JTC 25: Answering a ‘Natural Calling’

Ahmed Orabi’s journey to becoming a pharmacist began in Kuwait and will end with a walk across a stage in Oxford, Mississippi. Orabi will graduate in May from the University of Mississippi with his Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Orabi, an Egyptian-American, was born in Saudi Arabia and lived in Kuwait for most of his life. He completed the International Baccalaureate program at the American International School of Kuwait before moving to Oxford at age 17 to attend Ole Miss.

Orabi developed an interest in the pharmacy profession at an early age and was excited to pursue his dream career at the UM School of Pharmacy.

“I’ve always wanted to understand how medications work, how they can be used for different conditions and how they impact the body,” Orabi said.

With a father and uncle who are pharmacists, he was able to see the importance of the work up close.

“Watching my father work and seeing the impact he made inspired me to follow a similar path,” he said. “He made pharmacy feel like a natural calling for me.”

As natural as it has felt to be in pharmacy school, Orabi is quick to note that it has not been without challenges.

“Pharmacy school is incredibly content-heavy, so I had to develop a system that worked for me,” he said. “I found that spaced repetition and studying in short, consistent intervals helped me retain information much better.

“Another big lesson was learning how to balance everything: academics, social life and health. That balance was essential for me to keep going.”

Having professors he could depend on has also been essential.

“I’ve really appreciated how accessible the professors are,” Orabi said. “They’re always willing to help, and it’s easy to build meaningful relationships with them.”

Working with preceptors who have shown how much they care about patients and access to care has only increased his respect for the profession and inspired him to aim higher.

Noa Valcarcel Ares, instructional associate professor of pharmacology and instructional coordinator for the Department of BioMolecular Sciences, is confident that Orabi will achieve whatever he puts his mind to.

“Ahmed brought this calm, focused energy to class – always prepared, always professional and always determined to reach his goals,” Ares said.

Ole Miss pharmacy is a second home for Orabi’s family. His father, Khaled Orabi, earned his doctorate from the school in the '90s. His sister Batool Orabi is an early entry student, while sister Farah Orabi is set to receive her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy in May.

He offers what advice he can to his sisters, encouraging them to start studying early and get involved with student organizations.

“I’ve also emphasized how important it is to start working in a pharmacy setting as soon as possible,” he said. “That real-world experience makes a huge difference and helps prevent you from feeling overwhelmed later.

“I also told them to always be respectful and to maintain good relationships with professors and preceptors.”

Orabi is interested in the business side of pharmacy and dreams of one day owning his own independent community pharmacy – one that prioritizes top-tier patient care.

“I really enjoy the personal relationships you build with patients in that setting,” he said. “We often see patients transferring to independent pharmacies for that very reason; they feel like they’re treated like family.”

Top: Ahmed Orabi’s journey to becoming a pharmacist began in Kuwait and will end with a walk across a stage in Oxford. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

See more photos from Ahmed Orabi's Journey to Commencement