Careers for Freshers

Pharmacy

Ever wondered how that man at your local chemist can so easily decipher the prescriptions??? Pharmacy is an applied science dealing with the chemistry/ action of drugs and its preparation in medicines. It also includes the study of diseases and choice of treatments used to cure it.

• Job Profile
Unlike pharmacologists who practice pharmacology, pharmacists are people who have taken up pharmacy as a career. Even though both deal in drugs and medicine, there is a fine difference between the two. Pharmacology, on the other hand, is a pure and experimental science, which studies the action of drugs on living beings. The legal and ethical responsibilities are very strong in this field.

Pharmacists work in three distinct fields - general pharmacy, hospital pharmacy and industrial pharmacy.

Both, pharmacists as well as pharmacologists are employed in research laboratories and pharmaceutical industries. It is possible for a pharmacist to shift career from pharmacy to pharmacology.

Understanding the use and assignment of drugs and medicines is only one part of the job. They are involved in the preparation of drugs, stock-rotation and replenishment as and when necessary.

Providing information on prescription drugs, referring patients to appropriate across-the-counter drugs and referring medicines for minor ailments form part of a pharmacist's never-ending duties.

Hospital Pharmacists are quasi-doctors who deal with legal, professional and administrative requirements for the preparation, storage and supply of medicines.

In addition to dispensing medicines used in hospitals, pharmacists order medicines, check the quality and ensure security. They also have a say on the action of drugs and any problems occurring as a result of it. Hospital pharmacists also get to be a part of hospital research projects and impart knowledge to pharmacy students and other health service personnel.

There are opportunities to work in laboratories of pharmaceutical companies and allied establishments on the development of new, safe and effective drugs.

• Eligibility
A keen interest in science is imperative. Logical thinking, power of observation and sense of responsibility are other areas that need to be worked on.

Candidates need to have passed their Intermediate from a CBSE or its equivalent with an aggregate 50 per cent marks in science. You will also need to take an entrance examination to qualify in physics, chemistry, biology and english. Some institutes insist on mathematics as an additional subject.

• Institutes
One has the option of doing a diploma, a two-year course or four-year degree course in pharmacy. The following universities offer courses in B. Pharmacy and M. Pharmacy:

• Department of Pharmacy
Faculty of Science
University of Delhi
Delhi - 110 007

• Department of Pharmacy
University College in Science & Technology
Waltair-530 003

• Birla Institute of Technology
Mesar, Ranchi-835 215 (also Ph.D.)

• Department of Pharmacy,
Kasturba Medical College
Manipal - 576 119

• Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Dr. Harisingh Government Vishwavidyalaya Sagar (also Ph.D.)
Mumbai College of Pharmacy
Kalina, Mumbai - 400 098 (also Ph.D.)

• Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Nagpur University Campus
Nagpur-400 010 (also Ph.D.)

• Department of Pharmacy
Jadavpur University
Calcutta - 700 032 (also Ph.D.)

• The early years
It's not a cakewalk to become a pharmacist. The degree course (B. Pharmacy) takes four years to complete and another two years to obtain a Masters degree (M. Pharmacy).

Pharmacists and pharmacologists must work very accurately with painstaking attention to detail. Effective management skills are essential for supervising the work of technicians and assistants.

You can specialise in clinical pharmacology, which deals with the effects of drugs on the ill or toxicology that explores the effect of poisonous substances on living organisms. The best pharmacology graduates also get an opportunity to work as researchers.

• Prospects
Candidates can get employment with any drug manufacturing, distributing, retailing and dispensing units.

From hospitals to medical directorates, one can easily get hired for inspecting or analysing drugs in manufacturing units. Teaching and research (particularly indigenous medicine) opens a world of opportunities for future pharmacists.

Further training is possible in specialised research institutes such as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Candidates have the option of joining pharmaceutical industry for jobs in production, quality control, research and development, preparation of technical and medical information and marketing.

The entry of multinational companies in the field of pharmacy, scope for pharmacists and pharmacologists has increased manifold.

• Money
In this field, the pay depends on the organisation you work for. Generally, pharmaceutical companies recruiting qualified pharmacists pay anything between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000 a month. A few years in the profession and you could actually mint money. If you work for a reputed firm and have a few years experience, you could easily draw a five-figure salary.

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