Juhi Bhathella (left) and Priti Bhathella (right)
Juhi Bhathella
Program and grad year: PharmD, 2026
Career: Recent alum, completing pharmacy residency with Royal Jubilee Hospital
Priti Bhathella
Program and grad year: BSc(Pharm)’98
Career: Owner and pharmacy manager for Elements Compounding Pharmacy
A Shared Calling: Mother and Daughter Join the UBC Pharm Sci Alumni Family
A Convocation Nearly Three Decades Apart
This spring offered a special moment for UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences alum Priti Bhathella (BSc(Pharm)’98). She returned to campus on May 28, nearly three decades after crossing the convocation stage, to celebrate a new Pharm Sci graduate: her daughter, Juhi Bhathella (PharmD’26).
“It’s unbelievable returning all these years later and recognizing the same instructors,” said Priti. “To be able to say hello to them and thank them, it’s very special.”
Finding Pharmacy
Priti’s path to pharmacy began long before she arrived at UBC. While living in Texas, she worked at a Walgreens pharmacy and discovered a profession that combined science, care, and connection. Although she had initially considered optometry, pharmacy ultimately felt like the right fit.
Growing Up Around Pharmacy
For Juhi, pharmacy was woven into everyday life growing up. She spent years helping at her mother’s compounding pharmacy and witnessing firsthand the impact pharmacists can have on patients and communities.
“I went through a bit of a love-hate relationship with pharmacy for a long time,” Juhi admitted with a laugh. “But eventually I realized it was a very important part of my life and a very important part of who I am.”
That realization led her to UBC.
Returning to UBC
Priti encouraged her daughter to choose the same program that had shaped her own career.
“I love UBC,” Priti said. “The program was exceptional. The support, the faculty, my whole experience was wonderful.”
As Juhi progressed through the program, the similarities between their student experiences became increasingly apparent. The two discovered they had been taught by many of the same instructors, including Colleen Brady, Lynda Eccott, Dr. James McCormack, and Dr. Fawziah Lalji.
“It was cool to know that she had taught my mom a long time ago,” said Juhi. “I didn’t tell her until the end of third year that my mom had been one of her former students. She was so excited that she was now teaching two generations in our family.”
Building a Career in Pharmacy
After graduating in 1998, Priti began her career in community pharmacy before joining Costco, where she spent 11 years in corporate pharmacy practice. Looking for a new challenge, she later opened her own compounding pharmacy, Elements Compounding Pharmacy, specializing in personalized medications and patient care.
“To compete with the larger stores, I knew I had to do something different,” she explained. “Compounding was growing at the time, and it’s been wonderful. We’re now 15 years in.”
Working alongside her mother sparked Juhi’s own interest in compounding, but her career goals are also leading her toward hospital practice. This summer, she will begin a pharmacy residency with Island Health, where she looks forward to rotations in areas including nephrology.
Looking Ahead
As Juhi reflected on her experience, she encouraged other students with family connections to pharmacy to embrace those relationships openly.
“When you share that connection with the faculty and with other students, it really helps build that network,” she said. “Once I started talking about it more openly, I realized how strong and supportive the community really is.”
Advice for the Next Generation
Priti’s advice to the graduating class focused on the human side of pharmacy practice.
“The work is hard, and there will be stressful situations,” she said. “But always remember the person behind the prescription. The more you listen to your patients, the more you learn. You’ll learn more from your patients than from any book.”
Now, as Juhi begins her own career in pharmacy, the Bhathellas share more than a profession. They share a lifelong connection to UBC and to patient care.