My Experience With a Viral Infection: A Lesson Beyond the Classroom

By Amina Ijaz | 3rd Professional Pharm-D Student

As a Pharm-D student at Darsons Institute, I have spent years studying diseases, medicines, treatment strategies, and their effects on the human body. From classroom lectures and textbooks to practical learning and research-oriented activities, my journey in Pharm D in Gujranwala has helped me understand the science behind healthcare.

But recently, I experienced a health crisis myself—and it taught me something that no textbook could fully explain: what it feels like to be a patient.

When a Fever Became More Than Just a Symptom

A few days ago, I developed a viral infection accompanied by a very high fever. My temperature reached around 103–104°F and continued to return even after taking medicine to reduce the fever.

I was taking Panadol as advised for fever, but the relief was temporary. Sometimes, my temperature would come down for only a short period before rising again. Along with the fever, I experienced severe dizziness, weakness, and exhaustion.

For almost four to five days, my condition remained difficult. The constant fever and weakness made even simple daily activities feel exhausting.

As a Pharm-D student, I knew the scientific explanation behind fever and the role of medicines. However, experiencing it personally made me understand the patient’s perspective in a completely different way.

Understanding Viral Infection and Antibiotic Use

Initially, antibiotics were prescribed, but later it was determined that the infection was viral.

This reminded me of one of the fundamental concepts we study during our Pharm-D education: antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and do not work against viruses.

The experience made the importance of rational medicine use much more real to me. Antibiotics should not be used unnecessarily because inappropriate or excessive antibiotic use can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, making some bacterial infections increasingly difficult to treat.

As future pharmacists, understanding the difference between bacterial and viral infections is important—not only for academic learning but also for promoting safe and responsible medicine use.

My Experience as a Patient

During my illness, I continued taking Panadol for fever along with the other medicines advised for my symptoms, including an antihistamine and another prescribed medicine.

Gradually, after four to five difficult days, my fever settled and I started feeling better.

Although I had studied medicines and their uses many times, being the person who actually needed treatment gave me a completely different perspective.

We often discuss patients in classrooms, case studies, and clinical examples. But when you become the patient yourself, you begin to understand the importance of something equally valuable: care, patience, reassurance, and proper guidance.

What This Experience Taught Me as a Pharm-D Student

This experience taught me several lessons that I want to carry with me throughout my professional journey.

First, knowledge and experience are two different things. We may understand the mechanism of action of a medicine or know why a particular treatment is prescribed, but experiencing illness personally gives that knowledge a deeper meaning.

Second, rational use of medicines is essential. Not every fever requires an antibiotic. The appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause of the illness, and medicines should be used according to proper medical advice.

Third, I realized how vulnerable patients can feel when they are sick. A person experiencing high fever, dizziness, weakness, or pain may need more than medicine—they may also need understanding and reassurance.

Connecting Classroom Learning With Drug Discovery and Innovation

My experience also made me think beyond the use of existing medicines and toward the future of healthcare.

At Darsons Institute, the Drug Discovery and Innovation Hub provides an environment that connects pharmaceutical education with research, innovation, and the development of new ideas in healthcare.

As Pharm-D students, learning about diseases and existing medicines is only one part of our journey. The pharmaceutical field is continuously evolving, and future pharmacists can contribute not only to the safe use of medicines but also to research, drug discovery, innovation, and improving healthcare outcomes.

Experiences like mine make these areas feel more meaningful. When we personally experience illness, we begin to appreciate why effective, safe, and evidence-based medicines are so important—and why continued research and innovation in healthcare matter.

The journey from understanding a disease to developing better therapeutic solutions requires scientific knowledge, research, collaboration, and a strong focus on patient needs.

Learning Beyond the Classroom at Darsons Institute

Studying Pharm D in Gujranwala is not only about memorizing medicines, diseases, and treatment guidelines. It is also about developing the knowledge, responsibility, research mindset, and empathy required to become a healthcare professional.

My education at Darsons Institute, along with exposure to research and innovation through its Drug Discovery and Innovation Hub, has encouraged me to look at pharmacy from a broader perspective.

This personal experience added another dimension to that learning by allowing me to see healthcare from the patient's side.

It reminded me that behind every prescription is a real person—a person who may be worried, uncomfortable, weak, or simply hoping to feel better.

A Lesson I Will Remember

As a future pharmacist, I want to remember this experience throughout my professional career.

It taught me not only about medicines and viral infections, but also about what it feels like to be on the other side of the prescription.

Sometimes, the most meaningful lessons are not the ones we read in books or discuss in classrooms. Sometimes, they are the lessons we experience ourselves.

My recent illness reminded me that healthcare is not only about treating a disease. It is also about understanding the person behind the disease.

And perhaps that is one of the most important lessons a future pharmacist can learn.