Pharmacists are the trusted health resource for the whole family, goes a saying. The pharmaceutical sector holds an exciting and fast-moving career for those who have a desire to help people improve the quality of their health and possess an ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
Nowadays, pharmacy as a field has twin scope: as a service and as a product. A pharmacist can work in the service industry as well as in manufacturing and production, says Dr Rachna Kumaria, director of a pharmacy training institute.
Work opportunities
A pharmacist can be involved in the production of bulk drugs and intermediates or formulations and dosage forms. Cosmetics and toiletries manufacturing units for dental care industries also hire pharmacy professionals. Production also includes biotechnological products, medical devices and equipments, perfumery, nutraceuticals etc.
According to Dr Gopal Munjal, managing director, Ind-Swift Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the output of the Indian pharmaceutical industry is fourth in terms of volume and 13th in terms of value and around 8 per cent of the world’s drugs are manufactured in India. According to a McKinsey study, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is projected to grow to US $ 25 billion by 2010 and the domestic market will triple to US $ 20 billion by 2015 to become one of the leading sectors in the next decade.
The industrial research and development departments need many Ph.D and M.Pharma students. Discovering a new drug is of prime importance with the options of developing viable processes for manufacturing it and its formulation in dosage forms. There is also a wide scope in clinical research for clinical trials, bioequivalence studies and toxicological studies.
The most exciting and rewarding career in the pharmacy industry is in sales and marketing. A pharmacy graduate with the additional qualification of an MBA can become a professional sales representative or medical representative (MR), reaching up to the international level of marketing and exports.
In the service industry, a pharmacy student can join community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, public health service, the armed services etc. There is a huge demand of pharmacy professionals in the government sector as drug inspectors, health inspectors, research officers, drug therapists, chemical/ drug technicians etc.
Money matters
The starting salary varies from Rs 10,000 to 15,000 a month, depending upon the qualification. A management degree alongside is another brownie point. Those holding a doctoral degree can earn up to Rs 30,000 pm. The salary may go up, depending upon the experience.
A student from University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, says the pharma sector is a sunrise area with a plethora of opportunities coming up. The students who are on the threshold of selecting their careers can choose it and reap the benefits of being early entrants in this upcoming field.
Skill set
A good pharmacist should have an interest in medicine and a scientific bent of mind. Besides, an ability to work carefully and systematically is needed for working in labs and stores. Additional skills in merchandising, selling and financial management with good communication skills are boosters for management and marketing aspirants. A sympathetic attitude and pleasant personality are required for the service sector.
Training talk
There are more than 40 colleges offering various pharmacy courses in the region. Some of the training institutes are:
n The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, offers various postgraduate courses like M.S., M.Pharma and MBA with PhD in pharmacy, pharmaceutical technology and biotechnology.
The Pharmaceutical Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh, offers a four-year B.Pharma degree and two-year M.Pharma degree in various fields like pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacognosy and pharmacology.
n The Swift School of Pharmacy, Rajpura, offers four-year bachelor’s course. It claims to be the only college with industry back-up and promises 100 pc placement, including with the R&D units of the Ind-Swift group
Course clues
Today, pharmacy education, like the pharmaceutical industry, is also undergoing globalisation. Now, colleges are going in for international accreditation and certifications and also providing international standard facilities and infrastructure with upgraded course contents.
After plus two with a science background, a student can opt for D.Pharma (two-year Diploma in Pharmacy) or B.Pharma (four-year degree in Pharmacy). Diploma students can join the degree course directly in the second year. After a graduate degree, they can opt to do M.Pharma and can also go for postgraduate studies in biotechnology.
Placements
Those opting for D. Pharma. are employed in the industries and organisations at a lower level, and they also find vast avenues of employment in pharmacies and medical shops, for whom it is compulsory under law to employ a pharmacist. They can also start their own medical store.
Pharmacist with a bachelor’s degree can work as a MR or a medical detailing man and move up to become marketing managers. Degree holders can also be selected as drug inspectors or drug controllers. They can also choose the teaching line as lecturers for D.Pharma and B.Pharma colleges and after a minimum experience of five years in any institution approved by the AICTE, they are also eligible for the M.Pharma course.
Pharmacy postgraduates can choose to be lecturers in colleges or research assistants or research associates with some industry (source) |
