PharmD Course in India - Prospects & Constraints

[Guest guest]

Dear Members:

I welcome you all to the new discussion, "Pharm.D. Course in India - Prospects & Constraints". This discussion topic has actually been proposed by Prof. Vijay Thawani sir in the wake of a large number of queries related to the course proping up on various internet educational as well as non-educational fora. Moreover there has been a lot of debate eversince Pharmacy Council of India issued notification for starting this course in May this year, regarding the prospects of this course in India. Though the idea seems to have been conceived with a view to upgrade the standards of pharmacy education in our country and make pharmacy education more patient oriented, several quarters are of the view that considering the fact that clinical pharmacy is still in its infancy in India, there is hardly any scope for the new course within India. The course is of six year duration post 10+2 and of three years post

B.Pharm.

Over the next five days we will thoroughly discuss various pros and cons of the new course as also its prospects in India and abroad. We will also look into the various constraints being faced today in the practice of clinical pharmacy in India and the challenges that the new course as well as the candidates who opt for it are going to face in years to come. Effort will be to have a free and fair discussion without any inhibitions or restrictions whatsoever. By the end of the discussion it is expected that some fruitful suggestions will come up as to how this course can be made really meaningful particularly in the Indian context and how we can make best use of the professionals emerging out of this new course. I wish to make one thing clear at the outset that though PharmD means "Doctor of Pharmacy", its pass-outs shall not be having a priviledge of calling themselves as "doctors"

or that of prescribing drugs to patients since law of the land (Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, Medical Practitioners Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1942 etc) does not permit so. With these few words I urge upon all members of this august forum to bless us with their kind opinion about the course, its prospects, various constraints, challenges, opportunities, strengths, weaknesses and threats so that the younger generation desirous of availing the benefits of this course may get educated and their decision shall be balanced and well thought-out rather than hasty and ill-conceived.

With regards

Dr. Geer M. Ishaq

Assistant Professor

Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences

University of Kashmir

Srinagar-190006 (J & K)

Ph: 9419970971, 9906673100

Website: http://ishaqgeer.googlepages.com

Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Invite them now.