Bachelor of Pharmacy of b.pharm is a 4-year undergraduate course designed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the pharmacy sector. The pharmacy industry is a major contributing factor in the supply and development of newly approved drugs, medicines, and experimental counterparts. In addition, Pharmacy practitioners are involved in the production, development of drugs as well as their quality control and alterations. The pharmacy sector’s integral part in health care makes the pharmacy career options highly sought after and lucrative. This degree will also ensure that you can get into the highest paying pharmacy jobs.
The pharmacy industry is divided into different segments, as given below
- Clinical/hospital pharmacy
- Industrial
- Pharmacy regulators
So, after you graduate from b.pharm, what are the career options after B.pharm and are there any higher studies options the graduates can opt for? If so, what are the best courses after b.pharm? This excerpt explains all about b.pharm and the opportunities it holds.
Eligibility Criteria
It is no secret that education from top-level pharma institutes can be one’s gateway to the highest-paying pharmacy jobs. Therefore, applicants must satisfy the below-mentioned conditions to be eligible for b.pharm.
The B.Pharm is designed for students who have completed their 10+2 graduation with a combination of maths+chemistry+physics or Chemistry+physics+biology. Various institutes will also demand the students to have a minimum score for each of the three required subjects. The highest paying pharmacy jobs will only be for those who have excelled in the above-mentioned subjects.
B.Pharm Top Colleges
All India Council for technical education (AICTE) and the Pharmacy council of India are the authorizing bodies for B.pharm institutes and use the below-given parameters to evaluate them.
- Faculty
- Lodging and accommodation
- Labs and equipment
- Non-teaching staff
- Teaching arrangements
Best career options after B.pharm
B.pharm is a job-oriented course, and the students are trained in diverse aspects of the pharmaceutical industry, to ensure the best pharmacy career options are available for the B.pharm graduates. Since this course is allied to the medical and pharmaceutical industry the employability options for these graduates are vast and diverse. B.pharm graduates can find employment in both government and private sectors in India and abroad. Let’s take a look at some of the lucrative opportunities B.pharm graduates can build their careers on.
- Drug inspector
- Pharmacist
- Pharmaceutical marketing
- Pathological lab scientist
- Health inspector
- Chemical/drug technician
- Medical devices and quality control manufacturing
- Medical Underwriter
- Pharmaceutical company
- Wholesaler
- R&D executive
Drug Inspector
B.pharm graduates have the opportunity to be employed as drug inspectors. Drug inspectors are responsible for ensuring that a new drug adheres to the required quality, safety, and efficiency standards throughout the development phase of the said drugs till the production of the final product. The jobs are highly lucrative, and the vacancies for the post are filled through various government UPSC and SSC recruitments. The recruitment process is done via the mode of competitive exams and direct absorption based on the graduation merit. A career as a drug inspector is one of the most sought out professions n the pharmaceutical sector thus making it an excellent career option after b.pharm.
Pharmacist
Taking up employment as a pharmacist is yet another profession available for B.pharm graduates. Pharmacists deals with the dispensing and supervision of drugs and other medical supplies against the prescription obtained from a physician. They also provide customers with details regarding the dosage and the time when the medication should be taken. They also educate the customers regarding the side effects of the medicine, including contradictions when used while on other medications.
Employment opportunities for pharmacists are available in the retail sector, hospitals, Pharmaceutical sales and marketing, private clinics. The opportunity to be employed in companies like Cipla, lupin, Glenmark, Cadila health, makes being Pharmacist a viable career option after b.pharm.
Pharmaceutical marketing jobs
Some B.pharm graduates are known to use jobs in the pharmaceutical marketing sector, like being a Medical representative to get their foot in the door. The representative is a company grass root-level link to broaden the scopes and sales for their drugs and medications by getting them endorsed and used by doctors, medical professionals, and related institutions. They are the company’s face and are instrumental in spreading it’s products, visions to the clients and reaching financial goals. Knowledge of the field, communication skills, affability, and networking prowess are the major components that would further a medical representative’s career. In the early days as medical reps, employees are expected to travel frequently to meet new clientèle. According to a company’s governing policies and structure, medical representatives are eventually promoted to managerial posts. A seasoned medical representative earns anywhere between 50000-65000 INR per month. The jobs act as a gateway into the pharma industry for freshers, making it an attractive career option after B.pharm.
Pathological Lab Scientist
Pathological scientists are persons involved in the diagnosis and study of diseases by repeated and meticulous examinations on organs, tissues, fluids, and cells. These professionals combine major anatomical fields with microbiology and molecular diagnostics for the accurate diagnosis and diseases and underlying medical conditions. It is to note that a considerable amount of discipline to engage in repetitions of various lab chores for long-term goals is a staple of this discipline. Pathologists are usual employed as investigators, diagnosticians, scientists, and even teachers. Respectable paychecks and reputation also add to the appeal of jobs making it an attractive career option after B.pharm.
Health inspectors
A Health Inspector is tasked with the responsibilities of upkeeping the various sanitary standards set by the state for institutions and businesses like restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, daycares centres, schools. A Health Inspector is both a lucrative and respectable career option after B.pharm. Health Inspectors work both locally and directly for the state government and conduct routine checks at various institutions to enforce the required sanitary standards to eliminate any potential hazard risks. Health inspectors are involved in onsite inspections and desk jobs. They are responsible for taking necessary actions against valid complaints to counter health hazards such as sewage overflows, insect bites, animal bites, and parasite infections. A health inspector is expected to receive a base pay of around Rs.30000.
Chemical/Drug technicians
A chemical technician’s work environment is usually a lab or a manufacturing plant where they conduct experiments, analyze chemical substances and data. It is these technicians who assist the engineers in doing various chemical processings and tests. They are also tasked with ensuring the proper functioning and troubleshooting of equipment in the lab and producing reports on the experiments conducted. Strong analytical and observation skills are required to successfully pursue a career as a drug technician. Graduates who are inclined to the practical side of the pharmaceutical industry and have an in-depth knowledge of lab safety are apt to choose the path of a chem technician as their career option after B.pharm.
Quality Control and Manufacturing of Medical Devices
Pharmaceutical companies often employ B.pharm graduates to look after their daily operations to maintain the quality of the formulations. B.pharm employed in this sector usually continue their higher studies and the job as higher positions in this sector are available quicker with higher qualifications. Experienced B.pharm graduates or once the graduates acquire a higher degree, are posted as manufacturing chemists.
Medical Underwriter
Moving away from the traditional career options available for B.pharm graduates, a career as a medical underwriter provides opportunities to work as medical scribes, medical transcriptionists or even coders. Options to work as a writer who devises medical document or handle medical insurance-related records are also available. Even though knowledge in anatomy, pharmacology and terminologies related to medicine is a prerequisite for the job, candidates should expect to gain reasonable experience in the field before receiving high paychecks. For candidates who wish to pursue something a bit non-traditional as their job, a Medical underwriter is a suitable career option after B.pharm.
R&D executive
Nearly all pharmaceutical companies are engaged in an arms race to develop newer and better medications and drugs for the various diseases and conditions prevalent in society. So, naturally, these companies require pathologists, researchers, technicians scientists etc. There is a need for research and development executives to ensure the programme adheres to the required standards and sticks to the laid out timelines. This is a post B.pharm career option for graduates who can handle leadership and managerial roles. R&D executives will be responsible for researching and formulating new programmes and handling existing ones with other R&D managers.
Wholesaler
The more ambitious among the graduates who want to earn big bucks can start their own business establishment in the form of a medical store or a wholesale operation. B.pharm graduates once they get registered at their respective state pharmacy council and obtain the certificate can establish and run medical stores. With in-depth knowledge in the pharma field acquired through the course coupled with a mind for business is a deadly combo for assured success. Persons who have a connection with other medical stores could also start a wholesale operation to supply various stores.
Pharmaceutical company
B.pharm graduates who really wish to shoot for the stars can register their own pharmaceutical company and develop new medications or supply existing medications in their name. Even though running a pharmaceutical company demands sizeable initial investments thus is beyond the reach of many, but graduates who have favourable circumstances can make use of their deeper knowledge of the field to propel their company to a path of success.
What after B.pharm. Higher education?
B.pharm graduates have numerous options to further their careers in the form of job opportunities in various government as well as private pharmaceutical entities by obtaining higher education in pharmacy or an allied field. Below given are a few opportunities to help B.pharm graduates obtain the best pharma careers.
Pharma courses are highly sought after owing to the lucrative career options available. There are a plethora of higher education courses a B.pharm graduates can pursue. Some of these masters level or paramedical courses are:-
- M.pharma or master of pharmacy
- Pharm.D or doctor of pharmacy
- Pharmaceutical Management MBA
- Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmacy practices and Drug store Management
- Master of Science(MSC in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- PG Diploma – Clinical Trial Management
- Diploma – Clinical Research
- Diploma – Drugstore Management
M.Pharm
M.pharm is one of the obvious and best courses after B.pharm. B.pharm graduates are eligible for the next degree if they have graduated with the minimum amount of marks required by the respective institution. M.Pharm is a 2-year post-graduate career-oriented course aimed at graduates who want to engage in research or other high-level pharma jobs. The course provides an in-depth understanding of how chemical elements and used to make medicines or other medicinal compounds.
An M.pharm graduate has major career prospects as assistant or associate researchers and even scientists. They can also get employed in hospitals, pharmacies, and various other pharmaceutical industries. It’s also worth noting that some M.pharm courses extend beyond two years.
Pharm D
One of the more recent entries into the health sector, Pharm D or doctor of pharmacy is a 6-year doctorate level course split into a 5:1 course and internship structure. As the number of jobs in the health sector has increased in recent years, pharm d graduates often get a decent return on investment once they finish their course. In addition, the high employment options available after the course makes it one of the best to pursue for B.pharm graduates.
10+2 graduates, eligible for a diploma in pharmacy from a college recognized by the PCI are eligible to enrol themselves for Pharm d.
Pharm d courses take students based on merit lists or through entrance exams. MET, BV CET, and GPAT are some of the entrance exams. Course graduates are employed as pharmacists, hospital pharmacy directors, drug experts, staff pharmacists, Clinical pharmacists. The average total fee for the course ranges anywhere between 6-10 lakhs and the average starting salary package can range between 3-10 lakhs per annum.
MBA in pharmaceutical management
MBA in pharmaceutical management is a 2-year master’s program for individuals who are graduates in any relevant discipline with a minimum of 50% marks or B.pharm graduates. The course is designed to produce professionals who would efficiently handle managerial portfolios in the pharma industry. The graduates are employed to perform brand management, production management, pharmaceutical marketing, sales management, branding, financial planning. This MBA course is the best to pursue after one is a B.pharm graduates to the business side of the pharmaceutical industry.
The admissions for the course are done via a merit list and other entrance exams like MAT, CAT, CMAT.
Pharmaceutical distributors, sales managers, consultant and project managers, market researchers and analysts, are some of the portfolios filled by MBA Pharmaceutical management graduates.
PG Diploma in Pharmacy practices and Drug store Management
The diploma course educates pharmacy practitioners in areas of marketing principles, financial management, and personal communication. The course broadly covers aspects of a drug store and hospital management.
These professionals are idea to be employed in drug stores, wholesale medicine and pharma counters, private clinics. The academic-minded among them are also seen as teachers in vocational training institutions. Lab assistant, pathologist, and lab associate are some other portfolios eligible for this diploma graduates.
The duration of the course is one year and graduates in a relevant field are eligible to apply for this course, thus making it one of the best courses to do after B.pharm. The diploma graduates can also peruse regular postgraduate courses after the diploma.
Master of Science- MSC in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
This 2-year postgraduate course is structured to equip the students with deeper a deeper understanding of various factors contributing to diseases and the development of safe and effective drugs to counter them. This is among the best course after b.pharm for students who are more inclined to the aspects of drug and medicine development. The program combines aspects of organic chemistry, pharmacology, and various streams of biology to enable the graduates to be well versed in designing the chemical structure and synthesis of market-grade pharmaceutical drugs.
Graduates of this discipline can expect employment in sectors like scientific industries, in colleges and universities as teachers, biotechnological industries, hospitals, pharmaceutical industries, and even the defence forces.
PG Diploma – Clinical Trial Management
This is a 6-12 month diploma course to do after B-pharm designed to equip B.pharm graduates or medical practitioners with the necessary tools and skills to break into clinical research and other related fields including CROs, Pharma-covigilance, and central labs. This Diploma offers a deeps dive into the discipline of clinical research and aids the students in enhancing their knowledge on topics like ICH GCP guidelines, regulatory issues, and various other important areas of clinical trials.
Graduation in a relevant field is required to be eligible for this course. Both regular and distant learning variants of this course are available.
Diploma in Clinical Research
This diploma familiarises the students with various aspects related to bioethics and how these apply in practical situations. The program is meant to produce professionals with in-depth knowledge on clinical trials and practices, to fulfill the need for trained personnel for efficiently dealing with complex processes, including human clinical trials.
The duration of the course is generally 10-12 months. Medical graduates or B.pharm graduates from allied fields with 55% minimum marks are eligible for the diploma course. The course fees generally are about 1lakh and starting salary packages range from 250000-500000 lakhs.
These diploma graduates are generally employed as clinical research associates, lecturers, clinical research physicians, biostatisticians, Research analysts, clinical research coordinators, making the diploma one of the best courses to do after B.pharm for persons who want to climb the employment ranks faster.
Diploma in drug store management
This is a short-term course for students who wish to be proficient in all aspects related to managing a drug store. The candidates during the tenure of the course will be taught the various aspects of sales and marketing strategies employed in a drug store. The diploma course is usually slated for 6 months and graduates from a relevant discipline are eligible to enroll for the course. After the diploma, these B.pharm graduates become prime candidates to be employed in a drug store and handle the drug store’s managerial duties.
