The demand for Pharmacy in the COVID era

By Pawan Kamboj, Director, LIMELITE Brand Solutions New Delhi

The pandemic situation has given the universities and colleges to open up medical courses like pharmacy if it was not enrolled before, the sudden demand of medical facilities in every corner of the world given the new job opportunities. The study of Pharmacy is preferred by Science students preparing to take admission either in undergraduates, diploma, or postgraduates programs. It involves the main core subjects of chemistry, biomolecules, biology, and pharmaceutics. Pharmacists are the healthcare professionals who used to give information about the medicine and their usage required for the treatment, they have the well–known knowledge of all types of medicine. While completing the study of pharmacy one can work in hospitals, dispensary, chemist shops, pharmacy companies, etc.

Pharmaceutical science is available to all students seeking admission in the science stream and thinking to gain knowledge in the world of chemistry and biomolecules. Therefore, it is the branch of science which deals with drug design, drug analysis, drug action, pharmaceutical chemistry, and pharmacoeconomics. The courses available for pharmaceutical science for bachelors is B.Pharma or B.Sc in pharmacy after 12thfor three years of the program, Diploma courses in pharmaceutical science (D. Pharma) duration comprising six months to one year while one looking for pursuing masters after their graduation can opt for M.Pharma. If someone is interested to opt for higher studies and get a doctorate in pharmaceutical science can go for research (Pharm.D) or Ph.D. in Pharmacy.

Beneficiary to opt Pharmacy degree as your career

• Treatment and curing disease 

The desire for helping others is the main core for choosing pharmacy as your subject, as a pharmacist you have to come up with curing disease with the best treatment providing and curing. This is the job done by all pharmacists and services required, where the developed skills can be used in any corner of the world.

• Patients-centered Responsibilities

The profession required the full responsibility of patients, as the medical devices prescribed by a pharmacist on their illness. Pharmacists are responsible to recommend medicine as per the symptoms of the patient whether mild or severe, fulfilling patients’ needs and have to address them.

• Advance knowledge gain and skills enhancement

This career makes you involved in different nature of understanding of medicine, assessment, and treatment. While being in the course of pharmacy one can gain the knowledge of medicine, professionalism, good communication, pharmaceutical instrumentation, law, and ethics related to medicines supply.

• Versatility to work in different sector

 If you are a pharmacy graduate many opportunities are waiting on the door in a different industry where the skills acquired during the study can be utilized. Graduates don’t need to do jobs only in pharmacy/drugs companies or healthcare companies; they can explore different sectors of technology, content marketing, research sector, government jobs, education, etc.

Career opportunities after Graduation/Post- Graduation

• Hospital Pharmacist

Hospital pharmacists give their services in hospitals responsible for medications, testing, monitoring, ensuring safety measures of drug usage, participating in clinical rounds required by all healthcare.

• Drug Inspector

A drug inspector is a profession where a pharmacist expert has to monitor and execute the efficiency, quality, safety, and usefulness of drugs from the initial stage to the final stage of production. This is a demanding job for all candidates seeking jobs here and has to give exams conducted by UPSC and SPSCs.

• Pathological Lab Technician

This is the field that opens up the students who want to work in a pathology lab in hospitals, medical labs, clinics, etc. The work assigned here is the preparation, storing, and examination of the given specimens like blood samples or any sample to check as per the requirement.

• Clinical Research Associate

This profession is to test drugs for their effectiveness, risks and used to run in the market at its safest mode. The associate is the representative of the pharmaceutical companies or any organization on new or existing drugs involving the stages of the investigation, monitoring, and checking their side effects.

• Chemist Shop

The pharmacy fresh graduates can open their business and run it successfully on a small scale or large scale and can earn easily with their existing skills. Many small types of diseases are curable through prescribed medication by a pharmacist only in cases like cold, flu, cough, headache, vomiting, etc. So, people sometimes consult a chemist shop for minor problems, other than going to clinics or hospitals.