Pharm D Course - Doctor of Pharmacy

Pharm D Course is a professional doctoral degree conferred for Pharmacy subjects focusing on clinical practice rather than research. The full form of the Pharm D course is a Doctorate in Pharmacy. The duration of the course is 6 years. Pharm D course students are trained in clinical pharmacy and they play a critical role in patient management. Furthermore, it prepares students for positions at healthcare institutions and pharmacies.

Pharm D course eligibility requires that a student must have passed Class 12 with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks. Also, they must have chosen the Science stream with PCB/M subjects. Some institutions consider entrance scores, and others accept Class 12 scores for admission to the Pharm D courses. Candidates can appear for popular entrance exams like KCET, NEET,  TS EAMCET, GPAT, AP PGECET, AP EAMCET, etc., for admissions. Some of the top institutes for this course Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Parul University, SRIHER, Andhra University, etc are some of the popular institutions. The Pharm D course fees range anywhere between INR 2.3 Lakh and INR 9.6 Lakh.

The Pharm D syllabus includes important subjects like Human Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry, Community Medicine, and Hospital Pharmacy. There are several career options available after completing Pharm D: Drug Experts, Pharmacists in Hospitals, Hospital Pharmacy Directors, Clinical Pharmacists, Retail Pharmacists, etc. The average salary that a Pharm D graduate earns ranges between INR 2.30 LPA and INR 10 LPA.

Interested students can read further to learn more about the details of the Pharm D course.

The course highlights of the Pharm D Course are given below.

Here are some of the main reasons why you should enrol in the Pharm D course:

• Community Service: Pharm D graduates play a vital role in the community by contributing to the well-being of patients.
• Multiple employment options: Pharmacists can work in many areas such as businesses, nursing homes, hospitals, colleges, and the medical field.
• Consistent Work: They work as part of healthcare teams and collaborate with other experts to ensure that care is provided consistently.
• Growth: The pharmacy industry is growing at an increasing pace these days. According to a survey in 2021 by IBEF, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 10% to reach a size of US$ 130 billion by 2030.
• Flexibility: Work hours are flexible, which helps to balance work and personal life. There are day shifts, night shifts, seven-on-seven-off shifts, and so on. You can work one of the shifts that are most convenient for you.
• Autonomy: Work provides autonomy because you can choose your workplace and working hours. You can work for someone else or create your own company.

Pharm D admissions are conducted based on the general qualifying eligibility criteria and the individual admission criteria of colleges and universities. Admissions are mostly conducted through entrance examinations,  followed by a round of counselling process. While the majority of the renowned colleges offer Pharm D admissions through written exam qualifications, some particular institutions offer admission based on a merit list. This merit list, therefore, is a result of the shortlisted candidates based on their 10+2 scores. Thus, the steps to apply for the Pharm D course admission process in India are listed below:

Pharm D Course Admission by Entrance Exam 

• First, candidates must choose their desired list of colleges and keep tracking their current events to be at par.
• Candidates must register themselves and create their User ID and Password for login access. All candidates will be forwarded the User ID and Password to their registered Email ID or phone number. 
• Next, candidates are required to fill out the application form and upload the scanned photograph and signature of the candidate.
• Now, all candidates must pay the requisite amount online to confirm their application form. 
• It is important to note that candidates are required to upload the prescribed document for the payment gateway. 
• Finally, all candidates are advised to download the application form with the transaction ID printed on the same.

Pharm D Course Admission by Merit-Based Selection 

• Candidates are required to fill out the application form from the official website and upload all the necessary documents. 
• They must have secured the desired percentage of marks in their 10+2 in order to be eligible for admission to Pharm D.
• All candidates must remember that the respective merit lists for colleges are released by the concerned authorities at the specified date and time. 
• Check the merit lists to verify if one is eligible for Pharm D admissions. Visit the college and submit the necessary documents.

Doctor of Pharmacy is primarily of two types: Pharm D (6 years) and Pharm D Lateral Entry (3 Years). The eligibility criteria in both cases are very similar. Mentioned below is a detailed description of Pharm D eligibility criteria. 

Skills Required for Pharm D Course

For a clearer understanding of the subject matter and to become a successful professional in the field, it is important for students enrolled on a Pharm D course to acquire a set of important required skills. These skills ensure a successful and stable career prospect, enhancing good performance, and a wider spectrum of gaining knowledge. Thus, all candidates must remember to enhance these set of required skills while pursuing a Pharm D course, to aim for a greater prospect. 

The most important Pharm D required skills are mentioned below:

Candidates need to pass the Pharm D course entrance exams in Indiaas part of the admission process. Several entrance exams are conducted for this purpose. These are conducted both at the state and national levels. Popular entrance exams are

Students participating in the Pharm D course must finish the Indian Pharmacy Council's regular curriculum. A Ph.D. in Pharmacy, on the other hand, allows individuals to specialise in a variety of areas based on their interests and inclinations. Some of the popular specialisations are as follows

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Pathology
• Pharmaceutical R&D
• Medicine in general
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Industrial pharmacies
• Radiology
• Microbiology

The Pharm D subject list gives students a thorough understanding of pharmacological science and its varied applications. The Pharm D subjects focus on fundamental areas throughout the five-year academic programme, which includes a one-year internship. To make the Pharm D course more flexible, students study the disciplines in the Pharm D degree over a 10-semester period.

The Pharm D course curriculum is highlighted in the following section. The Pharm D subjects semester wise is listed below:

Reference books allow us to study topics and concepts in-depth. Hence, it is crucial to choose the right set of Pharm D course books PDF. Here are the best books that assist aspirants while pursuing the PharmD course.

 While Pharm D is a doctoral program, B Pharma is an undergraduate course program that primarily focuses on the technical and scientific aspects of the pharmaceutical industry. Pharm D, however, provides an essence of clinical studies by preparing students to work as clinical pharmacists directly engaging with patients, medicating therapies, and contributing to the larger medical care teams. So, a Pharm D course after B Pharm is possible.

A course comparison between Pharm D and B Pharma has been mentioned below for better insight:

With the growing popularity of Pharmacy courses, the scope for the profession of a Pharmacist has significantly increased in the recent years. Pharmaceutical sciences encompass a wide range of medical, pharmaceutical, scientific, and educational topics. Due to the expanding scope of pharmacy, the need for pharmacists has risen considerably in India.

India offers three types of pharmacy courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students can choose between a Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm course) and a Doctorate of Pharmacy (Pharm D courses) at the undergraduate or doctorate level. Also, a master's degree in pharmacy is accessible at the postgraduate level (M Pharm).

Here is the difference between D Pharma and Doctorate of Pharmacy (Pharm D courses) tabulated below:

While Pharm D and MBBS course both provide an extensive knowledge of the field of medicine, their individual roles in the industry are varied and divided by a few parameters. A course comparison between Pharm D and MBBS has been mentioned below for better insight:

A detailed comparison between Pharm D and BDS Course has been mentioned below for reference:

All interested individuals who wish to serve in the healthcare industry, however, don't want a complicated course of study, should opt for a Pharm D course. While the course duration of the standard Pharm D is 6-years, there is another type of Pharm D course which is a 3-year long doctoral programme. Let's take a look at the two types of Pharm D courses, namely, Pharm D in Pharmacy (Pre-Baccalaureate) & Pharm D in Pharmacy (Post Baccalaureate):

Pharm D course fee varies depending on the college or school. The Pharm D fees typically range from INR 1 LPA to INR 10 LPA. Candidates who fit into one of the reserved category groups or quotas are also given a stipend by each Pharm D college/university. Some reputed universities provide grants in Pharm D course fees to reserved category students.

Mentioned below are some of the average annual fee structures for different Government and Private colleges, for students to take reference from:

In India, there are approximately 250 Pharm D colleges. Some of the best Pharm D colleges and institutions have been tabulated below.

The following is a list of the Top Pharm D colleges in India  along with their average annual fees (INR)

Some of the top Pharm D Government colleges in India are mentioned below:

Top Pharm D colleges in India private and public have been mentioned below in detail for students’ reference, along with their average course fee: 

Every state and city has the same entrance criteria for Pharm D admission. Mainly, Pharm D admission is decided using both the merit list and the entrance examination.

In the merit list Pharm D admission process, colleges and universities evaluate applicants' qualifying exam results as a crucial factor. Several Pharm D colleges, universities and institutes, however, require candidates to take an admission exam in order to be enrolled in a Pharm D degree programme. The results of the students' entrance tests are used to determine admission.

Pharm.D colleges in Bangalore

Here is the list of top PharmD colleges in Bangalore along with fees.

Pharm.D colleges in Hyderabad

Here is the list of top PharmD colleges in Hyderabad along with fees.

Pharm.D colleges in Coimbatore

Here is the list of top PharmD colleges in Coimbatore along with fees.

Pharm.D colleges in Chennai

Here is the list of top PharmD colleges in Chennai along with fees.

Pharm D jobs are accessible in a variety of pharmaceutical and medical firms after graduation. Graduates with a Pharm D degree can work in both the private and public sectors. The programme prepares students for a wide range of Pharm D course job opportunities that have arisen as a result of the public's demand for better healthcare.

After the Pharm D course, there are numerous academic and job opportunities available for the graduates.

• Once the Pharm D course is completed, you can continue your education with a Bachelor's degree in pharmacy or the second year of B Pharma.
• You can get work in private and government hospital pharmacies. You can work at health clinics, NGOs, and other organisations by inspecting and advising on the delivery of medications.
• You can start your own retail or wholesale pharmacy and become an entrepreneur.
• Health centres, drug control administration, and medical dispensing stores are the leading recruitment sectors for Pharm D.

Pharm D career opportunities include a variety of industries, such as BPOs, KPOs, governmental organisations, healthcare services, and business firms. The market is changing, and the demand for Pharm D courses in India is increasing in both the public and private sectors, indicating a significant shortage of healthcare and pharmaceutical professionals.

The various Pharm D job profiles are discussed in detail below, along with the functions they play and the average annual compensation they earn. Here are some of the Pharm D job profiles tabulated below:

Salary After Pharm D Course

Mentioned below is a list of average salary packages of different job profiles that are usually offered to individuals in the field of Pharm D. Check out the average Pharm D course salary in India:

Top Recruiters of Pharm D Course

If the candidate does not want to work as a pharmacist right after finishing the Pharm D course, they can pursue higher education in MBA, MD, MS, PhD, and M Phil. Some of the top fields of recruiting in India that give a good Pharm D salary are listed below: