Pharmacist Overview

What is a Pharmacist?

The white-coated professionals at your neighborhood drug store do a lot more

than just fill prescriptions. Pharmacists do indeed dispense medicines, but first
they check for any possible interactions with other medicines or medical
conditions. They also instruct patients on how to take the medicines and will
inform them about what to do if certain side effects arise. A pharmacist will also
keep meticulous records, coordinate with insurance companies, supervise
pharmacy technicians and keep up-to-date with continuing education courses.

"Pharmacists are becoming a more integral part of the health care team," says
Heather Free, a pharmacist working in the District of Columbia. She says that
pharmacists are doing more to support doctors and clinicians, for example, by
giving patients immunizations and making sure that all of a patient's doctors are
informed about the diverse medicines that have been prescribed. Some
pharmacists are also getting involved in adherence monitoring (why it's hard for
patients to take their meds) and medication therapy management, which seeks to
optimize what drugs do for a patient's overall well-being.

What Type of Education Do Pharmacists Need?

Would-be pharmacists should prepare for a lot of school. Here’s where to start:

1. Complete postsecondary education. A bachelor's degree or at least two years

of study at a college or university, where you take prerequisites like organic
chemistry and biology, are required before aspiring pharmacists can begin a
Doctor of Pharmacy program.
2. Take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test. Most of the more than 100
PharmD programs require applicants to take the PCAT.
3. Earn your PharmD degree. The PharmD degree typically takes four years to
complete, though some programs last only three years and others admit high
school graduates for six-year terms.
4. Become licensed. After completing the program, you’ll need to pass two exams
for licensure. Graduates need to pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure
Exam and also obtain a state-specific license to practice pharmacy.

Pharmacists are expected to keep up with continuing education coursework

throughout their career. You can also earn certifications in various specialty areas.

1.Course Duration:

PharmD: 6 Years ( 5 Years academics + 1 Year Internship) = Total 6 Years

If Pharm D PB : 3 Years after B Pharm ( 4 Years) = Total 7 Years

M Pharm: 2 Years ( 1 Year academics + 1 Year Research Work) after B Pharm ( 4

Years) = Total 6 Years

Note: Both Degrees are eligible for doing Ph.D , Only PharmD graduates are
eligible to do Residential Programs.

2. Course Contents:

PharmD: 6 Years ( 5 Years academics + 1 Year Internship)

PharmD Program mainly focused on Hospital/Clinical Pharmacy services, students

will be trained in Hospital as Bedside Teaching. Common PharmD and PharmD PB
Revised Syllabus is given by PCI- Pharmacy Council of India and there is no Sub
divisions/Branches in the Course.

M Pharm: 2 Years ( 1 Year academics + 1 Year Research Work) after B Pharm ( 4

Years)
In Master of Pharmacy Program's student will not be getting the bedside learning
experience and they will not be trained in hospital. Mainly they are intended to
learn research and drug manufacturing skills ( Except M Pharm Pharmacy
Practice). There are Sub divisions/Branches in the Course. Eg: M Pharm
Pharmaceutics, M Pharm Pharmacognosy, M Pharm Biotechnology. To know
more about the individual M Pharm Branch syllabus find the M Pharm Regulations
released by PCI- Pharmacy Council of India.

3. P G Degree/ Dr.Prefix

Pharm.D: It’s a P G degree and they are eligible add Doctor (Dr) Prefix in front of
their name after their course completion.

M Pharm: It’s also a P G degree and they can’t keep Doctor (Dr) Prefix in front of
their name after their course completion.

5.Job opportunities

Pharm.D: Pharmacovigilance, Hospital/Clinical Pharmacist, Medical Writing,

Clinical Research, Academics and Product Management.

M Pharm: Pharmacovigilance, Clinical Research, Drug Development, Regulatory

Affairs and other Industry related jobs.
What is compounding?

Drug compounding is often regarded as the process of combining, mixing, or

altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual
patient. Compounding includes the combining of two or more drugs. Compounded

Are compounded drugs approved by FDA?

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify
the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs. Consumers and health
professionals rely on the drug approval process for verification of safety,
effectiveness, and quality. Compounded drugs also lack an FDA finding of
manufacturing quality before such drugs are marketed.

What are the risks associated with compounded drugs?

Compounded drugs can serve an important medical need for patients, but they do
not have the same safety, quality, and effectiveness assurances as approved drugs.
Unnecessary use of compounded drugs unnecessarily exposes patients to
potentially serious health risks.

Because compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, FDA does not verify their
safety, effectiveness, or quality before they are marketed. In addition, poor
compounding practices can result in serious drug quality problems, such as
contamination or a drug that contains too much active ingredient. This can lead to
serious patient injury and death.