Pharmacist Overview

Playing doctor-patient was your favourite past time as a kid. But if the sight of blood and the thought of having to rip people apart gives you goose pimples, consider a milder profession - one that involves dishing out those red, yellow pills and syrups to patients. 

 

Yes, we are talking of pharmacists. Contrary to popular perception a pharmacist is not a person who couldn't make it as a doctor. These are people with a genuine interest in life sciences. 

 

Before we go any further let's enlighten you about the difference between Pharmacy and Pharmacology. Pharmacy is an applied science dealing with the chemistry/action of drugs and its preparation in medicines. It also includes the study of diseases and choices of treatments used to cure it. 

 

Pharmacology is a pure and experimental science, which studies the action of drugs on living beings. It is possible for a pharmacist to shift career from pharmacy to pharmacology.

 

As a pharmacist, you'll be engaged in formulating and testing different drugs. You have to test it for its effectiveness as well as its side effects. "In this industry it's important to keep oneself updated about the prevailing diseases and its treatment. This is the only industry where the seller does not meet the end consumer. The only connecting factor between the drug seller and the patient is the doctor," says Shakil Nazim Kureshi, who has been the National Marketing Manager at Elder Pharmaceuticals for the past 12 years.

 

A pharmacist is generally employed as an industrial pharmacist, research pharmacist, retail pharmacist, medical representatives, and hospital pharmacist or in the government sector. There is also scope for teaching pharmacy in colleges and universities.

 

Now let's take a closer look at each one of these options: 

 

Industrial Pharmacists

This is the most sought-after field in pharmacy. Here, as a pharmacist you'll work with a drug manufacturing company, developing new drugs, formulations and health care products. 

 

As a pharmacy graduate, you could find work in production, research, logistics, testing or sales and marketing. With the development of newer and better drugs, pharmacists are constantly engaged in testing these new drugs and formulations, conducting clinical trials and quality assurance programmes to ensure safety and effective use of the drug in treating the disease. 

 

Maintaining a detailed record of the side effects of the medicine on different people is also your job as a pharmacist.

 

Research Pharmacists

If you like the smell of laboratories and the sight of test tubes of all shapes and sizes, this is for you. Research pharmacists play a pivotal role in the discovery and development of new drug molecules and processes used in manufacturing them. This area has seen a flurry of activities with the introduction of 'Intellectual Property Rights'. 

 

According to this latest law, it is illegal for companies to manufacture drugs developed by other companies. So Indian companies are now on the path to developing newer drug molecules on their own. Accordingly, the budget for research and development has gone up significantly in order to pay more attention to in house research. 

 

Ranbaxy, Dr.Reddy's Labs and Orchid Chemicals are some of the prominent Indian companies that are very active in the field of R&D. Some of the prominent government organisations engaged in drug research include Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, National Chemical Lab, Pune and Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. 

 

Retail Pharmacists

Here as a pharmacist, you could own or manage a chemist shop or a drug store and dispense drugs and medicines prescribed by doctors. Medical knowledge is necessary to inform your customers about the use, hazards, interactions and side effects of the drugs you dispense. 

 

Pharmacists also monitor the sale of drugs based on prescriptions and dosage. As a pharmacist, you also often offer advice on over the counter medicines (which do not need a prescription) and other health care products. Referring patients to doctors, when required, for treatment is also your job.

 

However, as a pharmacist you would be doing much more than just handing out medicines for the ill. You'll also dish out everyday items from baby-care products to food products. All this means additional work in terms of accounting, marketing and stock control for our already worn out pharmacists.

 

Hospital Pharmacists

These semi doctors deal with legal, professional and administrative requirements for the preparation, storage and supply of medicines in hospitals and clinics. A pharmacist is responsible for the procurement, storage and dispensation of various medicines and other healthcare products in a hospital. 

 

Besides, pharmacists have to keep an account of the daily requirements and stock and ensure a constant 

supply of life saving drugs and medicinal products. A pharmacist also makes sterile solutions for use in the hospital and in surgical procedures and performs administrative duties as well.

 

Hospital pharmacists also get to be a part of hospital research projects and impart knowledge to pharmacy students and other health service personnel.

 

Medical Representatives

If you don't like the idea of an indoor job this could be a good option.  As a pharmacist, you'll be employed in a drug manufacturing pharmaceutical company as a medical representative. Your job as a pharmacist will involve visiting doctors, retail pharmacies and hospitals and providing credible information on new drugs to them. 

 

Explaining the advantages of your product over the competitors' will be your job. Stamina and excellent conversational skills will prove handy. As a pharmacist, you will be allotted many areas and it will be your responsibility to visit the various doctors, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and health care centers in that area to spread product awareness.

 

Government Jobs

The government also employs pharmacists mostly in government owned hospitals and health centers. Job openings also exist in the Food and Drug Administration department of the various state governments. 

 

Here is a list of medical colleges

 

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