the university of my choice!

I’m currently in my 3rd year of pharmacy school, studying at The University of Queensland, Australia. Thankfully my schoolmates in university love food and fitness as much as I do! So we exercise and make delicious meals together.

I hope that by choosing to lead a healthy lifestyle, it would inspire my future patients and people around me to do the same. 

Editor’s note: welcome to the #FitPharmFam Isabel!! 

About the Author:

Isabel is currently a 3rd year student studying in The University of Queensland, Australia. She hopes to be able to have the opportunity to specialize in cardiology and undertake an internship in a local hospital or community pharmacy in Brisbane after her completion of her studies.

You can reach me at:

Instagram: @isabelringdingding 

Email: [email protected]