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A pharmacist is a medical practitioner who is in charge of providing medicines to patients who come to buy them. In order to become a Pharmacist one must complete their Undegraduate degree in Science and Chemistry or Pharmacy courses. Pharmacists are responsible for the manufacture of medicines and checking whether the prescribed medicines are suitable for the patient if so in what form the patient has to take them.
The role of a Pharmacist is not just limited to hospitals and medical but their job entails a high level of responsibility and knowledge. They have the expertise and willingness to assist people and provide them with information and other medications. The responsibility of a Pharmacist is to provide medical assistance to others, they also keep records of patients and review their activities to provide appropriate medicines and other medical services such as injections, blood pressure/ temperature measurements etc. Read More: B Pharmacy Jobs
In order to become a Pharmacist, students can pursue Undergraduate and Postgraduate Pharmacy Courses from any of the top Pharmacy Colleges across the country. Enrollment to these colleges are done on the basis of Pharmacy Entrance Exams such as NEET, JIPMER, PGIMER etc. Post completing the required Pharmacist Qualifications, students can get placed across top Pharmaceutical companies with an average salary of INR 3 – 5.50 LPA. However with gradual experience and exposure one can expect the average salary of a Pharmacist to go as much as upto INR 6.33 LPA. Read More: Salary of a Pharmacist
Table of Contents
4.2 Experience Wise
Jobs of a Pharmacist
Pharmacist in hospitals and other organizations are responsible for different purposes, they are assigned several roles and responsibilities and they are given duties. The major duties of a pharmacist include the below responsibilities:
- Pharmacists are in charge of consulting the physician to report patients' improvements.
- Pharmacists provide medicines to patients and advise on the dosage and how to take them.
- Pharmacists are responsible for getting patients mentally ready for the treatment in various situations.
- Pharmacists maintain patient records and their improvements.
- Pharmacists are also responsible for ensuring the medicines which are available and are safe to use or not.
Also Check: Best Pharmacy Colleges in India
How to Become a Pharmacist
An individual who is willing to develop a career as a Pharmacist must follow various steps.
- Candidates must have completed their 10+2 in Science stream from a recognized Board
- Then they should start preparing for the entrance exams such as BITSAT, GPAT, UPTU, TSECET to pursue bachelor's degree in the relevant field.
- One can pursue various courses offered in this field with different specializations.
- To gain practical knowledge and experience they can work in various pharmaceutical industries or medical, also they can go for internships.
- Finally post completing graduation, candidates are eligible to apply for a desirable job as a Pharmacist in various organizations.
Pharmacist Job Areas
There are various job opportunities for pharmacy students in India. The demand for the professionals in this field is rising day by day. After completing the course to become a Pharmacist one can easily find lucraxtive and highly paid jobs for them in public and private organizations. Pharmacist can work in any Government or private sector in various roles such as:
| Government Hospital Pharmacist | Private Hospital Pharmacist |
| E-commerce pharmacist | Marketing for Pharmaceuticals |
| Retail store Pharmacist | Teach at university or Colleges |
| Pharmaceutical production associate |
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All the job roles above offer incredible growth in one's career with mostly highest paying salaries depending on the field one is working in the certain role. Also one can still opt for job roles abroad if possible, as the medical sector there offers much better opportunities to enhance your career. Check: B Pharmacy Jobs in Indian Army
Pharmacist Salary in India
The salary of Pharmacists in India varies depending on several factors. It varies depending on the type of organizations, work experience, specializations, and sometimes also based on gender difference. According to Payscale the average annual salary of a Pharmacist in India is around 2,56,200 and can grow upto INR 70,00,000 per annum with experience and expertise. Some of the difference in Salary according to various aspects is mentioned below:
Specializations Wise Salary
| Specialization | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Biotechnology Research Scientist | INR 50,00,00 |
| Drug Regulatory Affairs | INR 8,00,000 |
| Pharmaceutical Financial Analyst | INR 20,00,000 |
| Pharmaceutical Field Sales Representative | |
| Research Scientist | INR 70,00,000 |
Experience Wise Salary
| Experience Level | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (< 5 years of experience) | INR 3,00,000 |
| Mid-level (5 – 10 years of experience) | INR 5,00,000 |
| Experienced (10 – 15 years of experience) | INR 13,00,000 |
| Specialist (15 – 20 years of experience) | INR 15,00,000 |
Organizations Wise Salary
| Organization Name | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Government sector | INR 2,50,000 |
| Private sector | INR 5,50,000 |
Skills Required to be a Pharmacist
Some of the important skills required to become a pharmacist are given below:
| Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills | Observing the details and paying much attention to little things |
| Much patience and concentration while treating patients | Strong skills in science and mathematics |
| Multitasking and managing work | Counseling patients |
| Strong grip on the subject | Strong Memory |
Pharmacist Top Recruiting Companies
There are many national and international companies that offer high profile and lucrative jobs to Pharmacists. Some of the top recruiters of a Pharmacist are as follows:
| AbbVi | Johnson & Johnson |
| Cipla | Glen mark |
| Kaiser Permanente | Roche |
| GlaxoSmithKline | Takeda |
| Sun pharma | Lupin |
| Biocon | Mankind Pharma |
| Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding | Sanofi |
| Merck & Co | Novartis |
Also Read: Career as A Pharmacist
Role of a Pharmacist: FAQs
Ques. Who is a practicing pharmacist?
Ans. A practicing pharmacist is a person who works alongside other health care professionals such as a doctor, nurses, physicians, and others for the outcome of the patient's treatment.
Ques. What does a pharmacy practice mean?
Ans. Pharmacy Practice means the application of skills and ideology to gain unique knowledge for the benefit of people's health under and provide proper medication and reviewing the dosage.
Ques. Are there any diploma courses and what are the diploma courses available for completing pharmacy?
Ans. Yes, there are many diploma courses available in pharmacy such as:
- Diploma in Pharmacy
- Diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy,
- Diploma in Veterinary Pharmacy,
- Diploma in Pharmacy Management, etc.
Ques. What is the duration of the Diploma in pharmacy program?
Ans. The duration of pharmacy diploma courses is 2 years.
Ques. What are the PG Diploma courses available in pharmacy?
Ans. There are many Post Graduation Diploma courses available such as
- PG Diploma in Herbal Products,
- PG Diploma in Pharmacovigilance
- PG Diploma in Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
- PG Diploma in Pharmacy Quality Assurance,
- PG Diploma in Pharmacy Management,
- PG Diploma in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs,
- PG Diploma in Principles of Chemical Pharmacology,
- PG Diploma in Technical and analytical Pharmacy, etc.
Ques. What is the duration of Post Graduate Diploma Pharmacy courses?
Ans. The duration of the PG diploma courses lasts from 1 to 3 years depending on the course plan and the institute you have opted for admission to. So, do check the university website for information on donation and academic outline.
Ques. What are Undergraduate Pharmacy courses available?
Ans. The list of Undergraduate pharmacy courses available:
- Bachelor of Pharmacy
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in Honors
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in ayurvedic
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmacology
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmacognosy
- Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutics
Ques. What is the duration of Postgraduate pharmacy courses?
Ans. The duration of Postgraduate pharmacy courses is 2 years.
Ques. What is the duration of UG pharmacy courses?
Ans. The duration of UG pharmacy courses is 4 years.
Ques. What are Postgraduate Pharmacy courses available?
Ans. There are almost 40+ postgraduate pharmacy courses available with various specializations such as :
- Master of Pharmacy.
- Master of Pharmacy in Ayurvedic.
- Master of Pharmacy in BioPharmaceutics.
- Master of Pharmacy in BioTechnology.
- Master of Pharmacy in Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics.
- Master of Pharmacy in Clinical Research.
- Master of Pharmacy in Clinical Practice and Research.
- Master of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Chemistry.
- Master of Pharmacy in Pharmacology.
- Master of Pharmacy in Pharmacognosy, etc.
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