25/07/2026
Series III: The Great Karipap Debate
One lesson I've learnt as Dean: when a group of Year Two Pharmacy students asks for a meeting, there are usually only two possibilities. Either they have concerns as a cohort, or they need approval for something. They wore the familiar look of confidence and enthusiasm, so my heart wasn't racing.
As expected, Pharmacy Night 2027 soon made an appearance. The discussion quickly turned to fundraising activities, promotional plans, and, naturally, selling food. Previous batches have learnt that getting approval for the fundraising is usually easier than getting approval for the menu. Yes, it is only July, and yes, Pharmacy Night 2027 is in April next year. Apparently, future pharmacists don't just prepare medicines in advance; they prepare celebrations months ahead too.
Then came the proposed menu. I must confess that I recognised only a handful of the items. Some had names that sounded more like social media trends than food, while others looked suspiciously likely to fail a physical stability test. Being from almost two generations earlier, I decided to offer what I considered a timeless business strategy: karipap. After all, some things never go out of style. Karipap has survived changing food trends, economic cycles, and several generations of students. In my humble opinion, it remains forever green.
The students, however, had other, more contemporary ideas. While I admired their creativity, I jokingly reminded them of one condition: whatever they sell must not wobble. They've already had plenty of practice producing wobbly creams during their Pharmaceutics practicals. Let's keep the wobbling in the laboratory.
Behind the discussion was something more meaningful. Organising Pharmacy Night is not just about one memorable evening. It is about learning teamwork, leadership, budgeting, negotiation, problem-solving and the delicate art of persuading people to part with their money voluntarily. Skills that, curiously, are not listed in the pharmacy curriculum.
As Dean, my role was simple: to listen, ask difficult questions, gently challenge unrealistic expectations, and occasionally remind them that fundraising does not magically become "fund finding."
I left the meeting encouraged. These students are already thinking ahead, taking ownership, and working together to create something memorable for the faculty. If they put the same energy into their coursework as they did into discussing fundraising strategies, I may finally get a cohort where everyone passes Medicinal Chemistry without developing an allergy to aromatic rings.
To our current Year Two students, thank you for the lively conversation. I look forward to seeing your ideas become reality over the coming months.
I wish the Year Two committee every success with their fundraising. And if they do decide to sell karipap, they already have their first customer. Anything else is welcome too, provided it obeys the basic laws of food physics and doesn't wobble like some of the creams they had prepared. After all, a pharmacist appreciates stability, not just in medicines, but apparently in desserts too.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy some karipap for my husband's lunch. It has a far better chance of passing quality control than anything that comes out of my kitchen.
