Career option in Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Introduction
The Union Ministry of Health and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) have introduced a six-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharma D) course. 5 years will be academic session and final year is completely bound to internship in hospital. It provides intensive training in pharmacy practice & clinical pharmacy services. Students can enrol for this course after 10 + 2, or Post – Baccalaureate, in which case the duration of the course would be reduced to 3 years. Only institutions running B. Pharm programs, approved under Section 12 of the Pharmacy Act will be running Pharm. D. programs.
Eligibility
Students who have passed Intermediate with Bipc/MPC or D. Pharma are eligible for admission to the new course.
Entrance Exam:
EAMCET
ROLE OF PHARM D
Pharm D is mainly hospital oriented, as evident from the fact that it's a compulsion that the colleges offering the course must have an adjoined hospital
Duration of the course:
- Pharm.D: The duration of the course shall be six academic years (five years of study and one year of internship or residency) full time with each academic year spread over a period of not less than two hundred working days. The period of six years duration is divided into two phases –
Phase I – consisting of First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth academic year.
Phase II – consisting of internship or residency training during sixth year involving posting in speciality units. It is a phase of training wherein a student is exposed to actual pharmacy practice or clinical pharmacy services and acquires skill under supervision so that he or she may become capable of functioning independently. - Pharm.D. (Post Baccalaureate): The duration of the course shall be for three academic years (two years of study and one year internship or residency) full time with each academic year spread over a period of not less than two hundred working days. The period of three years duration is divided into two phases –
Phase I – consisting of First and Second academic year.
Phase II – consisting of Internship or residency training during third year involving posting in speciality units. It is a phase of training wherein a student is exposed to actual pharmacy practice or clinical pharmacy services, and acquires skill under supervision so that he or she may become capable of functioning independently.
Subjects in each year:
First year Pharm. D:
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Pharmaceutics
- Medicinal Biochemistry
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry
- Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry
- Remedial Mathematics/ Biology.
Second Year Pharm. D:
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology
- Pharmacognosy & Phytopharmaceuticals
- Pharmacology-I
- Community Pharmacy
- Pharmacotherapeutics-I.
Third Year Pharm. D:
- Pharmacology-II
- Pharmaceutical Analysis
- Pharmacotherapeutics-II
- Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
- Medicinal Chemistry
- Pharmaceutical Formulations.
Fourth Year Pharm. D:
- Pharmacotherapeutics-III
- Hospital Pharmacy
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Biostatistics & Research Methodology
- Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics
- Clinical Toxicology
Fifth Year Pharm. D:
- Clinical Research
- Pharmaco epidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics
- Clinical Pharmacokinetics & Pharmaco therapeutic Drug Monitoring
- Clerkship
- Project work (Six Months).
Sixth Year Pharm. D:
Internship or residency training including postings in speciality units. Student should independently provide the clinical pharmacy services to the allotted wards.
- Six months in General Medicine department,
- Two months each in three other specialist departments
In Andhra Pradesh 15 colleges are offering Pharm D courses
- Smt. Sarojini Ramulamma College of Pharmacy, Seshadrinagar, Mahabubnagar
- Raghavendra Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (RIPER), KR Palli Cross, Cheyyedu, Anantapur
- Deccan School of Pharmacy, Zafargarh, P.O. Kanchanbagh,Hyderabad
- Talla Padmavathi College of Pharmacy, Orus-Kareemabad, Warangal
- Bharat Institute of Technology, Mangalpalli Village Ibrahimpatnam (Mandal), Distt.RANGA REDDY
- St. Peter’s Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, # 2-4-1211, Vidyanagar,HANAMKONDA
- Sri Venkateshwara College of Pharmacy, 86, Hitech City Road, Madhapur,Hyderabad
- GIET School of Pharmacy NH-5, Chaitanya Nagar, Rajahmundry
- Malla Reddy College of Pharmacy, Maisammaguda, Dhullapally (Post Via Hakimpet), Secunderabad
- Shri Vishnu College of Pharmacy Vishnupur, Bhimavaram, West Godavari
- Vaagdevi College of Pharmacy, H.No. 2-2-457/3, Ramnagar, Hanmakonda,Warangal
- P. Rami Reddy Memorial College of Pharmacy, 1-35, Prakruthi Nagar, Utukur, Kadapa
- Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Chalapathi Nagar, Lam, Guntur
- Annamacharya College of Pharmacy, New Boyanpalli, Rajampet
- KVSR Siddhartha College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Siddhartha Nagar,Vijayawada.
- MESCO College of Pharmay, Mustaidpura, Karwan Road, Hyderabad
For list of colleges in other states please visit:
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Eligibility for promotion to next year:?
All students who have appeared for all the subjects and passed the first year annual examination are eligible for promotion to the second year and, so on. However, failure in more than two subjects shall debar him or her from promotion to the next year classes.
Internship:
Internship is a phase of training wherein a student is expected to conduct actual practice of pharmacy and health care and acquires skills under the supervision so that he or she may become capable of functioning independently.
Objectives of Pharm D Program:
- To provide patient care in cooperation with patients, prescribers, and other members of an interprofessional health care team based upon sound therapeutic principles and evidence-based data, taking into account relevant legal, ethical, social cultural, economic, and professional issues, emerging technologies, and evolving biomedical, pharmaceutical, social or behavioral or administrative, and clinical sciences that may impact therapeutic outcomes.
- To manage and use resources of the health care system, in cooperation with patients, prescribers, other health care providers, and administrative and supportive personnel, to promote health; to provide, assess, and coordinate safe, accurate, and time-sensitive medication distribution; and to improve therapeutic outcomes of medication use.
- To promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention in co-operation with patients, communities, at-risk population, and other members of an interprofessional team of health care providers.
- To demonstrate skills in monitoring of the National Health Programmes and schemes oriented to provide preventive and promotive health care services to the community.
- To develop leadership qualities to function effectively as a member of the health care team organised to deliver the health and family welfare services in existing socio-economic, political and cultural environment.
- To communicate effectively with patients and the community.
CAREER OPPURTUNITIES
The role of a pharmacist has changed drastically over the years with the constant expansion of health care programmes and the increasing need for quality pharmaceutical care. The growth of this sectors has thrown up diverse career options that include Community Pharmacy, Geriatric Pharmacy, Home Health Care, Hospital Pharmacy, Governmental agencies, Managed care, Pharmacoeconomics, Pharmacy education apart from Pharmaceutical industry.
The following are some of the numerous and diverse career options available to Pharm.D. Graduates:
- Community Pharmacy
- Geriatric Pharmacy
- Governmental Agencies
- Home Health Care
- Hospital Pharmacy
- Managed Care
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Pharmacy Education
- Specialized Area Opportunities
Certificate of passing examination:
Every student who has passed the examinations for the Pharm.D (Doctor of Pharmacy) or Pharm.D. (Post Baccalaureate) (Doctor of Pharmacy) as the case may be, shall be granted a certificate by the examining authority.
Career option in Pharmacy:
The word ‘pharmacy’ is often used to refer to a place where drugs are sold, i.e. a chemist’s shop or drug store. However, pharmacy is much more than that. It is the art or science of preparing and preserving drugs, as well as compounding and dispensing medicines according to a physician’s prescription.
Pharmacy is an important component of the medical and healthcare system. The pharmaceutical industry as a whole is concerned with the manufacturing, preparation, and marketing of drugs. It is of vital importance to the economy and employs a large number of scientists, technicians, and blue-collar workers.
Members of this profession, called pharmacists, must
· have a comprehensive knowledge of drugs, including their composition, chemical and physical properties, and uses;
· be familiar with the effects of various drugs on people’s health; and
· have a thorough understanding of procedures for testing drug purity and strength.
Pharmacists apply their specialized knowledge and skill to determine drug treatment plans, monitor responses to drug therapy, and recommend treatment alternatives.
The increasing complexity of drug therapy, potential adverse side effects, and the danger of drug abuse have brought into focus the important role played by pharmacists in the medical and healthcare system. During the last three decades, the pharmacists have been playing a vital role in pharmaceutical research and industry.
In a country like India, with a large population vulnerable to diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, and malaria, pharmacy as a career option has always been in demand. As medical science advances and people become increasingly health conscious, the demand for pharmacists will only get higher. The pharmacist has an important role to play since the lives of patients and their recovery depend on his expertise.
Educational Opportunities
Although training for tasks such as compounding and dispensing medications according to a doctor’s prescription has been available for a while, pharmacy as an academic discipline is a recent development in India. Before education was formalized, pharmacists were confined to working as ‘compounders’ in hospitals and chemist shops. With the increasing availability of ready-to-use medicines, the job of compounding and dispensing has become more or less redundant. However, with the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, the need for qualified scientists and technicians specializing in pharmaceutical sciences has grown exponentially. The focus of pharmacy education, therefore, is slowly shifting to training highly qualified professionals (with post-graduate and even doctoral degrees) to cater to the requirements of research and industry, although the need for pharmacists who undertake routine tasks remains.
Career Opportunities
While there are a number of career opportunities in the pharmacy industry, pharmacy graduates in India often find it difficult to find careers that fall within their area of interest. However, this is due to a lack of proper guidance rather than a lack of career options. To remedy this situation, both private and government organizations have been organizing free seminars on careers in pharmacy all over India. The aim is to educate budding pharmacists about the career opportunities available to them after graduation.
Pharmacy, in fact, offers a wide range of career opportunities. For example, a pharmacy graduate could get a job as a
· medical representative (sales and marketing),
· production technician,
· hospital pharmacist,
· scientist undertaking R&D, or
· teacher.
Indian Pharmaceutical companies such as CIPLA, Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy’s Labs, Aurobindo Pharma, and Sun Pharma have taken great strides in the last three decades and have emerged as low-cost producers and exporters of bulk drugs. Therefore, pharmacy graduates no longer need to look outside India even for high-end development or research positions. The following is a general list of career possibilities for people with different educational qualifications in pharma:
For Diploma in Pharmacy:
1. Pharmacist in a government/semi-government/private hospital
2. Medical store owner/manager
For Bachelor in Pharmacy:
1. Medical representative or a medical detailing man
2. Marketing sales manager
3. Drug inspector
4. Drug controller
5. Graduate pharmacist
6. Chief pharmacist
7. Lecturer in D.Pharm and B.Pharm Colleges
8. Underwriter
for Masters in Pharmacy:
1. Lecturer in a B.Pharm college
2. Research assistant or research associate
Future in Pharmacy
The increased medication and healthcare needs of an older population, more effective drugs to treat and prevent diseases, and a growing population have collectively resulted in a shortage of pharmacists nationwide. Additionally, new opportunities are emerging for pharmacists in managed-care organizations and for pharmacists trained in research and disease management.
Thus, the employment outlook for pharmacists is “very good.”
Pharmacy is an important component of the medical and healthcare system. The pharmaceutical industry as a whole is concerned with the manufacturing, preparation, and marketing of drugs. It is of vital importance to the economy and employs a large number of scientists, technicians, and blue-collar workers.
Members of this profession, called pharmacists, must
· have a comprehensive knowledge of drugs, including their composition, chemical and physical properties, and uses;
· be familiar with the effects of various drugs on people’s health; and
· have a thorough understanding of procedures for testing drug purity and strength.
Pharmacists apply their specialized knowledge and skill to determine drug treatment plans, monitor responses to drug therapy, and recommend treatment alternatives.
The increasing complexity of drug therapy, potential adverse side effects, and the danger of drug abuse have brought into focus the important role played by pharmacists in the medical and healthcare system. During the last three decades, the pharmacists have been playing a vital role in pharmaceutical research and industry.
In a country like India, with a large population vulnerable to diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, and malaria, pharmacy as a career option has always been in demand. As medical science advances and people become increasingly health conscious, the demand for pharmacists will only get higher. The pharmacist has an important role to play since the lives of patients and their recovery depend on his expertise.
Educational Opportunities
Although training for tasks such as compounding and dispensing medications according to a doctor’s prescription has been available for a while, pharmacy as an academic discipline is a recent development in India. Before education was formalized, pharmacists were confined to working as ‘compounders’ in hospitals and chemist shops. With the increasing availability of ready-to-use medicines, the job of compounding and dispensing has become more or less redundant. However, with the growth of the pharmaceutical industry, the need for qualified scientists and technicians specializing in pharmaceutical sciences has grown exponentially. The focus of pharmacy education, therefore, is slowly shifting to training highly qualified professionals (with post-graduate and even doctoral degrees) to cater to the requirements of research and industry, although the need for pharmacists who undertake routine tasks remains.
Career Opportunities
While there are a number of career opportunities in the pharmacy industry, pharmacy graduates in India often find it difficult to find careers that fall within their area of interest. However, this is due to a lack of proper guidance rather than a lack of career options. To remedy this situation, both private and government organizations have been organizing free seminars on careers in pharmacy all over India. The aim is to educate budding pharmacists about the career opportunities available to them after graduation.
Pharmacy, in fact, offers a wide range of career opportunities. For example, a pharmacy graduate could get a job as a
· medical representative (sales and marketing),
· production technician,
· hospital pharmacist,
· scientist undertaking R&D, or
· teacher.
Indian Pharmaceutical companies such as CIPLA, Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy’s Labs, Aurobindo Pharma, and Sun Pharma have taken great strides in the last three decades and have emerged as low-cost producers and exporters of bulk drugs. Therefore, pharmacy graduates no longer need to look outside India even for high-end development or research positions. The following is a general list of career possibilities for people with different educational qualifications in pharma:
For Diploma in Pharmacy:
1. Pharmacist in a government/semi-government/private hospital
2. Medical store owner/manager
For Bachelor in Pharmacy:
1. Medical representative or a medical detailing man
2. Marketing sales manager
3. Drug inspector
4. Drug controller
5. Graduate pharmacist
6. Chief pharmacist
7. Lecturer in D.Pharm and B.Pharm Colleges
8. Underwriter
for Masters in Pharmacy:
1. Lecturer in a B.Pharm college
2. Research assistant or research associate
Future in Pharmacy
The increased medication and healthcare needs of an older population, more effective drugs to treat and prevent diseases, and a growing population have collectively resulted in a shortage of pharmacists nationwide. Additionally, new opportunities are emerging for pharmacists in managed-care organizations and for pharmacists trained in research and disease management.
Thus, the employment outlook for pharmacists is “very good.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Adv:
.
Posts
