Students now a day consider various factors before deciding on a career. Some of these factors might be their interest in that particular subject, growth in that field, and if the said career is financially rewarding.
If someone was to ask me why I selected a career in pharmacy, the answer would be that from the time I could think about having a career one day, I always used to answer that I wanted to be a scientist to someone who discovers and makes new drugs. When the time finally came for me to select a career, I wasn’t aware that the goal I had in mind aligned perfectly with what pharmacy as a career has to offer. Flash forward six to seven years and now a career in pharmacy is in high demand.
India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally. Indian pharmaceutical sector supplies over 50% of global demand for various vaccines, 40% of generic demand in the US, and 25% of all medicine in the UK. Globally, India ranks 3rd in terms of pharmaceutical production by volume and 14th by value.
As shared by IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation) in their recent Pharmaceuticals Industry Reports
So, what does the future holds ? Once you have completed your diploma or degree in pharmacy there are different career paths one can pursue.
Some career opportunities and their eligibility criteria are enlisted below:
Hospital pharmacist
Community pharmacist
Pharmaceutical financial analyst
Drug inspector
Drug controller
Drug safety associate
Sales representative
Regulatory Specialist
Research scientist
Clinical data manager
Biotech consultants
Drug manufacturer
Lecturer
Medical writer
HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY PHARMACIST: Owning your pharmacy or working as a hospital pharmacist is the most common path taken by most pharmacy graduates. Students with a diploma in pharmacy, and a degree in B.pharm and M.pharm are eligible for this post.
DRUG INSPECTOR: This is one of the highly reputable jobs in the government sector for pharmacy graduates. Students must have manufacturing and handling experience of a minimum of 18 months to be eligible for the post of drug inspector. They have to appear for UPSC OR PSC exams. The eligibility criteria vary for different states.
DRUG CONTROLLER: This is another job in the government sector for pharma graduates with a master's degree in pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology, or at least pharmacy. Candidates must appear for UPSC or PSC exams.
A Drug Controller should not be confused with Drug Inspector as both have different job roles. A drug Inspector ensures that the business establishment involved in manufacturing, production, handling, and storage of drug and food items follow all the mentioned guidelines whereas a Drug Controller ensures the quality and safety of drugs.
DRUG SAFETY ASSOCIATE: They assess the safety of pharmaceutical drugs in the post-marketing phase. The eligibility for becoming a drug safety associate is a degree in pharmacy or a master's in drug safety.
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Medical representative or sales representative is another one of the most sought-after jobs by pharmacy graduates, which requires them to promote and sell different medicinal products and equipment.
RESEARCH SCIENTIST: For a job as a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry degree in pharmacy is good but a master's or a Ph.D. degree is preferred.
LECTURER: Initially a master's degree in pharmacy was an eligibility criterion to become a lecturer but recently a Ph.D. is favored.
Even if a career in pharmaceuticals is rewarding, it is not without its challenges. Listed below are a few pros and cons of having a career in the Pharmaceutical sector.
PROS
It is a vast industry with great opportunities for students interested in medicine.
There is a lot of scope for learning new things and enhancing your skills.
It is a highly satisfactory and financially rewarding sector.
After 2 years of COVID, many Pharmacovigilance and technical industries are providing work-from-home opportunities.
CONS
1. Like any other profession, it requires long hours of studying.
2. There still exist some industries that prefer male candidates over female candidates.
3. Equal preferences are given to B.Sc, M.Sc, and Pharmacy graduates.
4. No matter what people say there still exists some work-life imbalance.
Choosing a career is a very crucial decision in a person's life. This decision either shapes your future or breaks it because it requires a lot of investment in the form of time and money invested by a student.
