Becoming a Pharmacist: From Education to Licensing and Career Growth

Pharmacy: The Heartbeat of Healthcare

Have you ever wondered how a single capsule or a tablet can heal such complex human problems? Over the years, the reliance on quick cures and less painful methods has significantly increased. The Indian pharmacy industry has become one of the most widely recognised industries during COVID-19. It contributed over 20% of the world’s generic drug exports and became the third-largest pharmaceutical market in volume. This industry is expected to reach 130 billion dollars by 2030. With all hopes high, this will be a booming sector offering multiple and diverse job opportunities.

Becoming a pharmacist would allow you to excel in the medical industry and get a better package. Moreover, becoming a pharmacist is ideal for those who prefer not to work in other medical fields. Let us now understand how to become pharmacists. What qualifications do you need, and what are the top recruiters you can target?

The Pharmacist Journey: Know the Profession  Breaking Down the Basics: A Pharmacy Primer A pharmacist is a medical professional who supplies medications based on prescriptions given by doctors or medical professionals to patients. A pharmacist also educates the consumer or patient on how to take the medicines.

Key Responsibilities  A pharmacist specialises in medicines. They know in detail the purpose different medicines serve. Additionally, they also dispense prescriptions issued by doctors. Working with medicines daily gives them a complete idea of what they are composed of, their side effects, and the standard over-the-counter drugs. You must have taken your prescription to a pharmacist, struggling to figure out what the doctor must have written. Still, pharmacists are so accustomed that they immediately identify what the prescription says! However, there are more responsibilities than just these; here is what they do:

• Dispensing medications to patients.

• Educating the patients about the medications and when to take them.

• Making them aware of any possible side effects the medicines may have.

• Ensure the drug supply chain is in place and refill medications out of stock.

• Working following the government rules and protocols.

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How to Become a Pharmacist: Step by Step

Now that you know the responsibilities of this job, let us understand how to become pharmacists.

1. The First Step: Complete your 10+2 The basic foundation is set when enrolling in an undergraduate pharmacy programme. The pre-requisite is to complete your 10+2 higher secondary education in the science stream (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) from a recognised institute.

Moreover, you can choose a different combination and take up mathematics. This largely depends on the requirements set by the institutions for their applicants.

2. Get your Degree To become a pharmacist, you are expected to earn a degree in either of the two:

• Diploma in Pharmacy- (DPharm)

• Bachelor of Pharmacy- (BPharm)

3. Pursuing Postgraduate Degrees For your post-graduation, you can complete your degree in the following:

Master of Pharmacy (MPharm)

Pursuing a BPharm degree would make you eligible for an MPharm degree. This master’s degree can help you perform well in research and development. It requires a specialist in any one area of pharmacy. There are multiple specialisations you can choose from:

• Pharmaceutics

• Pharmacology

• Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

• Pharmaceutical analysis

• Pharmacy Practice

• Industrial Pharmacy

• Pharmacognosy

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry

• Quality assurance

Also Read: Are Online MPharm Courses Valid in India? Get Insights

Doctor of Pharmacy (Post-Baccalaureate)

You become eligible for this course if you complete your BPharm degree from a recognised institute. Completing a postbaccalaureate can help you significantly enhance your professional skills. You could contribute much better at your workplace, too. This is a typically three-year course, and two years of academic training, along with one year of internship experience, is a part of this.

4. The Final Degree: Pursuing a PhD is optional. However, if you want to enhance your research skills or work in the research department, pursuing a PhD can be very useful! To secure this degree, you must complete your master’s in pharmacy.  There are entrance examinations held for different colleges, and once you pass their cut-offs and minimum eligibility criteria, you can be called for interviews or further admission rounds.

5. Get your License: After completing your education, the final step involves earning a license that can help you start working officially as a pharmacist. You must apply to your state’s pharmacy council to register and obtain a license. Every state may have different rules and eligibility criteria for you to pass. You must note that you can apply for only one state license at a time. For more details, visit the pharmacy council of your respective state.

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Top Recruiters to Aim For!

Here are the top recruiters in India who hire pharmacists.

Source: Ambition Box

*The salary range mentioned is subject to change. It depends on the educational qualifications, job roles, and responsibilities and may also vary depending on time.

Beyond Education: Skills to Develop

Here are the top skills pharmacists develop. Take a look to understand what it takes to be successful at the job:

1. Multitasking

   The job of a pharmacist can be hectic. If you plan to pursue your career in this field, you must learn to multitask. This involves entering information or data in the computer while also giving medicines to the patients and attending to their questions on:

   • How to use that particular medicine

   • Discussing the side-effects

   Patients may have many more such questions. Additionally, certain medications may only be available at a particular pharmacy, or there may be a shortage. In such circumstances, the job of a pharmacist becomes more challenging.

2. Integrity

   A pharmacist is mainly responsible for the patient’s consumption of medicine. Sometimes even more than the doctors. As a pharmacist, you must ensure that you don’t prescribe medications without a prescription from a doctor. Some medicines may have severe side effects, which may be life-threatening for the patients. In such cases, you can be expected to re-connect with the doctor to confirm before selling that medication.

3. Technical skills

   A lot of your work would be on the computer. You would be expected to keep a database of all the medications you sell. This helps you record what the patient or consumer is buying from you. You may not be expected to be proficient, but the basic skills can be beneficial in making your job easy.

4. Effective Communication

   You need to develop strong communication skills across all professions. In pharmacy, however, effective and clear communication is essential, as is the bridge between your consumer and the doctor who prescribed the medications. Therefore, on your part, the communication gap should be manageable.

5. Detail-oriented work

   As a pharmacist, you must follow the prescription carefully and ensure that the patient receives the prescribed medicine. Additionally, checking medications’ shelf life or expiration date becomes very important. This attention to detail is highly significant, as it may be life-threatening for a consumer or patient to consume medicine past its expiry date.

6. Be an Informed Pharmacist

   You must be equipped with a detailed understanding of the pharmaceutical industry. To excel at your job, you must be aware of the products you sell. The composition of a medicine is quite significant in understanding its intake, side effects, and dosage. Therefore, you must know these basic facts to guide the patient.

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Talking Numbers: Average Salary

Here are the top cities in India and the average salary figures offered to pharmacists. These may vary depending on the recruitment, qualifications and other factors. The average salary of a pharmacist on the national level is INR 1.3 LPA to INR 4.0 LPA.

• Bengaluru: 1.2 LPA to INR 4.4 LPA

• Mumbai: INR 0.6 LPA to INR 6.0 LPA

• Ahmedabad: INR 0.2 LPA to INR 3.6 LPA

• Delhi: INR 1.2 LPA to INR 4.2 LPA

• Hyderabad: INR 1.1 LPA to INR 4.2 LPA

Source: Ambition Box

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Top Colleges You Should Know

Here are the top colleges in India that offer pharmacy courses. The fee may differ and depend on the time of admission.

1. Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi

2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali

3. Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal

4. Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai

5. Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani

Conclusion

India’s pharmacy sector will be one of the most promising in offering lucrative job opportunities. You have a broad spectrum of jobs to choose from. This includes research and development and healthcare strategists, with opportunities only expanding in the future.  With over 10,000 manufacturing units and 2,000 WHO-compliant plants, the Indian pharmacy vector provides essential medicines worldwide and fuels growth in medical tourism. This also means that the scope transcends the domestic borders. This guide can help you understand how to become a pharmacist with the degrees you can pursue. You must also work and intern to gain enough experience to perform better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 What is DPharm?

DPharm, or Diploma in pharmacy, is a two-year diploma course. This requires you to pass your 10+2 in the science stream. A diploma in pharmacy can be called the most basic or minimum degree in pharmacy for you to start your drugstore.

Q.2 What is BPharm?

BPharm, or Bachelor of Pharmacy, is the second step in your journey in pharmacy. Typically, it is a four-year course and requires you to complete your 10+2 in the science stream. For these kinds of degrees, you are required to appear for entrance examinations set by different colleges.

Q.3 How many years does it take to become a pharmacist?

There are different degrees and different levels of degrees you can pursue. Each of them has a different time limit. Therefore, the duration depends on the degrees you choose. To become an entry-level pharmacist, complete a two-year diploma course after your 10+2. This is the minimum qualification for pursuing your career in pharmacy. As you go forward, you need to dedicate more time.

Q.4 Has the Pharmacy Industry grown during and post-COVID in India?

Yes, the Indian pharmacy industry experienced impressive growth during and after COVID-19. The market size reached a whopping 50 billion dollars in 2023! This was a natural result of the rise in the need for medications. Additionally, the healthcare sector boomed during COVID-19, making India the “Pharmacy of the World.”

Q.5 What are the most rewarding specialisations in Pharmacy?

Here are the top five specialisations in pharmacy:

• Clinical Pharmacy

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry

• Pharmacology

• Industrial Pharmacy

• Regulatory Affairs