If the idea of working on a drug that cures a life-threatening disease motivates you, then a degree in pharmacy is just for you. After all, a pharmacy practitioner is responsible for testing drugs in the lab, studying its dosage, and setting prescription guidelines before suggesting the drug to the doctor.
But then again, that’s the end goal. Before venturing into a career in Pharmacy, the minds of the aspirants are riddled with various questions, which often their peers can’t appropriately answer. Thus, they have to research on their own and look out for sources like the internet and college brochures for the answers.
Keeping that in mind, here’s a list of the 5 most frequently asked questions about pharmacy which you should read before joining one of the best pharmacy colleges in Bangalore.
1. Which courses are offered in Pharmacy?
At an undergraduate level, you can pursue either a Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) or Bachelors in Pharmacy (B.Pharm). Let’s take a look at both these courses.
D. Pharm - Diploma in Pharmacy is a 2-year full-time Diploma course designed for candidates to work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist in hospitals, community pharmacies, and other related pharmaceutical fields.
B. Pharm - Bachelor of Pharmacy is a 4-year undergraduate program in which students learn about preparing drugs and medicines for a number of illnesses and deficiencies.
2. What are the eligibility criteria?
Students applying for B.Pharm and D.pharm should secure at least 50% in their 10 +2 exams with physics, chemistry and mathematics or biology.
D.pharm students after graduating can also apply for B.pharm.
3. What do the courses consist of?
D.Pharm will teach you about Pharmaceutics and its uses, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy (the study of plants), Biochemistry, Human Anatomy, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence, Drugs store and their business management and much more.
On the other hand, B.Pharm will teach you all the above subjects and various others like Instrumental Methods of Analysis, Quality Assurance, Herbal Drug Technology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals, and much more.
4. What are the various job profiles for a pharmacy graduate?
Pharmacy graduates can avail jobs of various profiles like:
● Pharmacist
● Pharmacologist
● Clinical Trial Researcher
● Analytical Chemist
● Drug Therapist
● Food and Drug Inspector
5. How are the placements?
The average entry-level salary can range from Rs 2-4 L per annum. But by accumulating enough experience, your salary can rise up to Rs 13 L per annum.
Some of the top Indian companies are Lupin, Cipla, Piramal, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Serum Institute of India Ltd, and Biocon.
By now, you know the answers to the most frequently asked questions. However, to be successful in this field, it's important that you join one of the best pharmacy colleges in India to learn about this field in detail.
A career in pharmacy is not only rewarding in the long term but also gives a lot of self-satisfaction. The prospect of your drug giving a new lease of life to a patient will give you joy and make you proud at the same time.