Career Clues

Career Opportunities for Pharmacy Studies

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health as the state

Of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the

Absence of disease or infirmity.

Dr. N Rama Rao

Principal

Chalapathi Institute of

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the basic sciences; it is committed to ensuring the safe and effective use of medication. Although the pharmacy profession is recognized for its importance as a health care provider in many developed countries, most developing countries it is still underutilized. Pharmacists are professionally qualified, scientifically trained and technically competent health care professionals knowing the facts of drugs and medicines.

Pharmacy Education:

Pharmacy education is a dynamic process, which should make optional use of science and technology to train pharmacists who can play an active role in the national health care system. The important pharmacy education programs currently offered in India include:

I. Diploma in Pharmacy

(D.pharm, a 2 year program after 10+2)

II. Bachelor of pharmacy

(B. Pharm, a 4 year program after 10+2)

III. Master of pharmacy

(M. Pharm, a 2 year program after B.Phram)

IV. Doctor of Pharmacy

(Pharm. D, a 6 year program after 10+2)

V. Doctor of Pharmacy

(Pharm.D) P.B. 3 year after B.Pharm

VI. Doctor of Philosophy

(Ph.D, generally 3 years work after M. Pharm.)

VII. Doctor of Pharmacy

(Pharm.D): The Doctor of pharmacy degree, abbreviated as a Pharm.D. Or Pharm D is a professional doctor degree in pharmacy. It is very much similar to professional degrees like Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) in USA or equal qualification in other countries. Pharmacists are trained to become active and integral members of the patient care team. Increasing emphasis on improving quality of medication use and enhancing medication safety have dramatically increased the demand for clinical pharmacy and the Pharm.D program in all parts of the world. The ward rounds, clinical postings, clerkship and the residency are the core components of the Pharm.D program. It is through these the students get accustomed to real hospital practice situation and oriented to the evidence based therapy concepts. The 6 year Pharm.D Program in India should help to establish an effective and trust worthy relationship between the pharmacy practice department and the health care professionals in the hospitals and community set ups. The Pharm.D students have to exhibit their caliber, competence and capabilities in making the drug therapy and health care safer, cost-effective and user friendly. In hospitals, the practicing pharmacists, including pharmacy practice teachers, have to work in tandem with other health care professionals.

CAREERS IN PHARMACY

Pharmacy as a career option has always been in the forefront. Depending on the qualification, talent and experience, there are numerous avenues for pharma professionals.

Hospital Pharmacist: Hospitals have a pharmacy department which area controlled and managed by a pharmacist. They undertake responsibility for the stock control, storage, placing orders, labeling and financial budgeting and account-keeping for the dispensary.

Retail Pharmacist: The concept of pharma retailing is rapidly capturing the A and B class cities in India. These are organized retail chains under one banner and thus this call for a good number of pharmacists to handle the entire show.

Drug Inspectors:

They are employed by the state governments and they look after the day-today affairs of the pharma business. The job of a drug inspector includes the inspection of establishment where drugs, cosmetics and medical devices are manufactured, handled, stored or sold to enforce legal standards of purity and grading.

Analytical Chemist: These are employed by labs which provides testing and validation about the pharma and related products.

Manufacturing chemist: With a tremendous growth in the number of manufacturing units the demand for pharmacists is right on the top. Apart from the pharmaceutical units. Manufacturing chemists are also employed by allied industries such as nutraceuticals, food, cosmetics etc. The job involves the preparation of a pilot sample and sees that production of a particular formulation line is right from the raw material to the end of packaging.

Medical Representatives:

These are sales people who are brand ambassador for their respective companies (both national and multinational companies).

Research and Development: As India is becoming a hub of R&D, this sector always looks at for the right pharma professionals. Further many more MNC’s have made India as a hub for their R and D. the areas of research include New Drug Discovery Research (NDDR), Process Development (P & D); Formulation & Development (F&D), standardization of dosage etc.

Clinical Research: With many CRO’s operations in India, clinical research is an industry itself. India is becoming a hub for clinical research; the demand for professionals in this field is growing rapidly. Clinical research business in India will be worth of $1 billion by 2010. Thus, there will soon be a massive demand for clinical research professionals, making it an interesting career option with massive growth potential.

Product Management: Managing a brand is the responsibility of product management department. Pharma professionals enjoy an added advantage over scores others in terms of suitability for this job.

Medical Transcription: Medical transcription could be one of the speedy growing IT-enabled services in India also, with the rapid change in the outlook, of Indian healthcare and privatization of the insurance sector.

Pharma Publishing: This is becoming new entrepreneurship business for pharma professionals. This involves publishing of pharma magazine/News letters related to pharmacy topics.

Drug Regulatory:

With the Indian companies going globally the role of drug regulatory department is increasing day-by-day. The job involves the preparation of drug dossier and its registration in other countries. Further knowledge of exports and imports also becomes handy in such cases. The job also involves travelling aboard for licensing and alliances.

Academics:

With many colleges mushrooming all over India, teaching is a good option for those interested in academics. As per the AICTE norms the minimum entry-level qualification as lecture is M.pharm. This is a profession associated with job satisfaction and social status as teaching is the consider to be noble profession. The higher posts in the hierarchy are Sr. Lecturer, Reader, and Asst. Professor, Professor, Principal etc. The emoluments are satisfactory. Besides teaching academic-related opportunities involve positions on research posts and training programs.

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