The Erode College of Pharmacy and Research Institute Infrastructure: Library, Hostel, Labs, Gym, Auditorium & Other Facilities

Ayesha Taneem

Infrastructure facilities at the Erode College of Pharmacy & Research Institute, Erode:

Library:

• The central Library has collections of books, national and international journals, internet facilities, audiovisual aids, CD, and media related to research in our primary subject specialities, including pharmacy practice, pharmacology, pharmaceutical analysis, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sciences. Apart from the central library, department libraries are also available with minimum books related to the respective field of specialisation.General help with library use is provided by student assistants at the service desk. Materials placed on reserve at the request of a faculty member must be used in the Library. A photocopier and scanner are available in the Library.

Museum

• It consists of informative & wonderfully arranged drug display boards that showcase the latest allopathic and herbal formulations. Anatomical models, informative charts, specimens, photographs and news updates related to the field of pharmaceutical sciences also enrich the collection.

Laboratory

• College Laboratories are completely independent and free to investigate anything that interests them. In practice, many of them are anxious to keep in touch with industry and focus their research efforts on problems with practical application.

Computer Lab

• The College has its own computer lab for pharmacy students located on the second floor of Lloyd M. Parks Hall. The lab houses 30 computers with internet, wifi and is open to students during normal business hours. A variety of software is available, including statistical analysis, technical graphing, and molecular modelling programs.

Lecture Hall

• ECP contains six classrooms, with the largest accommodating 100 students. It is equipped with retractable screens and audiovisual equipment like slide and film projectors, OHP, Video projector, LCD and Cameras.

Auditorium

• The auditorium with state of the art multimedia system. It is frequently used for presentations, seminars, fests, events of the college.The College Auditorium has a fixed stage and can accommodate thousands of audience comfortably.

Drug Information Centre

• In our college, DIC is a service offered through pharmacy practice department, which provides advice and acts as a referral service by directing the best available resource to respond to query or concern. The DIC caters the need of doctors, pharmacists, nurses, patients and other health care professionals.
• First DIC was developed at the University of Kentucky in 1960. In India first DIC is developed in Kasthuriba Medical College in associated with Karnataka State Pharmacy Council.

Animal House

• Our college Animal house consists of enough experimental animals to promote research activities which include Albino rats, Albino mice, Albino rabbits, Guinea pigs etc. Central animal house was approved by Centre for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiment on Animals (CPCSEA).The facilities in the animal house support a healthy social environment for the animals that mimics the animal’s natural social environment useful for screening of various drug activities.

Medicinal Garden

• This area is now part of the new Garden of Medicinal Plants.The Pharmaceutical Garden is a display of plants which yield therapeutic compounds of proven value in current medicinal practice and are in worldwide use today.The beds are arranged according to the use of the drug derived from the plants. The collection includes plants such as Catharanthusroseus (Madagascar Periwinkle) which contains alkaloids used in anti-cancer drugs. Digitalis Canada (Woolly Foxglove) which contains a cardiac glycoside (digoxin) that is extracted directly from the leaves and is used to control and prevent abnormal heart rhythms and strengthen the heart beat. Filipendulaulmaria (Meadowsweet) is the plant from which salicylic acid was first made in 1835, leading to the introduction of aspirin in 1899. Hordeumvulgare (Barley) led to the synthesis of lignocaine which is universally used as a local anaesthetic.

Hostel Facilities

• The college campus has seven spacious, well-designed and properly furnished separate hostels for boys and girls; including different ones for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Each hostel room is well furnished with double bed, study table, wardrobes and has an attached bath and toilet, with 24 hours hot water supply. Each hostel has separate common rooms with colour television with DTH and facilities for indoor games where students can relax after exhaustive hours of study.

Recreational Activities & Sports

• The ECP believes that a healthy mind works better and that sports help to inculcate good qualities in the students. Involving oneself in competitive sports encourages healthy competition, co-operation and leadership qualities. Apart from sports activities, the college has plans for an annual visit to the industries in the nearby area. This helps in bridging the gap between industry and college.Also, we encourage and appreciate students to participate in our annual festival.