Promising pharmacy: Here are the details to build a promising career in pharmacy

NT Features

Just like the medical industry is the lifeline of healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry is the lifeline of the medical industry. Here, we will take a look at how young aspirants can build a promising career in the field of pharmacy.

While most people assume that by securing a course in pharmacy, the aspirant can only work as a chemist in shops, medical stores, or dispensaries, there is more to the career than just mere sales. There are several other exciting opportunities that a pharmacy degree will help venture into. Before we dive into the many career opportunities this field provides, let’s take a look at what makes a career in pharmacy so lucrative.

A pharmacist plays the role of a fundamental bond between doctors, medical attendants, and patients. They can function as network drug specialists in a clinical setting or drug store. Since medicine is a prerequisite to treat diseases and improve quality of life, a career in pharmacy is recession-proof. So, the individuals who decide to take up Community Pharmacy as their professional course never have to confront any shortage of occupation or downturn. Research is an important aspect of the medical industry and pharmaceutical business. The drug specialists or pharmacists are emphatically persuaded to examine new medications, formulation and process improvement, toxicological investigations, and development of clinical trials.

Pharmacists can also work in drug-regulatory bodies like CDSCO, FDA, etc which are administrative bodies that manage and oversee the implementation of the basic principles and guidelines for the drug and pharmaceutical industry. A pharmaceutical expert can join these regulatory bodies as a drug inspector, assistant/deputy drug controller, and many such roles.

Career options
The extent and scope of medical drugs today incorporates worldwide healthcare services, which has offered ascend to several careers options besides dispensing in a medical store, such as:

• Clinical research and development
• Medical drug quality control and analysis
• Medical drug production and manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical sales and marketing
• Pharmaceutical education
• Drug control and inspection under regulatory bodies like CDSCO, FDA, etc.

Work-life balance has become the prerequisite need one looks at before opting for a profession. Everybody wishes for a profession that allows them a better than average compensation along with the option of having a harmonious home life. Drug specialists can relish their adaptable working hours. Since drug specialists are required all day and night, it is feasible for them to look out for employment that suits their lifestyle. With everything cleaning planned out and put into perspective, a career in pharmacy is a promising option for those looking to be a part of the healthcare industry along with the privilege of having a work-life balance.

Available courses
The prerequisite to becoming a pharmacist is to complete higher secondary education with a subject combination of PCMB, i.e., physics, chemistry, mathematics, or biology.
The course options available for students after the 12th include:
• B Pharm (Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy)
• Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy)
• D Pharm (Diploma in Pharmacy)

The students can opt for further studies and choose a specialisation as per their interest in career opportunities.
The course options after graduation include:
• M Pharm (Master’s Degree in Pharmacy)

The specialisation options include pharmaceutics, industrial pharmacy, pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical biotechnology, regulatory a airs, quality assurance, etc.

Colleges offering courses
Institutes that teach pharmacy are situated all across India
• Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi
• Panjab University, Chandigarh
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali
• Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad
• Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal
• Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune