Career as Pharmacist
Pharmacy deals with preparation, dispensing and review of drugs (medicines). So, a qualified and experienced pharmacist would be involved in the Research and Development of drugs, Manufacturing of drugs, Marketing and Dispensing of drugs and so on. In India, the patients need to rely on the prescriptions of a doctor. Yet the drug stores would serve as semi-clinics to address general health issues. You can become a Wholesale supplier of drugs being a Pharmacist. Again, there are opportunities with the government bodies to work as drug analysts or drug inspectors too. The latest development in Pharmacy would be the emerging use of data analysis in various business operations. Data Science has a crucial role to play in the process of making drugs, analyzing them, prescribing them and distributing them. So, modern Pharmacists need to learn and adapt to the latest technology to beat the competition.
- About Pharmacist :
- Job Profile |
- How do I get there?
Job Profile
The Pharmacists ensure that the patients get
maximum output out of the medicinal treatment. The pharmacists
would be involved in every phase of a drug. They can research and
develop medicine and discover a drug. Most of the governments
encourage and fund the research for cost-effective medication to
combat various health issues. Pharmacists take an active part in
the manufacturing process of drugs such as tablets, capsules,
injections, syrups and so on. Pharmacists also serve as the experts
in quality assurance of drugs.
Most commonly, people think that pharmacists’
job is to buy and sell medicines. This is also a major role that
pharmacists play. The wholesalers and distributors of medicines are
usually pharmacists. Pharmacists serve society through their retail
outlets for medicines. A suitable qualification in pharmacy is
necessary to get a license for a medical
shop. Determination of the dosage of certain
specialized medicines is also done by pharmacists. They are also
involved in the analysis and review of the medicines. This profile
helps the pharmaceutical industry to fine-tune their products and
services for better results. Qualified and experienced pharmacists
also work for certification of drugs, analysis of drugs, an
inspection of drugs and so on.
In various roles and sectors, a pharmacist in India can expect an average remuneration of about Rs 3 Lakh per annum to begin with. The remuneration depends upon the company, the responsibilities and the overall calibre of the person. The pharmacists in trading of medicines earn better due to the constant high demand for drugs across the country.
Top recruiters that absorb Pharmacists
It is interesting to know about the top
recruiters in the pharmacy sector. Pharmacy is a recession-free
industry as the medicines and other products are always on high
demand. Here are the most significant companies that recruit
pharmacists regularly in various areas including Research &
Development, Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing:
- Morningside Pharmaceuticals Limited,
- Ryvis Pharma,
- Biotech Vision,
- Abbott,
- STADA Asia,
- Amneal Pharmaceuticals,
- Glenmark Pharma,
- Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited,
- Torrent Pharma,
- Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited,
- Wanbury Limited,
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),
- MedTrail Technologies Private Limited,
- Amazon,
-
Flipkart
Apart from these top-notch pharmaceutical companies operating from various parts of India, numerous Multi-Speciality Hospitals also recruit Pharmacists regularly.
Growth Prospects in future and the measures to get there quickly
Pros and Cons of being a Pharmacist
Pros:
- A Pharmacist has a wide scope to render his services in a variety of levels and business operations related to medicines. The pharmacists get flexible options for their work.
- The Pharmaceutical industry is recession-free. So, the Pharmacists can have a great level of job security and growth prospects.
- Compared to the other professions in the medical line, pharmacist’s job is less complicated and less stressful as well.
- Pharmacists would have a comparatively hygienic work environment.
- Pharmacists have great prospects being an employee of a hospital, research institute, or a manufacturing unit. Similarly, they have business opportunities as well.
Cons:
- The Pharmacists need to carry out a repetitive job.
- The Pharmacists need to face tough competition from the science graduates and postgraduates in India.
- The career growth of a Pharmacist depends upon various factors apart from the qualification and experience.
How do I get there?
The basic requirement to start a career in
Pharmacy would be pursuing the Class XII in Science stream, with
any combination of subjects. You can learn the basics of Physics,
Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and other subjects at this level.
This know-how is essential to get advanced and in-depth knowledge
in Pharmacy.
The second step would be pursuing Undergraduate level education in
Pharmacy. You can opt for Diploma in Pharmacy, which is a two-years
course after your 10+2 in Science stream. Another option is
Bachelor of Pharmacy, which is a three-years course after your 10+2
with Science stream. Eventually, the students completing their
Diploma in Pharmacy can get lateral entry to the second year of B.
Pharmacy based on merit. Your Graduation in Pharmacy opens numerous
career paths for you.
If you wish to work with the big brands in this industry, a degree
is a must. You can also pursue Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) after
10+2, or through the lateral entry to
4th year after B. Pharm.
Doctor of Pharmacy is a six-years course including five years of
community-based or clinical training and one year of internship in
a hospital. For specialization, you can do Master of Pharmacy (M.
Pharm.) after your B Pharm. You need to select one out of 10
specializations available to get your Master’s Degree in Pharmacy.
This Postgraduate degree has a research-oriented syllabus. So, the
students interested in Research and Development related to Pharmacy
should complete their post-graduation.
After your post-graduation, you can also pursue a Ph. D. in
Pharmacy. This qualification leads you to careers in research,
analysis, quality assurance and even teaching to the junior
students.
The overall cost to become a Pharmacist
Let us figure out the fee structure for courses
in Pharmacy at different levels:
|
Course |
Duration |
Average Course Fees (in Rs) |
|
Diploma in Pharmacy |
3 Years |
3,00,000/- |
|
Bachelor of Pharmacy |
4 Years |
2,00,000/- to 8,00,000/- |
|
Doctor of Pharmacy |
6 Years |
2,50,000/- to 10,00,000/- |
|
Master of Pharmacy |
2 Years |
2,00,000/- to 10,00,000/- |
|
Doctor of Pharmacy (Post Baccalaureate) |
3 Years |
6,00,000/- to 20,00,000/- |
|
Ph. D. in Pharmacy |
Minimum 3 Years |
1,50,000/- to 6,00,000/- |
The fees would depend on the institution you choose, your
performance in the qualifying exam and availability of reservation
quota if any. The government colleges charge fewer fees; while the
private institutions charge higher fees for the quality of
education and placement support they provide.
Top Institutions where aspirants can study to become a Pharmacist
|
Rank |
Name of the university/ institution |
Fee Structure (in Rs) |
|
1 |
Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi |
Around 2,30,000/- for B. Pharm. & M. Pharm.) |
|
2 |
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar |
97,000/- for M. Pharm. |
|
3 |
Punjab University, Chandigarh |
92,400/- for B. Pharm. 1,83,000/- form. Pharm. |
|
4 |
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai |
3,24,000/- for B. Pharm. 2,30,000/- for M. Pharm. |
|
5 |
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani |
10,00,000/- for B. Pharm. 6,76,000/- for M. Pharm. |
|
6 |
JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty |
2,00,000/- for B. Pharma. 2,00,000/- per annum for Pharm. D. |
|
7 |
Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal |
2,86,000/- for B. Pharm. 5,53,000/- for M. Pharm. 3,15,700/- per annum for Pharm. D. |
|
8 |
Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar |
1,00,000/- for B. Pharm. 1,35,000/- for M. Pharm. Pharm. D.: 27,000/- per year |
|
9 |
SRM College of Pharmacy, Kattankulathur |
3,07,000/- for B. Pharm. 3,10,200/- for M. Pharm. 3,02,100/- per annum for Pharm. D. |
|
10 |
Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune |
2,50,000/- for M. Pharm. 1,60,000/- per year for Pharm. D. |
Books and other Study Material
-
Essentials of Medical Pharmacology by K. D. Tripathi.
-
Advanced Organic Chemistry: Part B: Reaction & Synthesis by Francis A. Carey & Richard J. Sundberg
-
Applied Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics by Richard B. Silverman & Mark W. Holladay
-
Chemical Application of Infrared Spectroscopy by C. N. R. Rao.
-
Pharmaceutical Analysis: Modern Methods by J. W. Munson.
What if the career doesn’t work for me? What would be the other career options for a person with these credentials?
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Content on this page is by Career Expert Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile |