Graduating with a Master’s degree in Pharmacy at just 24, Alyssa Tyla Christopher proves resilience, discipline and self-belief can take you further than you ever imagined.
When Alyssa Tyla Christopher completed her Master’s degree in Pharmacy, she wasn’t simply celebrating another qualification. She was reflecting on a journey that had tested her determination, challenged her confidence and ultimately transformed the way she viewed success.
The New Germany-based pharmacist graduated with an outstanding dissertation mark of 82 per cent, adding to an already remarkable academic record that includes a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree achieved summa cum laude. Yet despite the accolades, Alyssa is quick to point out that the road to graduation was anything but easy.
There were long days spent searching for research, countless journal articles, looming deadlines and moments when self-doubt crept in. More than once, she questioned whether she had taken on more than she could manage.
Throughout it all, one piece of advice from her father remained firmly in her mind.
He often compared completing her Master’s degree to climbing a mountain. At first, the summit seemed impossibly far away. Looking back now, Alyssa realises he wasn’t simply talking about earning another qualification. He was describing the person she would become along the climb.
“Doing my Master’s was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she admits. “There were days when I struggled to find the right research, days when I couldn’t put my thoughts into words, and days when I questioned whether I had the ability to finish.”
Like so many young professionals balancing ambition with self-doubt, Alyssa soon realised that success wasn’t about never feeling overwhelmed. It was about learning how to keep going anyway.
Rather than focusing on the enormous climb ahead, she learnt to concentrate on what she could achieve each day.
“I stopped worrying about how much I still had to do and concentrated on what I could achieve that day,” she says. “Every small milestone reminded me I was moving closer to the top.”
It was a lesson that changed far more than her approach to studying.
To stay grounded, Alyssa relied on routine. She planned each day carefully, kept an organised workspace and made time for something that became just as important as her research, strength training.
A regular at Virgin Active Kloof since 2021, the gym became her place to reset.
“It helped me manage my emotions and cope with stressful situations. No matter how busy I was, going to the gym became non-negotiable.”
Exercise wasn’t simply about becoming physically stronger. It taught her consistency, discipline and the value of showing up, even on the days when motivation was in short supply.
While hard work carried her through the practical demands of her degree, it was her family who carried her emotionally.
One person remained especially close to her heart throughout the journey, her grandmother, Shireen Hassiem, who died in 2021 after living with kidney disease.
Alyssa dedicated her thesis to her memory.
“I felt her love and support with me throughout the journey,” she says.
Her parents became her greatest cheerleaders, constantly encouraging her when the finish line still seemed out of reach.
So, when the email containing her dissertation results finally arrived, Alyssa immediately recognised the sender.
“My heart started racing,” she remembers. “I opened it and saw I’d achieved 82 per cent. I couldn’t believe it.”
The examiners praised her work, describing the research as strong, relevant and of practical significance.
Without hesitation, she shared the news with the people who had stood beside her throughout the journey.
“My parents hugged me so tightly and told me how proud they were. That moment meant everything.”
Her research focused on medicine safety, comparing the registration of medicines in South Africa with international regulatory practices and highlighting the importance of continually reviewing medicine safety information to ensure patients receive the safest possible treatment.
Although highly technical, her research reflects something deeply personal, a desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through safer medicines.
Her long-term goal is to complete a PhD and pursue a career in pharmacovigilance, helping improve medicine safety both locally and internationally.
Despite her academic achievements, Alyssa remains refreshingly humble. She credits her success not only to determination, but also to the people who encouraged her to keep believing in herself when she doubted her own abilities.
Looking back, she says the greatest lesson wasn’t hidden in a textbook. It was learning to trust the process.
“It’s okay if things feel difficult,” she says. “Growth doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen inside your comfort zone.”
When graduation day finally arrived, Alyssa walked across the stage to the cheers of her family. As she looked into the audience and saw her parents beaming with pride, she remembered her father’s words about climbing mountains. This, she realised, was the summit he had always spoken about.
For anyone standing at the foot of a mountain of their own, whether it’s a qualification, a career goal or a personal challenge, Alyssa offers one simple piece of advice:
“Comfort is cosy, but nothing grows there.”
As Alyssa looks towards her next challenge, completing a PhD and building a career in pharmacovigilance, she no longer sees mountains as obstacles. She sees them as opportunities to discover just how capable she really is.
