Pharmacist - How to become a Pharmacist - Eligibility, Process, Colleges and Salary

Описание: Pharmacists are healthcare professionals responsible for ensuring that people derive maximum benefit from their medicinal treatment. A pharmacist has its own important role in the field of medicine. In fact, he/she is a multifunctional figure in this field.

Eligibility to become a Pharmacist?
The minimum qualification required to become a Pharmacist is Diploma in Pharmacy however a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy can help you grow faster in the field of Pharmacy. Whereas to go in the field of Research and Analysis the aspiring pharmacist must have attained a Master’s degree followed by PhD in the field of Pharmacy.

How to become a Pharmacist?
If you are really interested to become a Pharmacist then you have to follow a specific path right after your matriculation and the first step that you have to take towards becoming a Pharmacist is to choose Science subjects in your 11th class with combination of Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or a combination of both i.e Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. However, a combination of PCB can be the best bet.

After completing your 12th class with the selected Science subject. You have two options for further studies.

The first one is Diploma in Pharmacy also known as D.Pharma a two-year course in pharmacy, the minimum requirement if you wish to open your own drug store and practice pharmacy in India.

The other Option is a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy also known as B.Pharma. To get admission to this 4 years pharmacy course again you should have done the 12th class with selected science subjects but most of the B.Pharmacy institute demands a minimum of 50% marks in the qualifying class and you may have to qualify in the Pharmacy Entrance Exams taken by various reputed institute. Candidates who have already done Diploma in Pharmacy can also get admission in the 2nd year of B.Pharmacy as lateral entry candidates.

Candidates with B.Pharmacy degree are always given preference to candidates with D.Pharmacy course in most of the big Hospitals, Pharmaceutical companies and Government Health departments. Thus a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy can be advantageous over a Diploma in Pharmacy for a better start of the career in the field of Pharmacy.


Although a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy is enough to work as a Pharmacist if you are looking to enter the field of research and development then you need to pursue any of the Master’s degrees in pharmacy after the completion of your Bachelor’s degree followed by PhD in the related field of Pharmacy. A PhD in pharmacy can also help you go in the field of education along with research and development in top Pharmaceutical companies.


Which are the top institutes that offer pharmacy courses?
Some of the best institutes for Pharmacy courses in India are:

Manipal college of Pharmaceuticals Sciences, Manipal
Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi
Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune and
Bombay College of Pharmacy, Mumbai and
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research is better known as NIPER S.A.S, Nagar and Hyderabad. Which are the best institutes of India for higher education in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences


Which are the main entrance exams to join pharmacy courses?
Pharmacy as a career option is gaining ground at a very fast pace. The growth in the field of pharmaceutical sciences has made it a hot cake for young career seeker thus there is a huge demand for pharmacy courses. So, to get admission to these courses having limited seats the candidates have to pass through a selection process consisting of entrance exams taken by various pharmacy institute. Some of those entrance exams are:

GPAT (Graduate pharmacy aptitude test)
GCET (Goa common entrance test) and
MHT-CET (Maharashtra common entrance test)

What are the career prospects of a pharmacist?
There are ample of opportunities for well qualified and deserving candidates in the field of Pharmaceutical science not only in India but also developed countries like America and Canada. A pharmacy professional can get good opportunities in:

Government and Private Hospitals as Pharmacist
Pharmaceutical Companies as Pharmacist and Researcher as well as Marketing and Sales Professional Research & Development wing of Government Health Departments.

Health care Consultancies and Consultants.
Educational Institutes as Instructor or Lecturers. and
Drug Inspectors in various state and central Regulatory bodies to name a few.

What is the Salary of a Pharmacist?
The pay package of a Pharmacist depends upon knowledge, qualification and experience of the budding pharmacist. In India, the starting salary of a Pharmacy graduate ranges from Rs.25,000/- to Rs.30,000/- per month. Whereas the salary of a qualified pharmacist working in research and development organization or educational institute ranges from Rs.60,000/- per month to Rs. 1,25,000/- per month.