Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Bryan Sackey.
Hi Dr. Bryan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My story starts with my culture and community in Ghana. As a Ghanaian-born immigrant at the unassuming age of 5, I was just reveling in the “land of the free” that I heard so much about after finally “coming to America.” As I tried to blend in with this new environment, my parents made sure that my focus and trajectory were always towards the health field. Despite a heavy interest in music and the arts, the closest I got to anything of that sort was playing drums for the church youth band (good times). Nonetheless, my only worldview of the health field was through my father who was a pharmacist…and that is where my initial interest in the field came from. In all honesty, I was not exactly inspired to pursue pharmacy based on how I viewed the traditional practice; however, I was intrigued by the potential of this profession to really impact the health field.
Coming into my first year of pharmacy school at Howard University, I knew very early that student organization involvement would be instrumental in me developing into the provider I aspired to be. The question was, which direction do I go? Entering pharmacy school, the psychiatric practice had always been a personal interest of mine; however, I never imagined it to be a career I would pursue within the realm of pharmacy. Psychiatric care felt like a perfect balance of science and art enveloped in truly compassionate patient care. As a minority, I was particularly concerned with the mental health disparities in underrepresented communities, which have been notoriously driven by the stigmas surrounding these conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, only about one-quarter of African Americans seek mental health care, compared to 40% of Caucasians. Though my professional interests fluctuated in various areas including infectious disease and cardiology, psychiatry seemed to play a common theme in each stage of my career path despite my own volition. In some ways, it almost felt like mental health was choosing me. It wasn’t until a chance opportunity to rotate at the FDA’s Psychiatric and Neurology department as a 4th-year student that I realized how impactful pharmacists can be in all aspects of psychiatric care. I soon pursued Post graduate training after receiving my doctorate from Howard University. During my residency training, one thing that immediately stood out was the strong influence of mental health and how it presented as a significant barrier to the care of these patients. During patient interactions, I found myself addressing several psychiatric comorbidities and incorporating the psychologist in their care. One major event that occurred that solidified psychiatry as my purpose was when a good friend in undergrad with bipolar disorder died of suicide by overdosing on her pills. I felt numb when I heard the news, feeling like there could have been something I could’ve done to prevent this unfortunate outcome if I only known what she was dealing with. It highlighted the inconspicuous yet menacing nature of mental health in the black community and how it is silently taking us out. This coupled with how my very own culture neglects and undermines the impact of mental health in our communities, is what led me to develop something greater than myself and my profession. Enter Your Mind is Our Business (YMOB). I launched this project in 2020 to tackle the mental health problem in our community. The name plays on the concept of many of us often deferring to the statement “mind your business” when asked about how we’re feeling…well, your mind IS my business (well, it should be anyway). This program was developed to create safe spaces to discuss or mental well-being and, more importantly, how we can heal together. With a career as a psychopharmacologist, I am equipped with the knowledge of treating these conditions however with the approach of holistic healing which entails dynamic modalities that may include lifestyle changes, therapy, medications, and naturalistic approaches. Ultimately, I endeavor to create a community where we mind our mental health with resources that builds a framework for mental healing.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Unfortunately, I have not had the smoothest path to where I am today. Starting with my undergraduate experience, I would define my performance to be largely trash, at best. The untimely death of my Aunt back home in Ghana who was stricken with AIDS yet neglected on her hospital bed, was a big motivator for me to position myself in the health field. Although the drive was there, I generally struggled to get the grades I need to get me there. As I approached my junior year in undergrad, I confidently searched for potential pharmacy school programs to apply to despite a 2.4 GPA (yikes). Side note, I felt smarter than a 2.4 GPA however I also knew I didn’t apply myself fully due to a lot of unconscious self-doubts. At this time, I sought advice from my assigned school advisor on the best ways to position myself in effort to achieve my career aspirations. However, I was met with the dismal words of “Are you sure you can get into pharmacy?”. I was then subsequently told to perhaps look into being a lab technician instead. Meanwhile, my white counterpart with a similar GPA (trust me, he was my study partner) was told by the same advisor that he should “absolutely apply for Med School.” The words I received from my advisor were discouraging, and I felt that perhaps maybe she was right, this field was not for me. I eventually graduated with my BS in biology, and for several months, it felt like I was simply “going through the motions” as I continued the mundane cycle of working as a technician at Kaiser Permanente and trying to determine what I can possibly do with my biology degree. It wasn’t until one day I decided to ask my supervisor (a Howard University alumni) why she chose pharmacy. She beautifully articulated to me that she’s seen enough health-related deaths in her community to not pursue such a field. I was instantly reminded of why I wanted to pursue this career in the first place, and so the passion was reignited. After I opened up to her about my insecurities about whether I can make it in the field she simply replied, “go for it, I believe in you.” The mere words of support by someone who looked like me possessed so much power and was all the motivation I needed. After several rejections, Howard University decided to give me a chance. However, for me, that was all I needed. One thing my mentor told me when I started was that I have to remember that I am starting from ground zero, and it was my opportunity to create my own destiny. This mindset was invigorating and was the catalyst for turning my 2.4 GPA into an eventual 3.9 in Pharmacy school as I graduated with summa cum laude honors. Yea I couldn’t believe it either. However, it was a display of the power of authentic support which had become a common theme in my journey thus far. By witnessing the profound effect of a simple source of encouragement, I was inspired to do the same for those who may come after me who perhaps may be derailed by self-doubt. And so that was the inception of the Pharmacy Initiative Leaders (PILs) organization. I wanted to develop a system that is designed to empower, support, and build underrepresented communities that may be deprived of adequate resources. It has since developed into a nationwide non-profit that is led and operated by several amazing pharmacists across the nation.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I truly believe in the concept of “let your passion be your drive”. It is a life mantra I developed for myself that came in moments where I questioned my purpose in life. I emphasize “purpose finding” whenever I give talks because I believe it is the catalyst to unlocking our creative instincts coupled with what the world can benefit from. For me, this has translated into various aspects of my personal and professional life. I’ve always had a general interest to reach back as I climb in efforts to build the communities that I’m in. This has manifested in the development of the 2 aforementioned non-profit organizations, Pharmacy Initiative Leaders (PILs) and Your Mind is Our Business (YMOB). Both opportunities have been fulfilling as I give back to underrepresented communities in a way that hopefully empowers them to succeed beyond the perceived and actualized barriers. Moreover, one of the true beauties of these two endeavors is curating an environment where others are able to share in this passion. I am extremely proud and honored to witness the impact of PILs over the years which includes the services of over 100 diverse health professionals nationwide and more recently, international members helping to change the landscape of healthcare. By continuing to “let my passion be my drive,” I envision YMOB to also have a similar impact and beyond.
Artistically, I love indulging in everything about my culture and community. From the music to the fashion, to the food, the history, art, and the nuance in our lingo. I love it all. Personally, my guilty pleasure is sneakers, and I can’t seem to stop collecting them. I view them as art pieces, and I love the storytelling behind them (not to mention the thrill of hunting for rare pairs). Though it can be an expensive hobby, I do find therapy in it and has become something that truly brings me peace (but not for my wallet haha).
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice would be to do the real (yet difficult) work of identifying who you are and what drives you as early as you can in your life. In other words, finding your purpose in life; your “why”. This involves identifying your strengths, weaknesses, natural gifts, values, motivators, distractors, and passions. In fact, I encourage anyone embarking on any new journey to do this not only at the beginning but yearly to help calibrate the direction you are going. I believe by doing so, you are truly manifesting the purpose God has for you and developing an internal compass to get you there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Ymob.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourmind.ourbusiness/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLJ1FlZFLeqoYIHbQAK8o9A
- Other: www.pilsconnect.org
Image Credits
Sylvester Agbahiwe
