A career in pharmacy, unfolds a vista full of opportunities leading to a golden future for a young career aspirant. The job opportunities, working conditions, job satisfaction and monetary benefits are excellent. The various vocations a pharmacy professional can opt, for, are discussed below
Production & ManufacturingA pharmacy professional can work as a production person (chemist, officer, executive, manager, vice-president), involved in the production of bulk drug & intermediates or formulations and dosage forms.
Industries manufacturing cosmetics, soaps, toiletries and dental products also hire pharmacy professionals. Blood and plasma products as well as biological & biotechnological products are other areas with immense potential worldwide.
Production of biological & biotechnological products, surgical dressings, medical devices, equipment, ayurvedic/ homeopathic / unani medicines, veterinary medicine, perfumery, fragrances, nutraceuticals also involve the presence of pharmacy professionals in their production.
This forms the heart of any industry, as it is the key to growth and sustenance. Mainly M. Pharms & Ph.Ds are in great demand in the various areas of Pharmaceutical Research & Development such as New Drug Discovery Research, Process Development, Formulation & Development, Clinical Trials, Bio equivalence studies and Toxicological Studies.
Quality control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) are the most integral areas of the drug & pharmaceutical industry. Highly specialized and trained staff are required to handle sensitive analytical procedures & sophisticated equipment. M.Pharms & Ph.Ds in Pharm. Analysis /Q. A. are highly preferred for this job.
The Pharma. Sales & Marketing is a highly technical field & offers excellent opportunities for the pharmacy graduates. An aspirant of a highly bright future can enter through various openings like starting his own retail or wholesale drug store or becoming a professional sales representative (known as medical Sales Representative or M. R.) to the levels of International Marketing & Exports. The monetary rewards and perks are the best.
Like U.S.A. & Canada, this trend is already set in many hospitals in our country. The Pharmacist is the best-informed qualified drug expert whose advice is sought by every body regarding the dosage, incompatibilities and side effects of drugs.
This concept is rapidly catching up the Healthcare service in our country. A pharmacist becomes a vital link between the patients and the products i.e., drugs.
Golden opportunities galore for qualified Pharmacy professionals in various countries. There are plenty of higher education and research opportunities in the developed western countries along with excellent job openings. The monetary job benefits abroad are highly exciting.
This is a profession associated with job satisfaction and social status as teaching is considered to be noble profession. The posts in the hierarchy are Lecturer, Sr. Lecturer, Reader, Asst. Professor, Professor, Principal etc. The emoluments are satisfactory. Besides teaching Academic related opportunities involve positions on Research Posts and Training programs.
Locally the F. D.A. (Foods & Drugs Control Administration) is the main regulatory body governing and implementing the rules and regulations for the Drug & Pharma industry. The job opportunities range from the levels of a Drug Inspector (D. I.), Sr. D. I., Asst. Drug Controller, Deputy Drug Controller, Drug Controller of state and finally D.C. I. (Drug Controller of India).
A graduate in Pharmacy is the minimum eligibility. Since, the business involved is worth multibillion dollars, this branch has assumed tremendous significance and is bound to grow enormously, in the Post-GATT era. Regulatory experts are thus in great demand. Similarly, Patents and Trademarks, I.P.R. Experts are also in high demand as far as the pharma. industry is concerned.
Self employment - can establish his own manufacturing facilities and register the same.
Most of the major Indian Pharma. companies have established separate Documentation Departments with a highly technical & skilled staff for this purpose. Similarly, the R & D & Q. C. Departments of the Pharma. Companies need Library Information services. Pharma- Journalism is already a very lucrative business in this field.
This is an ideal opportunity for highly technical and experienced pharmacy professionals to earn handsomely as self-employed entrepreneurs, even after the age of retirement.