Hi Friends,
Check out my article publication in
Parsi Times Newspaper dated 21st September 2013, on Career
in Pharmacy.
Article Title: Career in Pharmacy
Article Date: 21st September, 2013
Article on: Parsi Times
Newspaper
Article Author: Farzad Minoo
Damania
You can read the entire transcript of the article below:
Pharmacy
is an amalgamation of medical sciences and chemical sciences. Traditionally,
pharmacist is responsible for dispensing medicines and drugs prescribed by
doctors and medical practitioners to patients. Pharmacist also provides
information to patients about their medications and their use. But, the scope
of pharmacists is much more than selling medicines. Pharmacists have started
getting career opportunities beyond the traditional community and hospital
pharmacy jobs. Fields of pharmaceutical and clinical research are becoming more
popular, lucrative and challenging career options in the field of pharmacy. So
let us look at career in pharmacy in detail:
Courses and Specializations:
Students
who have completed 12th with Physics, Chemistry, Biology / Mathematics (PCB / PCM)
can take admission to 4-year Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) degree. This can be
followed by a 2-year post gradation course in Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm). At the M.Pharm level, you can specialize in
Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Biochemistry,
Pharmaceutical Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Pharmacology. Another option
that is becoming popular is the 6-year integrated Pharma-D course (equivalent
to B.Pharm + M.Pharm) which can be pursued after 12th Science (PCB/PCM). Remember,
to get admission to all these courses, you have to give the entrance exams
mostly conducted at the state level.
Colleges and Fees:
In
comparison to other medical and paramedical courses, pharmacy is not as
expensive. Per annum course fees could range from around Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 1
lakh depending on the institute. Note of caution, while taking admission into
pharmacy courses; please verify if the course provided by the college is
approved by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). Some of the good colleges for
pharmacy are: NIPER – Mohali, Bombay College of Pharmacy –Mumbai, JSS College
of Pharmacy – Ooty, Pharmacy Group – BITS Pilani, Manipal College of Pharmacy –
Manipal, DIPSAR – Delhi, and Jamia Hamdard – New Delhi.
Job Prospects:
After
obtaining your B.Pharm degree, you need to register as a pharmacist with the
state Pharmacy Council, following which you can work as hospital pharmacist or
community pharmacist in private or public sector. You may set up your own pharmacy or druggist store.
Other than being a pharmacist, there are several other opportunities to
explore. M.Pharm and Ph.D. holders can get into clinical research, develop new
drugs, perform qualitative analysis, and monitor the conduct of clinical
trials. You can work in government departments such as the Food and Drug
Administration, Health and Welfare Department, Department of National Defense,
Indian Railways and Provincial Research Councils. Pharmaceutical companies and
contract research firms hire regulatory managers, quality control managers and
inspectors. You could also work as a
lecturer or professor in pharmacy colleges and universities. You may also look
at jobs in sales- marketing and medical representation of pharmaceutical
products. Medical transcription is also a career path that you can opt for.
Personality Traits:
You
should possess a scientific aptitude with a liking for life science and
medicine. Good interpersonal skills, active listening skills and counselling
skills are also important to succeed in this field. Other skills necessary are
attention to detail, a good memory of various products, patience to deal with
rude customers, sense of responsibility and analytical skills. If you want to
start your own pharmacy store, then leadership skills and business acumen are
also important. To be successful as a medical representative, strong
communication skills and convincing attitude are required.
Salary Remuneration:
Pharmacy
professionals in the private sector can start with salary of around Rs. 12,000
to Rs. 25,000 per month. Those who get
into research and development can earn around Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000. Medical
representatives work on a lower base salary but get additional incentives as
per sales targets achieved by them. With experience, you can rise in these
professions or can also start your own venture.
For all your career queries, reach out
to me on farzad.damania@gmail.com or 9833971773.
Your feedback is highly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Farzad Minoo Damania
Career Counsellor, Psychotherapist
& Corporate Trainer
Founder - Career Nurturer
Email: farzad.damania@gmail.com
Mob: 9833971773
Career Nurturer: Career Counselling, Career
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