The pharmaceutical industry has been showing a promising career in pharmacy for the last few years. While this industry has been growing for a few years, it has shown a major boost, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While popular fields like engineering and medical are preferred by the majority of students, pharmacy is a very important part of it. While doctors examine patients and prescribe them medicines, pharmacists have great knowledge of medicines and educate patients about them and their side effects. This field of work is very flexible as you can do a job or work out a business. Before we dig it deeper, let’s know what pharmacy is all about.
What Is Pharmacy?
If you like studying medicines, pharmacy is your go-to field. It is the preparation and administration of medicinal drugs. A pharmacist knows about the medication, its ingredients, and the correct treatment using it.
There are many branches of pharmacy, which cover different areas of the healthcare system to provide patients with the best medication and care possible. The specializations you can opt-in pharmacy are as follows:
Retail Pharmacy
A retail pharmacy is also known as a community pharmacy. It is practiced by pharmacists at medical shops, wherein pharmacists sell medicines to the community over the counter. With the right knowledge, pharmacists can inform the customers about the correct dosage of the medicines and their side effects when taken in combination with certain foods.
- Industrial Pharmacy
Herein, the pharmacist represents their pharmaceutical company and educates others about their medical products and specifications. As an industrial pharmacist, you can study your pharmaceutical company’s medicines and work on them to make them more useful for the customers.
- Hospital Pharmacy
Herein, the pharmacist focuses on inpatient and outpatient pharmaceutical services. They are responsible for administering the medication prescribed to the patients. If you want to work with medical experts, hospitals are the best place. A hospital pharmacist may also be responsible for reducing the admission and readmission rates of the patients.
- Regulatory Pharmacy
A regulatory pharmacy is also known as a government pharmacy. Herein, the pharmacist is responsible for making rules and regulations that are listed on medicines so that they are safe to consume. If you want to learn how to regulate medication to keep it safe to consume for the customers, this branch of pharmacy is for you.
- Compounding Pharmacy
Herein, the pharmacist provides special dosages and medicines that doctors prescribe to patients, which are not generally available in pharmacies. Commercial drugs may have ingredients that some patients may be allergic to; here, a compounding pharmacist formulates doses of medicines that do not trigger any allergic reaction and prove beneficial for the patient.
- Home Care Pharmacy
Herein, the pharmacist gathers the required medication in specific dosages and combinations and provides it to the patients who cannot get out of their homes due to their sickness. These medicines are delivered to the patients’ homes. As a home care pharmacist, your job is to gather and deliver these medicines to the patients and educate them about the prescribed dosage and side effects, if any.
- Clinical Pharmacy
Herein, the pharmacist provides patients medication and educates them about it in the clinic they consulted a physician. The pharmacy is open in the clinic for customers’ convenience. This type of pharmacy is very convenient for patients as they can get the prescribed medicines immediately after the consultation. This eliminates chances of miscommunication or information filtration.
- Ambulatory Care Pharmacy
Herein, it is a pharmacy on wheels. The pharmacist provides healthcare services to ambulatory patients. This helps save a lot of lives while transporting them to and from the hospital. Ambulatory care pharmacists also provide direct healthcare services to the patients suffering from chronic diseases and also promote health and wellness by taking patient education classes, group medicare visits, etc.
Growth Prospects In Pharmacy
Medicines have become a crucial part of our lives. With people suffering from deficiencies, diseases, and chronic illnesses, it has become impossible to live without medicines. Pharmacy is the right field for you if you are interested in studying medicine and are willing to serve people.
Pharmacy is now an integral part of the healthcare sector. As a pharmacist, you can work closely with doctors and nurses in hospitals and educate patients about the prescribed medication, its dosage, and side effects. You can also opt to start a pharmacy of your own or work with healthcare institutes.
Apart from this, pharmacy is also a flexible career. While you can choose from its many branches, it offers a work-life balance. Along with this, it also gives you the opportunity to become an essential part of the healthcare system. You can also do R&D and bring in new theories to improve the recovery rate of the patients.
How To Become A Pharmacist
To become a pharmacist, you must have a degree in B. Pharmacy. To pursue the course, the candidate must have completed 10+2 in PCM/PCMB (Physics, Chemistry, Maths/Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology) or an equivalent degree/diploma.
The next step is to select the best college to pursue a B. pharmacy degree. If you are looking for a B Pharmacy college in Osmanabad, Maharashtra, you will find many amazing options to go for. Make sure that the B. Pharmacy course in these colleges is approved by the Pharmacy Council of India. Apart from that, check if the department faculty is top class and if the college has a placement cell.
Many colleges also offer scholarships, you can check the details on their respective websites.
Conclusion
Pharmacy has become an integral part of the healthcare sector. It walks shoulder-to-shoulder with the other branches of the sector. This field of work has strengthened its position in the healthcare industry over the years.
Searching for a B. Pharmacy college in Osmanabad? Opt for the colleges that offer the course with a top-class faculty and provide a platform to develop skills in the same. What are you waiting for? Take up the course and become a successful pharmacist now!