Pharm.D [Doctorate of Pharmacy]: Course Duration, Fees, Admission, Eligibility

The acronym of Doctor of Pharmacy is Pharm.D. It is a pre-Ph.D postgraduate program equivalent to the doctoral degree. The Pharm.D course duration is 6 years which include 1 year of internship. Eligibility criteria for this course are 12th-grade graduates (10+2) with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects along with Mathematics or Biology. B.Pharm graduates can also go for Pharm.D course and the course duration will be 4 years. Pharm.D graduates are the only pharmacy service which as the direct contact with the patient in the health care systems. Pharm.D syllabus deals with the clinical study of various drugs and clinical research experiments, which helps in the treatment of patients. For the ones who are interested in pursuing Ph.D degree the Pharm.D Scope is high and the students can directly apply without any master degrees.

Pharm.D Course Fee in India:

The course fee will vary based on the college/university one is studying and also the quota one got admitted to this course. The average fee for Pharm.D course is INR 50,000 to 2 lakhs per annum.

Pharm.D Salary in India:

The salary scale will differ based on one's experience and knowledge towards the filed. The average Pharm.D salary will be INR 3.5 lakh per annum.

Pharm.D Course:

The full form of Pharm.D is Doctorate of Pharmacy. It is a professional pharmacy doctoral program. The degree awarded for this course is known as Pharm.D or Pharma.D which is an abbreviated form of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The Pharmacy Council of India introduced the Pharm.D course in India from the academic year 2008. The duration of the course is six years.

The Pharm.D course syllabus is designed to give due emphasis to the following focal points:

• Pharmaceutics
• Medicinal Biochemistry
• Pharmaceutical Microbiology
• Pharmacognosy & Phytopharmaceuticals
• Pharmaceutical Analysis
• Clinical Research, etc.

Some of the top colleges in India for Pharm.D course are enlisted below:

• JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore
• Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kattankulathur Campus, Kanchipuram
• Acharya Institute of Technology, Bangalore
• Jaipur National University, Jaipur
• VELS University, Chennai
• Smt. Sarojini Ramulamma College of Pharmacy, Mahbubnagar, etc.

Here there are few cities which have top colleges for Pharm.D in India are listed as below.

• Pharm.D Colleges in Kerala
• D.Pharma Colleges in UP

The basic eligibility criteria for pursuing Pharm.D course in India is Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects along with one of the following subjects: Mathematics or Biology with minimum 50% marks. The Pharmacy Council of India prescribes the number of Pharm.D course admissions from time to time, and presently it is restricted to 30 students intake for Pharm.D course per academic year. The D Pharm course job scope and employment are extensive and secure, while there are abundant research options.

Pharm.D Course Quick Links:

• Introduction to Pharm.D Course
• Reasons for Opting for Pharm.D
• Entrance Exams for Admission into Pharm.D
• Preparation Tips for Pharm.D Course
• Subjects in the Pharm.D Curriculum
• Fees for Pharm.D Course
• Syllabus in Pharm.D Curriculum
• Eligibility Criteria for Admission into Pharm.D Course
• Admission Procedure for Pharm.D Course
• Job Opportunities for Pharm.D Course
• Salary Package for Pharm.D Course
• Top Pharm.D Colleges in India
• Correspondence Pharm.D

What is Pharm.D Course?

Pharm.D course, whose full form is Doctorate in Pharmacy is a doctorate course. 'Pharm.D' is a Latin term which stands for 'Pharmacia Doctor' which means 'Doctor of Pharmacy'. Pharm.D course is a registrable qualification under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Pharmacy education in India is regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India [PCI].

The curriculum of the Pharm.D is established in a manner to make the students competent to meet the global demand inpatient medication therapy while trying to improve patient outcomes. The students acquire clinical knowledge and skills to manage patients with chronic or acute illness as well as learning how to collaborate with other healthcare institutes in the Pharm.D course. Once an aspirant has completed the course, students gain skills in selection and therapeutic usage of drugs, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and monitoring of patients, etc.

Doctor of Pharmacy course is focused on classroom theory, penetrative laboratory experiments, and motivated research projects. Only specific PCI approved Colleges can offer Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] courses in India. There is only a limited number of colleges which provides the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Why Choose Pharm.D?

Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] course enables one to prefix the title of 'Dr.' to practise pharmacy as a profession. Pharm.D course is a registrable qualification for practising pharmacy profession under the Pharmacy Act. Many graduates pursue careers in a hospital pharmacy where they are directly involved in patient care working in partnership with physicians, pharmacists and are instructed in increasingly assuming responsibility for medication therapy management.

Pharm.D course job opportunities include eligibility to be medical writers or medical advisors in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical device and managed care companies. Pharm.D course graduates ware entitled to prescribe medications, such as intravenous antibiotics, pain management medication, nutritional supplements, and chemotherapy.

Pharmacists with experience and expertise in consulting, legal practice, drug information, poison control, and pharmacy affairs are in demand as the profession evolves thus resulting in increased scope for Pharm.D course. After completing the D.Pharm course, candidates are also eligible to undertake a PhD programme.

Pharm.D Entrance Exams:

A large number of private and government colleges in India conduct entrance examinations to gauge the merit of the aspirant to grant admission into the Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] course:

• Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test [GPAT]
• All India PG Super Speciality Common Entrance Test [AIPSSCET]
• BITS HD Pharmacy
• Uttar Pradesh Combined Pre-Medical Test [UP-CPMT]
• Punjab Pre-Medical Entrance Test [PMET PMET]
• Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination [UPSEE] Pharmacy

For preparation for the entrance examination, candidates are advised to revise the topics in their bachelor level of education. Candidates should also refer to previous year question paper samples and solve mock question papers for a clear idea of the examination and better performance during the actual exam. 

Pharm.D Course Preparation Tips:

Here are a few familiar preparation tips candidates should follow to clear the entrance exams for Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D]:

• Knowledge of the exam paper pattern: The paramount step in preparing well for the entrance exam is a deep-rooted understanding and comprehension of the paper pattern and the syllabus.

• Effective time management: Focus points should be kept in mind, with particular emphasis on weaker subjects and the daily practice of numerical problems. A timetable should be drawn and the candidate should follow the timeline with dedication and diligence. 

• Enrolling in coaching institutes: A coaching class or a tutor especially for clearing the entrance exam is a bonus as the teacher will help a candidate to focus on weaker zones and will aid in practice and comprehension of topics.

• Practice makes perfect: Candidates should practice and revise before the exam so that it reduces the unnecessary pressure one day before the examination.

Pharm.D Subjects:

The subjects in the Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] course followed in most colleges across the nation are listed below.

• Human Anatomy and Physiology
  
• Pharmaceutics
  
• Medicinal Biochemistry
  
• Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry
  
• Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry
  
• Remedial Mathematics/Biology
  
• Pathophysiology
  
• Pharmaceutical Microbiology
  
• Pharmacognosy and Phytopharmaceuticals
  
• Pharmacology
  
• Community Pharmacy
  
• Pharmacotherapeutics
  
• Pharmaceutical Analysis
  
• Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
  
• Medicinal Chemistry
  
• Pharmaceutical Formulations
  
• Hospital Pharmacy
  
• Clinical Pharmacy
  
• Biostatistics and Research Methodology
  
• Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
  
• Clinical Toxicology
  
• Reseaclinical
  
• Pharmacoepidemiology
  
• Pharmacoeconomics
  
• Clinical Pharmacokinetics
  
• Pharmacotherapeutic Drug Monitoring
  
• Clerkship

Pharm.D Course Fees:

The course fees for Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] course is INR 50,000 to INR 2 lakhs per annum. This valuation differs based on the prestige, infrastructure and faculty of the institution or college or university of admission of the aspirant as well as government and management quotas. 

Pharm.D Course Syllabus:

The course syllabus pursued according to the curriculum in the Doctorate of Pharmacy [Pharm.D] course is tabulated below.