School of Pharmacy Newsroom

Fulbright Sends O'Bryant to Nigeria

Written by Jordan Kellerman | December 01, 2021

Dr. Cindy O’Bryant, PharmD, Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, received a Fulbright Specialist Program Scholar Award. A program of the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two to six-week, project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. On November 27, Dr. O’Bryant left the U.S. for Nigeria with other oncology pharmacists to share her knowledge and experience in cancer care to advance pharmacy oncology practice. She made time to answer questions before her trip about her award, what she expects from the field, and what she hopes to share with medical professionals in Nigeria.

How are you uniquely qualified to share your knowledge and experience with others in Nigeria?

I am an oncology pharmacy specialist and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. I have worked in the University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC) for over 20 year with the Phase1 Developmental Therapeutics and GI cancer clinical teams. Within the clinic I work with these multidisciplinary teams to educate patients on anticancer treatment and to manage patient’s treatment-related adverse events. Additionally, I conduct clinical trial research with a focus on organ dysfunction studies. During my time at the UCCC I have had several strong mentors who pushed me to practice at the top of my pharmacy license. Along the way, I have had invaluable experiences and gained unique skills sets that allow me to move the profession of oncology pharmacy forward. As an educator, I have been able to share these experiences and teach others how work within an interprofessional patient care setting. The skill sets I have developed allow me to be in a unique position to teach and train Nigerian oncology pharmacists how to elevate the level of care they provider their patients.

"The skill sets I have developed allow me to be in a unique position to teach and train Nigerian oncology pharmacists how to elevate the level of care they provider their patients."   

 

Who will you be working with on your trip?

I will be working with Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre. It is a cancer non-for-profit organization based in Nigeria engaged in cancer awareness, research, treatment support, professional education for pharmacists, doctors and nurses, provision of free cancer screenings and fundraising for cancer patients.

What excites you about this opportunity?

Nigerians have one of the world’s poorest 5-year cancer survival rates. I am excited to be able to share ideas and experiences between the Nigerian oncology pharmacists and myself to find ways to improve the care of patients with cancer within their country.

How do you hope to grow from this experience?

The opportunity to work with Project PINK BLUE and its Upgrade Oncology program will allow me to gain new experiences working with non-US trained oncology pharmacists. I hope to identify mentorship opportunities for the Nigerian oncology pharmacists I work with to foster further learning and practice advancement. I am eager to host these pharmacists at the UCCC so they can see the practice of oncology pharmacy in the United States. I look forward to a lifelong exchange of ideas and knowledge that will impact the care of cancer patients in Nigeria.