DanielAs everyone across the globe is seeking measures to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and Pharmaceutical professionals are performing the frontline roles. Pharmacists have come across as vital healthcare providers during this virus outbreak by serving as direct points of access to the Covid-19 patients through home deliveries of medicines, in addition to dealing with patients suffering from other ailments. With that said, a faculty member of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Apeejay Stya University said that this may be the ideal time for medical aspirants to pursue a career in the Pharmaceutical industry.
The number of coronavirus cases is still skyrocketing in many states across India and hence, the demand for Pharmaceutical and healthcare professionals will also continue to increase. During times like today when everyone is seeking the best possible medical care, treatment or cure against Covid-19, the scope of this field cannot be overstated.
While community pharmacy is one of the most sought-after fields of career among most Pharmaceutical graduates, there are other sectors as well that hold equally lucrative career scopes – clinics, biotechnology companies, hospitals, etc. Industrial pharmacy is involved in drug development, formulation, testing, quality control, etc. On the other hand, professionals in clinical and hospital pharmacy are responsible for interacting with healthcare experts to ultimately optimise medication therapy and promote good health.
A fresh B.Pharm graduate from a reputed Pharma college can land a decent-paying job as a Medical Officer, Drug Quality Controller or Pharmaceutical Analyst across government and private sectors. However, it is only with the right training and mentorship under experienced academicians and healthcare experts that one can have a plethora of job opportunities across hospitals and biotechnology firms as well as in the academic field.
In India, Apeejay Stya University, Jamia Hamdard, Institute of Chemical Technology and Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research University are some of the reputed universities and institutes in the field of Pharmacy. Their diversity in faculty, that consists of experienced academicians and industry experts, cutting-edge research, hands-on training and strong associations with the industry, has helped define a clearer career path for the students and is one of the main factors that makes them stand apart. Apeejay Stya University, for instance, boasts of avant-garde lab infrastructure with state-of-the-art instrumentation backed by the two centres of excellence – Centre for NDDS and Centre for Formulation Development & Analysis, both of which focus on exposing students to various types of drug formulation and research. In fact, it is one of the first Pharma universities in India to have a R&D Centre.
Thus, by ensuring an effective curriculum delivery through industry-centric courses and equipping the students with relevant skills with key focus on R&D, the skill gap between academia and the industry can be bridged.
