TOI: Pharmacy: July 07, 2008 | Career Counselling

Pharmacy

There is work in research and development, sales and marketing, and in quality control .......- Jayanti Ghose

Pharmaceutical science pertains to the development and preparation of drugs which are used in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Pharmacists can be involved in any aspect of the preparation and use of medicines, from the discovery of their active ingredients to their use by patients. They also monitor the effects of medicines, both for patient care and for research purposes.

Pharmacists may act as consultants to health practitioners and the general public, concerning adverse drug reactions and interactions. There is work in research and development, sales and marketing, and in quality control.

Skills/ traits

Those aspiring to pursue a career in pharmacy, require strong scientific aptitude, manual dexterity, accuracy and precision, a high degree of concentration, and good interpersonal skills because pharmaceutical scientists deal with patients, physicians, nurses, administrators, public policy makers, regulators, and so on.

Education and training

After 10+2, one could pursue a two-year diploma course in pharmacy or a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy (BPharm) of four years duration. Admission to BPharm is usually on the basis of an entrance exam.

Master of Pharmacy offers specialisations in areas like quality assurance, pharmacology, hospital pharmacy, pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical biotechnology, pharmaceuticallyses, and pharmaceutical engineering. Admission to postgraduate courses is on the basis of BPharm/ GATE/ institute’s entrance test scores.

MSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Administration or MBA Pharmacy, etc, after a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy/ honours in chemistry/ allied qualifications may also lead to careers in the pharmaceutical industry. PhD in pharmacy is offered after MPharm.

Pharmacy education and the profession in India is controlled by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

Placements/ prospects

The pharmaceutical industry employs personnel in research, quality control, production, packaging, distribution, marketing, etc, while managerial staff co-ordinate the work of the various departments. Sales (medical representatives) personnel handle the promotional and sales functions. Prominent employers include Lupin Laboratories, Nicholas Piramal, Ranbaxy, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Wockhardt, Sun Pharma, Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, Cadila Healthcare, etc.

Contract research - including both drug discovery research and clinical research - has been growing at a phenomenal rate. Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Astra Zeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline are among the prominent contract research organisations operating in India.

It is estimated that by 2010, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has the potential to achieve over Rs 1,00,000 crore in formulations and bulk drug production.

Institutions

Institute of Pharmaceutics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (www .bhu .ac .in)

Hamdard University (Jamia Hamdard Jamia Hamdard), New Delhi (www .jamiahamdard .edu)

Mumbai University Institute of Chemical Technology ,Mumbai (www .udct .org)

Bombay College of Pharmacy, Mumbai (www .bcpindia .org)

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi (www .bitmesra .ac .in)

Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani (www .bits -pilani .ac .in)

SNDT Women’s University, C U Shah College of Pharmacy, Mumbai (http:// sndtdigitaluniversity.ac)

K M Kundnani College of Pharmacy, Mumbai (www .kmkcp .com)

MET Institute of Pharmacy, Mumbai (www .met .edu)

NMIMS University, Mumbai (www .nmims .edu)

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali (www .niper .gov .in)
(Indicative listing)

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