Whenever we see Pharmacy as a career option, most of us think that especially those who are no way connected to the Pharmacy field, starting a medical shop is the only option but let me tell you something, apart from medical shops there are lots of good options in the pharmacy field.
In this article, we will discuss why you should choose Pharmacy as a career and the other options in the pharmacy field apart from medical shops. Before that, we will see what does Pharmacy mean? We will also discuss the scope of Pharmacy in India and abroad.
What does Pharmacy mean?
- Pharmacy is the art and science of preparing drugs and medicines.
- Pharmacy is the clinical health science that links medical science with chemistry.
- It includes discovery, production, disposal, safe and effective use, and control of medicines and drugs.
In short, Pharmacy includes preparing, preserving, compounding and dispensing of medicines and drugs.
Scope of Pharmacy in India
In our previous article, we have discussed the scope and opportunities of Pharmacy in Abroad. Still, in this article, we will be more focussed on the scope of Pharmacy in India. To understand it better, let’s spilt the scope in Pharmacy into some categories.
There are lots of options available in the Pharmacy field:
- Government jobs.
- A career in pharmaceutical industries.
- Academics.
- Medical shop.
Scope of Pharmacy in the government sector
Here we will see what the possible options available in the government sector are. The first option which comes to mind is drug inspector.
So these are some possible options:
- Drug inspector
- Government analyst
- Pharmacist
Drug inspector
Drug inspector is the dream job of every pharma graduate. For becoming a drug inspector, you should have a degree in Pharmacy with minimum 18 months experience in manufacturing of at least one of the substances in Schedule ‘C’ to the Drug and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. In India, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PPS) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) conducts the drug inspectors’ recruitment examinations.
Government Analyst
Government Analyst is a person who does analyses or tests the samples of drugs and cosmetics sent to him by drug inspectors or other persons; this is also a good option in the government sector, but the person should have not less than three years post-graduate and experience in the analysis of drugs in a laboratory under the control of:
- a Government Analyst appointed under the Act, or
- a Chemical Examiner to Government, or
- the Head of an institution specially approved for the purpose by the appointing authority.
Government analysts are appointed by both the Central and state government.
Pharmacist
There are many government departments where you can work as a pharmacist, tt includes:
- Railway pharmacist.
- Pharmacist in Indian army.
- A pharmacist at the airport.
- Pharmacist in AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science).
- Pharmacist in Indian Navy.
- Pharmacist in BSF (Border Security Force)
- Pharmacist in Bank.
- Pharmacist in CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force)
- Pharmacist in Central Coalfields Limited.
- Pharmacist in IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)
- Hospital Pharmacist.
Scope in Pharmaceutical Industries
In Pharmaceutical Industries, there are several departments in which you can get better career opportunities.
There are lots of departments based on drug selection, development, Manufacturing, Approval, Marketing. Here I will mention a few of them. I am dividing it into two categories.
Core Pharmaceutical jobs, this includes:
- Manufacturing department
- Quality assurance and Quality control.
- Formulation department.
- Research and development.
- Regulatory and parenting department.
Non-core Pharmaceutical jobs, this includes:
- Sales and Marketing.
- Consulting.
- Human resource department.
According to the interest, one can select any department and can get better opportunities there.
Academics
You can work as a lecturer and Associate Professor in college, but for that, you have to go for higher education like master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. If teaching is your passion, then that’s a golden opportunity for you. If you are a girl, then academics are very beneficial to you.
Medical shop
You can start your medical shop. You can set up your own business like a wholesale business which is now in a trend in India and example of self-employment.
If you want to work as a pharmacist, you have to clear entrance exams of that particular country. It is essential to possess a specialized qualification in the area. If you want to work in Canada or the USA, you have to clear GRE for your master’s. For Australia, you have to qualify for the CAOP exam. It depends on which country you have to work. We’ve covered in detail on Scope for Indian Pharm.D Graduates in U.S, U.K and Australia.
Pharmacy is that kind of career which does not end at all. Day-to-day, the number of people requiring health care services is increasing, so this field is long term.
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