OPPORTUNITIES IN PHARMACY PROFESSION : AN INFORMATIVE REVIEW

“Some Say, Pharmacy is a field.

Some say Pharmacy is a carrier.

 Some say Pharmacy is science.
But we say, ‘Pharmacy is the world of medicine.

Today’s the pharmacy profession has aimed to attract the young talent all over the world. Pharmacy is a versatile, developing, and increasingly diverse profession, because there are so many opportunities. Pharmacy profession evolved as an integrative and multifaceted field in modern times. It has attained independent status as pharmaceutical sciences encompassing all the stages in product development of a drug, from its discovery, identification, purity, development, action, safety, formulation, application, quality control, packaging, storage, marketing, stability studies etc. Thus, today’s pharmaceutical professional is a drug expert in a true sense.

Scope for Pharmacy Graduates

Graduate pharmacists have opportunities in the field of production, marketing, regulatory affairs as well as academia. Government and Private sectors are open to excellent job opportunities and pay a different kind of packages.

Production and manufacturing

A pharmacy graduate can work as a production chemist, manufacturing chemist, officer, executive, manager, etc. involved in the production of dosage form and policies, research in different areas. Pharmacy professionals also have opportunities in the field of production & manufacturing of ayurvedic preparations, allopathic dosage forms, veterinary products and cosmetics.

Formulation development

It is also an exciting function for M. Pharmacy graduates with pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry specialisation. Identify new or more effective formulation (combinations of active drugs and other ingredients) is as important as finding a new drug molecule.

Quality control and quality assurance

Excellent quality and purity of drugs /dosage forms are required for human use. Identification and characterization of these are required in production, storage and during the handling of the finished product. Quality control and quality assurance have assumed enormous importance in view of current GMP regulations.

Drug Regulatory Affairs

Drug Control Administration is the main regulatory body governing and implementing the rules and regulations for the pharmaceutical industry. The job opportunities for Pharmacy graduates are excellent but challenging in this field. In the current scenario pharmacy graduates and postgraduates are in high demand for patent filing and global expansion of drug manufacturing activities.

 Research and development

After Graduation, a student can opt for M Pharm and PhD courses. Personnel with adequate experience in research are in great demand in the various areas of Pharmacy like  Novel Drug delivery system, Quality Control, New Drug Discovery Research, Designing of Dosage Form, Process Development (P & D), Contract Research Formulation and Development, Biological Products, Clinical Trials and Bioequivalence

Hospital Pharmacy

A Registered Pharmacist can work in hospitals or drug stores. Retail Pharmacy in U.S.A. and Canada is a highly demanded opportunity. This facility is set in many hospitals in the country. This is a key position and the pharmacist plays an important role in dispensing /compounding the prescription, maintaining patient’s medical history and all patient profile.

 Community Pharmacy

The Pharmacist plays a vital link between production, patient, physicians and other health care professionals.

Academics

After 5th pay scale and AICTE rules and regulation, most of Post Graduate candidates are choosing the academic field as the profession because of job satisfaction, facility for higher education and research, social status and comfort. Promotion scheme in academia is well defined by the regulatory bodies with a definite service length i.e., Lecturer, Sr. Lecturer, Reader, Associate Professor, Professor, Principal/ Director.

 Marketing

Marketing is one of the challenging jobs in the field of Pharmacy because it is different as compared to other business. The Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing is a highly technical field and offers excellent opportunities for the pharmacy graduates. MBA degree after B. Pharm. enhances job opportunities.

Government jobs

The Central and State Governments are empowered to appoint Drug Inspectors, Drug controller, Government analyst and scientist in CSIR & ICMR. They all are deemed to be public servants and officially subordinate to Licensing Authority.

Opportunities Abroad

In the field of Pharmacy, India is one the countries producing many Pharmacy Graduates. Many countries have demand for qualified Pharmacy professionals including U.S.A., Canada, European Countries like U.K., France, Germany, African Countries like S. Africa, Nigeria, Yemen, Gulf Countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, South East Asian Countries like Singapore, Korea, Japan, etc. and the Australian continent including New Zealand. A registered pharmacist commands very high salary and repute in developed countries including USA and UK.

 Higher studies

There are many opportunities in higher education M.Pharm in various branches are sanctioned by AICTE in those institutes, which have prescribed facilities for the same. Branches of Master in Pharmacy – Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Quality Assurance, Drug Regulatory Affairs, Biotechnology etc.

Other responsibilities of Pharmacists:

• Patient counselling regarding the use of the drugs and dosage forms, storage condition, etc.
• Providing detailed drug and product, storage and handling information.
• Detail history of patient and genetic problems
• Maintaining patient records
• Providing self-diagnostic kits for the highly sensitive patient for disorders like diabetes, hypertension etc.