Just as the medical industry is the lifeline of healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry is the lifeline of the medical industry. Hence career in pharmacy can be a lucrative career option for people interested in the healthcare industry. It caters to the preparation and dispensing of medicines that are required to treat a patient.
Eligibility
In order to pursue any pharmacy course after class 10 + 2, all aspirants of the course need to meet the following eligibility criteria for Pharmacy courses in India.
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Course Name
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B Pharm
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D Pharm
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Academic Requirement
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10+2 in Science Stream / D.Pharm Graduate
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10+2 in Science Stream
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Subject Requirement
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Physics, Chemistry and Biology
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Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics/Biology
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Minimum Aggregate Score Requirement
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50% and More
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40% and More
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Education Qualifications
Admission Process
Various entrance tests are conducted by different universities for admission into a pharmacy degree. Names of a few entrance tests are given below:
For Undergraduate Courses
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TS EAMCET
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AP EAMCET
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BCECE
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WBJEE
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Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Test (BHU UET)
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Maharashtra B.Pharm Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET)
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B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam Rohtak
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B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam Hissar
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Himachal Pradesh University Shimla B.Pharma Entrance Test
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B.Sc Pharma Common Entrance Exam, Kerala
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B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam Bareilly
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GGSIPU – B. Pharma Common Entrance Test (IPU CET)
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B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam in Punjab
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Rajasthan Pre Entrance Test for Pharmacy (RPETEAP)
For Post Graduate Courses
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Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT);
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Telangana State Post Graduate Engineering Common Entrance Test-TS PGECET
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West Bengal University of Technology Post Graduate Entrance Test-WBUT PGET and others
Courses Available
To pursue a career as a pharmacist in India, one may consider any of the following degrees are offered by various universities:
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B Pharm (Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy) (4 Years)
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Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy) (2 Years)
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D Pharm (Diploma in Pharmacy) (6 Years)
The students can opt for further studies and choose a specialisation as per their interest of career opportunities. Course options after graduation include:
The specialisation options include pharmaceutics, industrial pharmacy, pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical biotechnology, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, etc.
Top Colleges for Pursuing a degree in Pharmacy
The reputation of the college among recruiters and the quality of education provided plays a major role in the type of career opportunities available following a degree in pharmacy. The names of the top private and government colleges in India are given below:
Top Private Pharmacy Colleges In India
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Sr No
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Name Of The Colleges
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Average Annual Fees (In Rupees )
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1
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Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi
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1.45 lakhs
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2
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Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
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85 thousand
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3
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BITS Pilani, Rajasthan
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5.1 lakhs
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4
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Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Karnataka
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3.1 lakhs
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5
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JSS College of Pharmacy, Tamil Nadu
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1.4 lakhs
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6
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SRM College of Pharmacy, Tamil Nadu
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1.75 lakhs
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7
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Poona College of Pharmacy, Maharashtra
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1.02 lakhs
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8
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Nirma University, Gujarat
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2.1 lakhs
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9
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Banasthali Vidyapeeth, Rajasthan
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2.03 lakhs
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10
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Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, (Pharm) Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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1.11 lakhs
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Source: Click HERE
Top Government Pharmacy Colleges In India
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Sr. No.
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Name of the institution
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Average annual fees (in rupees)
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1
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Panjab University, Chandigarh
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15 K
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2
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Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu
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1.4 lakhs
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3
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Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat
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2 K
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4
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Bombay College of Pharmacy, Maharashtra
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41 K
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5
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Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Delhi NCR
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37 K
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6
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Dibrugarh University, Assam
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4 K
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7
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Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak
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25 K
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8
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College of Pharmaceutical Sciences-Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh
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3.2 lakhs
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9
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LM College of Pharmacy, Gujarat
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1.75 lakhs
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10
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Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology(GJUST) Haryana
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42 K
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Source: Click HERE
Top 10 Pharmacy Colleges In India Provided by National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF)
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Jamia Hamdard University
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Punjab University
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BITS Pilani
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National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali
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Institute of Chemical Technology
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National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Telangana
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JSS College of Pharmacy
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Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
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National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Gujarat
Important Skills For A Successful Career In Pharmacy
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Accuracy: As a pharmacist, accuracy in dispensing of medicines is very important. One of the most important aspects of a pharmacist’s job is to deal with medicines in product marketing and involvement in dispensing medicines. They are expected to deal with medicines in an expert manner without any errors and also with a swift approach.
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Communication Skills: Fluent communication skills are very important for the job of pharmacists jobs as communication is the key, and they are required to communicate with patients on a regular basis. It is important that they have a command of English and the local language of the region. A pharmacist, needs to communicate with the patients about the dosage of the medicine, when to take the medicine and how to take it- clarity and unambiguity are therefore of paramount importance.
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Proof Reading: The doctors sometimes miss out on the drug-to-drug interaction and prescribe medications so the pharmacist proofreads the prescriptions so they can inform the doctors regarding the issues and get the prescription changed as per the suitability of the patient.
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Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal skill is also an important skill for a pharmacist to deal with patients. Patients can be of different types and attitudes so only a pharmacist can deal with them and make sure they cooperate and take medications. Being a pharmacist, it is a struggle between the doctor and the patient. Therefore, a pharmacist needs to have a great sense of humour and diplomacy as their interpersonal skills
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Multitasking: A pharmacist should be able to multitask their job along with dispensing medicines. They need to check for the expiry dates of the medicine, restocking of medicines and they need to do other small to big tasks that are assigned to them
Duties Of A Pharmacist
The job profile of a pharmacist working in a dynamic work environment can be quite diverse in nature. In fact, there is a steady workload at all times and one has to be diligent in working in this field with a high degree of accountability. The typical duties of a pharmacist include:
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Dispensing medications as prescribed by doctors and other medical professionals in the institution
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Reviewing prescriptions to ensure accuracy and to evaluate their suitability for the patient
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Providing important information and recommendation about drugs, their side effects, correct dosage and proper storage
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Providing other health advice, such as guidance on stopping smoking
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Maintaining meticulous records such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, and registries of poisons, narcotics or controlled drugs
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Planning, implementing and maintaining procedures for mixing, packaging and labelling pharmaceuticals to ensure they meet legal requirements
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Assessing the identity, strength or purity of medications by working with other healthcare professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs
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Ordering and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, or drugs. Maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly
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Analysing prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions
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Advising patients on brands of medication, medical equipment or healthcare supplies.
Scope Of Career
The extent and scope of drugs today incorporate worldwide healthcare services, which has paved the way to several careers options besides dispensing medicines at a medical store such as:
Pharmacy technicians are responsible for the overall efficiency and safety of pharmacy operations. Their time is usually split between using their technical skills for prescriptions and providing customer service.
Drug therapists, also known as substance abuse counsellors, help people who misuse or are addicted to prescription or illegal drugs.
They provide pharmaceutical care services using approved protocols in collaboration with other health professionals. This includes managing drug therapy, providing patient education, and preparing and/or overseeing the preparation and dispensing of medications. The coordinator is also responsible for supervising and coordinating the activities of the Pharmacy staff to provide pharmaceutical services in assigned areas.
Pharmaceutical biotechnology is a relatively new and growing field in which the principles of biotechnology are applied to the development of drugs.
Drug Inspector is a profession in the field of pharmacy that monitors the safety, quality and usefulness of medicines from the production stage to the selling stage.
A health inspector is a professional employed in various industries to oversee standard health and sanitation conditions. Health inspectors' jobs are to visit various food facilities, and public health nuisances to inspect that standard safety measures regularised by state government authority.
Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who specialize in the right way to use, store, preserve, and provide medicine
A Research officer or associate conducts research to ensure the products are safe by managing clinical trials
They oversee the development of new drugs, processes, systems and formulations. They offer technical assistance to the team.
All pharmaceutical companies require highly trained pharmacists for marketing and sell their products.
Salary And Remuneration
The average salary in pharmacy in India depends on various factors such as qualifications, area of specialisation, place of employment, skills and training received and much more. Like other industries, the more on-field experience a graduate of pharmacy gains, the better the job profile and pay scale of that candidate.
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Job Opportunity
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Average Salary Per Annum (INR)
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Drug Technician
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3.1 Lakhs
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Drug Therapist
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5.1 Lakhs
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Hospital Drug Coordinator
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4.1 Lakhs
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Drug Inspector
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4.9 Lakhs
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Health Inspector
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2.7 Lakhs
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Pharmacist
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2.8 Lakhs
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Research Officer
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6.8 Lakhs
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Source: Click HERE
Reputed Recruiters In The Field Of Pharmacy
The pharmaceutical industry has seen massive growth over the past decade, where different pharmaceutical companies have been able to produce top-quality medicines and drugs for medicinal purposes. Here are some of the top recruiters in the field of pharmacy.
The chance to ensure the well-being of people ensures the gratification that very few careers offer and perform an important service to the community. A career in pharmacy is perfect for candidates who find it easy to communicate with others. Blood and surgeries are not something that everyone can handle and a career in Pharmacy is devoid of that. Even so, a pharmacist can be the hero by ensuring proper medication is prescribed or by creating a new medicine that might save someone’s life.
Medbots.in wishes you all the best!
