A know-it-all-guide on Pharmacy Subjects - D.Pharm vs B.Pharm vs M.Pharm vs Pharm.D.

Introduction

A pharmacist plays a critical role in the provision of health care services. They distribute medicines to individuals, provide advice on using or taking medication, and warn of potential side effects. Besides that, they also serve as public health advocates working with physicians, other healthcare professionals and the public to improve medication use.

Pharmaceutical sciences are among the most popular and demanding courses in India. And if you are considering taking up a career in pharmacy, this article will help you make an informed decision about your career.

There are 4 different Pharma courses that students can pursue to build up a career in pharmaceuticals. This article will help you know the differences between these courses and inform you of the opportunities and scope of pharmacy.

D.Pharm

A diploma in pharmacy or D.Pharm course is a career-oriented 2 year-long diploma course for starting early in a career in pharmacy. After completing this course, students can take up entry-level positions like pharmacists, drug experts, retail pharmacists, hospital pharmacy directors, hospital staff pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, etc.

Admission

After passing the class 12th in science stream from a recognized board with an aggregate of at least 50% marks, students can take entrance tests for D.Pharm, like GPAT, JEE Pharmacy, etc.

Syllabus

The syllabus of the D.Pharm course may be a little different for each institute, but the basic structures and topics remain the same. Some of the subjects taught in D.pharm are- Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Clinical Pathology, Antibiotics, Human Anatomy, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Drug Store Business Management, Hospital Clinical Pharmacy, General Mechanism of Drug Action, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence, Legislation in India, Principles and Significance of Professional Ethics, manufacturing, Drug Information Service, etc.

Scope

After completing the D.Pharm course, students have many options to choose from as their likings-

• Students can pursue a B.Pharm course, they can join as 2nd-year students.
• Take up a job as Pharmacist, Scientific Officer, Production Executive, Medical Transcriptionist, Analytical Chemist, Pathological Lab assistant, Research & Development Executive, etc.
• Start their own pharmacy store.

B.Pharm

Bachelor of Pharmacy or B.Pharm course is a 4 years undergraduate degree course designed to meet the demands of the pharmaceutical industry. Students here can develop a strong foundation for a career in pharmaceuticals. This course helps them take executive and scientific roles in the pharma industry such as Medical Representative, drug inspector, Scientific Writing, Medical Scripting, Clinical Research, etc.

Admission

After passing the class 12th in science stream from a recognized board with an aggregate of at least 50% marks, students can take entrance tests for B.Pharm, like UPSEE, GPAT, NEET, BITSAT, MHT - CET etc.

Syllabus

The syllabus of the B.Pharm course is vast and helps students develop a strong foundation in pharmaceutical sciences. Some of the subjects offered in B.Pharma course are- Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biopharmaceutics, Biochemistry, Clinical Pathology, Pharmacognosy, Antibiotics, Human Anatomy, Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Pharmacokinetics, Drug Store Business Management, Hospital Clinical Pharmacy, General Mechanism of Drug Action, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence, Legislation in India, Principles and Significance of Professional Ethics, manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Drug Information Service, etc.

Scope

After completing the B.Pharm course, students have many options to choose from as their likings : -

• Students can pursue higher studies by taking up M.Pharm and Pharm.D courses.
• Students can also pursue MBA in Pharmaceutical Management after this course.
• Join research projects or as a research intern.
• Job roles for B.Pharm students are more lucrative as compared to D.Pharm students.
• Students can join top pharmaceutical firms like- Sun Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Wockhardt Pharmaceuticals, Biocon, Divis Laboratories, Cipla, etc.
• Job roles that open up after the B.Pharm course are- Medical Writer, Clinical Researcher, Drug Inspector, Managers, Operations Executive, Hospital Pharmacist, etc.
• Start their own pharmacy store or even a pharmaceutical business!

M.Pharm

Master of Pharmacy or M.Pharm course is a two-year postgraduate program designed for in-depth knowledge in pharmaceutical sciences, like manufacturing, testing, screening, and developing pharmaceuticals. It opens up many opportunities for students, especially in academics and research. This course helps them take critical roles such as clinical researchers, quality control officers, assistant professors, regulators, etc.

Specializations offered in the span class="mgu-bold">M.Pharm course are Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics and Pharmacognosy.

Admission

After completing the B.Pharm course from a recognized university, with a minimum of 55% marks, the student can go for the M.Pharm course. The admission process is mainly exam-based; students have to clear the Universities' entrance exam and appear in the merit for admission. Some popular entrance exams are- GPAT, GLAET, NIPER, etc.

Syllabus

The syllabus of the M.Pharm course is less but requires deep understanding. It can vary as the electives and specializations that students choose. Some of the important subjects offered in the M.Pharma course are- Modern Pharmaceutical Analytical Techniques, Molecular Pharmaceutics, Drug Delivery, Advanced Biopharmaceutics, Regulatory Affairs, Computer-Aided Drug Delivery System, Modern Pharmaceutics Cosmetic, Cosmeceuticals, etc. Students also have to give seminars and publish research work for completing this course.

Scope

This course opens up gates for a career in research and academics : -

• Students can join as assistant professors in government and private institutions or join as researchers and senior managers in pharma companies.
• Students can also pursue doctoral studies in pharmaceuticals.

Pharm.D

Doctor of Pharmacy or Pharm.D course is the doctoral course for pharma students.

After B.Pharm and M.Pharm courses, students can take up doctoral studies. Students also need to clear the UGC NET JRF exam for getting a fellowship. After completing this course, students can join as assistant professors or researchers in top pharmaceutical firms.

This was a crisp summary of the pharmacy courses. It will help students decide and plan for their career in pharmaceutical sciences.

If you want to build up a lucrative career in pharmaceutical sciences with a D.Pharm, B.Pharm, or M.Pharm course, join the Pharmacy program at MGU. MGU or Mansarovar Global University is the best Pharma college in Bhopal, offering diploma, bachelor and Masters's programs for pharma students. It provides students with the best training, skills, and education to make them industry-ready.