Pharmacy
This is one of most important career, very important in current situation as we are seeing many diseases affecting human lives badly. Pharmacists play different roles in the pharmaceutical industry.
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Courses:
BPharm, PharmD and DPharm are standard courses at the bachelor’s level in India
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Elegibility:
Physics, Biology and Chemistry are needed in Class XI-XII to pursue a degree in Pharmacy
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How to study Pharmacy
You can opt for three courses to get a degree in Pharmacy. They are:
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BPharm (Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy)
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PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy)
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DPharm (Diploma in Pharmacy)
You can opt for any of these courses after passing your Class XII board exams with at least 55% aggregate and with Physics, Biology and Chemistry as compulsory subjects in Class XI–XII.
You can also go for higher studies with a MPharm course after completing the BPharm course and choose a specialisation based on your career interests after graduation.
If you are pursuing a DPharm degree, you can enrol in a PharmD course after obtaining your diploma. After completion of a PharmD or MPharm course, you can opt for a PhD degree.
Pharmacy entrance exams
Undergraduate entrance exams:
WBJEE: The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEEB) is the state-level joint entrance test for Engineering and Pharmacy courses in Bengal. It is conducted by the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEEB).
GUJCET: The Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) is a state-level entrance exam for admission to various pharmaceutical colleges in Gujarat. This exam is held by the Directorate of Technical Education.
UPSEE: The Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination is a test for gaining admission to colleges in Uttar Pradesh. It is conducted by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University.
Other states also conduct their own entrance exams for students willing to study Pharmacy in those states after their Class XII board exams.
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What will you do with a Pharmacy degree
Other than working in hospitals and communities, pharmacists play different roles in the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory bodies and academia.
Here are some of the roles for a pharmacist:
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Hospital pharmacist: Every hospital has a pharmacy and pharmacists are required to run that drug store smoothly.
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Community pharmacist: These professionals help community members to access the medicine they need.
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Clinical research associate: These pharmacists are part of drug discovery teams. They usually work in areas of formulation and process improvement and clinical trials.
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Pharmaceutical educator: They play an important role in academia by teaching students about different aspects of Pharmacy through theory and practical classes.
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Drug safety associate: They are in charge of overseeing the safety of pharmaceutical drugs. Their main job is to assess and prevent adverse reactions in patients.
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Formulation development associate: They are in charge of the development of new drugs, processes, systems and formulations. They offer technical assistance to the team.
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Pharmaceutical sales/marketing executive: All pharmaceutical companies require highly trained pharmacists for marketing and selling their products.
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Pharmaceutical expert: They work for regulatory bodies like CDScO and FDA as a drug inspector, assistant/deputy drug controller or state/central drug controller.
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