Re: PharmD Course in India

[Guest guest]

Thanks Dr Geer for the attached article.It is indeed a very good and well informed article on the Job prospect of the PharmD in India.some queries i have regarding this course are :- does the PharmD professionals will be equivalent in education as the PhD or PG or are they going to just be a graduate after putting 6 years ??- It is less likely that in next 3 years the hospital pharmacy services in India going to be upto the International Standards, so in that case what are the other options to them ?- What is the future of the M.Pharma in Clinical Pharmacy / Hospital Pharmacy / Pharmacy Practice courses that are run by various universities , these professionals are finding it hard to get jobs in hospitals in India and most of them shifting to CRO's . then in this case what

will be the future of these courses ?- the current B.Pharma course is mainly Industry oriented , and so they can get jobs in the industries , but the PharmD syllabus is completly designed as pharmacy practice intensive, so that means that these persons are devoid of any job opportunity in the large pharmaceutical formulation industry of India.- one good option in sight is the clinical trials as the related laws are agreed to be changed to allow the clinical trials on large scale in India, but already those various diploma courses are there as well as the Pharmacology MPharm students are there, so why the course is then started at a fee that the students are not going to pay back to bank in even 10 years after completing the course (since most of the students now study by bank loans), when the other courses are there that can be completed at a less fee and still make u eligible for same job opportunity or may be more?? -

Its clear that the major intention behind starting this course in India is NAPLEX exam for practicing Pharmacy in US, NAPLEX exam has changed its rule and according to new rules only those professionals are allowed to write the exam that have done 6 year degree in Pharmacy. but then the question is how many students from India write that exam and willing to practice in US ??The decision to start the course is very good and appreciated, but my opinions is that the parents and students must be clearly told about the scope of the PharmD course and the current scenario in its field in India.but instead of that the private universities starting the course created a hype that the course is very new and very good ,with a very lucrative earning potential Regards, Abdul Rehman NagoriM.Pharm (Pharma Chem) ScholarNMIMS Univ, Mumbai Visit Pharma-World WebsiteFrom: ishaqgeer <ishaqgeer@...>netrum Sent: Thursday, 4 December, 2008 7:29:22 PMSubject:

PharmD Course in India - Kind Attn: Dr. Vijay

Dear Sir:

Thanks a lot for your expert opinion on the topic. Truly well qualified, highly skilled and competent clinical pharmacy professionals in our hospitals is the need of the hour, a void that the proposed new course is expected to fill by providing rigorously trained professionals vide six years of focussed training. First batch of PharmD pass-outs will come out in the year 2014 and first batch of post-baccalaurate PharmD candidates shall be ready by the year 2011. Though the situation at present does not seem to be quite promising, it is very likely to change for good by the year 2014. It will be quite rational to expect a paradigm shift in our hospital pharmacy services by that time keeping in view the worldwide growing awareness about the role that a clinical pharmacist can play in dissemination of patient healthcare. With more and more new hospitals coming up in every state, private healthcare sector flourishing at a great pace, greater

government investments in healthcare and sophistication of drug delivery services, it seems that by the year 2014, situation will not be as bad as it is today for trained clinical pharmacists. Hopefully there will be good number of opportunities for the budding new professionals in India. I am stating these facts in the wake of a large number of reservations being expressed regarding the opportunities available to PharmD pass-outs. One such article published in Pharmabiz on November 5th, 2008 is reproduced below for the interest and interaction of netrum members:

With regards

Dr. Geer M. Ishaq

Welcome Pharm D! Where is opportunity?

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 08:00 IST Prof. S. BalasubramanianPharmacy Council of India (PCI) has recently opened a new era in the pharmacy education by starting the Pharm D programme. No doubt, it is a welcome step that is supposed to take the pharmacy profession to a higher level, hitherto unknown to Indian pharmacists. Definitely the PCI president Dr B Suresh and his team deserve appreciation from all the pharmacists. They did a wonderful job in persuading Govt of India to permit such a course. On going through the requirements, the facilities and faculties, syllabus and training published in the website of PCI, one can imagine the homework done by PCI and the committee formed for the purpose.By starting this course, this author's suggestion made 5 years ago for bifurcating B. Pharm and undergraduate level specialization ["Re-energizing pharmacy education - A proposal"

Pharmabiz - 14-8-2003 and "Pharmacy education at cross roads - challenges ahead" -Presentation in 55th IPC Chennai] is being implemented though in a different way. So far so good! However, there are few unavoidable questions which creep into the mind of an onlooker. The foremost one being, where these Pharm. D holders will be employed in India? Without any job provided for these people how the course could succeed? Leave alone educated fore thinking people who asks questions on each and every thing. Think of lay parent who wishes to admit his son or daughter in this course. The first question he asks on introducing this course to him is where my son or daughter will get the job? Is it not? The next question may be on the salary level.What answer the colleges which are starting this course going to give to the anticipating parents? As of now, Pharm D course seems to satisfy the requirements of foreign employment. Well. Then the next

question is how much percentage of these students will get job in abroad? Without any opportunity locally, where they will gain experience, till they go abroad for employment? These questions are not to discourage the people who did a nice job by starting the course, on the other hand, to point out the unfinished and important remaining part of the work, which they must follow it up.Of course knowingly or unknowingly, they have initiated the work, even before starting this Pharm. D programme, by writing to Medical Council of India, sometime back, to start "Department of Pharmacy Services' in all the medical college hospitals. What happened to that request sent to MCI? PCI must come forward and publish the reply from MCI or the follow up action of PCI and/or MCI took on this matter. PCI has knocked at the correct door, but the door is not yet opened. What it proposes to do next?Why our consumer organizations are keeping quiet?

Consumers are being denied the services of graduate and postgraduates pharmacists they deserve. First they should be educated. When modern, potent and complicated medicines are used in hospitals, why a qualified pharmacist is denied his role? Why our MCI and honourable doctors are adamant to employ a bullock cart driver to drive their Benz? MCI must be appreciated the role of a postgraduate pharmacist in safe and rational use of drug, Pharmacovigilance and therapeutic drug monitoring, ADR and drug-drug interactions etc.Lack of ADR monitoring in IndiaIn fact, in a recent IMA Conference at Hyderabad, a foreign invitee pointed out the lack of ADR monitoring in India. It is natural when there is vacuum and nobody appointed to look for ADR and its monitoring. In developed countries, it is being done by [graduate] clinical pharmacists. The Conference might have forgotten that we employ only diploma in pharmacy people as pharmacists here in

India and there is no clinical pharmacy services, why, even pharmacy department in our hospitals!Hence, PCI must constitute a committee and open dialogue with MCI, if necessary, in all other important forums of doctors like IMA etc. It must convince the doctors that the services of highly qualified pharmacists are to help them by providing drug information, patients medication history and patient counselling etc.It is high time the PCI must start working on these lines so that when these Pharm D graduates come out of the colleges, the Department of Pharmacy Services will be available in all the big hospitals. Given the slow movement of files in Govt offices it is not too earlier, as some may think, because Post Baccalaureate, i.e., lateral entry B. Pharm graduates into the Pharm D course will come out in 3 years.Already there are M. Pharm Pharmacy Practice and M. Pharm Pharmacology graduates available, who can also be employed in

place of Pharm. D graduates, as HODs of these departments as an interim or permanent arrangement. Naturally we have to strike a balance between these postgraduates [M. Pharm] and Pharm. D graduates as both undergo a 6 years pharmacy education after +2 they may have to be treated equally. Because of this M. Pharm studies some industry-oriented subjects in their B. Pharm, they can go to industries as well, whereas the Pharm. D holders are specially made for hospital job. Hence, without creating the job preparing manpower for it is akin to putting the cart before the horse!Otherwise the syllabus for Pharm. D programme seems to be adequate, may be in line with the expectations of the developed countries that employ these graduates in their hospitals. One glaring omission noticed by this author is absence of the subject 'alternative systems of medicines' especially our traditional systems like Ayurveda and Siddha in the syllabus. One chapter on this

subject if available in Pharmacognosy paper of II year Pharm D cannot be sufficient as the stakes involved are higher. Even the Western and other countries also use Phytomedicines in large scale. The medicines too have side effects, toxicity due to improper formulation etc. requiring monitoring by pharmacists similar to allopathic drugs.Hence "Phytotherapy" as a subject should be included in the syllabus. As there are only three subjects in the 5th year of the course, it can be inducted there. This also will give a local look to the course and leads to some service to our own people by these "Doctors in Pharmacy". It helps to avoid the image that the course is suitable only for foreign employment.Let us hope our PCI will take it in right spirit and proceed with suitable steps and let our voice of support give them the needed boost and energy to fight for a noble cause!(The author is Ex President of IPGA, Madurai)> >> > Dear Members:> > In the recent years pharmacy education has grown well enough to > generate highly skilled and technical manpower to man the wide > spectrum of pharmaceutical

activities associated with the > manufacture and sale of medicines in the country. Pharma industry is > on an upward growth, with an expected growth of 9 per cent at 20 > billion Euro business by 2015. Currently there are 600 degree and > 500 diploma institutions churning out 50,000 graduates, 35,000 > diploma holders, 1000 post-graduates and about 300 doctorates every > year in India. > > In spite of these facts, pharmacy profession is relatively young > in India and has passed through a chequered path. Today there is a > paradigm shift from the existing industry oriented approach to > service and patient-centered curriculum in pharmaceutical academic > parlance. There is a drastic change in the approach of Pharmacy > Council of India (PCI) to the problems plaguing the profession. > There is also a glaring attitudinal change in the student and >

teachers’ perception of pharmacy profession. All these indications > auger well for the profession in realizing the ultimate objective of > producing a seven star pharmacist. > > In India, although pharmaceutical industry has advanced over the > last 25 years, the pharmacist here continues to be a backroom boy in > a pharmaceutical factory or a salesman in a retail pharmacy. This > image has to change and it can be done only by raising the > educational standards of pharmacists. There has been no serious > attempt to modify the curricula of pharmacy education in India for > several years. Whereas, manufacturing standards, quality control > practices, research activities and clinical practices in this > industry have undergone critical changes during these years.> > With these objectives in mind and with a view to raise the > standards of pharmacy

education in India particularly with respect > to the emerging discipline of clinical pharmacy practice, Pharmacy > Council of India this year started a six-year integrated PharmD > course. The course is expected to produce pharmacy professionals who > could actively and directly contribute in the patient healthcare > system.> > Looking forwar to your inputs.> > With kind 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> > > > > > Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under > one roof. Go to http://in.promos. / groups/> >>

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[Guest guest]

Dear friendsI agree with the comments on high fee structure pointed out by Dr. Anupama and Dr. SantoshThe PCI permitted the colleges with an intake of 30 only keeping in mind to maintain quality education. This prompted the State Councils to prescribe such high fee for Pharm D programmeThe Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education prescribed a fee of Rs. 86,000 per yearIn B. Pharm there will be 60 intake and each student has to pay a fee of Rs. 30,000 in the state of Andhra PradeshAs most of the fee collected goes to the salaries of the teachers and administration expenditure, i feel there is nothing wrong to prescribe such a high fee for Pharm D. Moreover the pay offers expected to be high after completion of Pharm D.I agree with Dr. Anupama's message to start Pharm D in government colleges so that

everybody will be benefited. I am happy to inform that University College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kakatiya University, Warangal already sent the proposals to the University to start Pharm D programme from next academic year.Dr. Srisailam

>

> Dear Shazia Jamshed:

> Thanks for the compliments and your enriching remarks about the

topic of current discussion. You have hit the nail right upon its

head by stating that time has come when the pharmacist should

change his role from a mere dispenser to a caregiver and decision

maker. That is precisely the reason why the initiative taken by PCI

is appreciated by one and all. Somewhere the beginning has to be

made. So far pharmacists in India have not been able to carve out a

niche in so far has their direct involvement in healthcare delivery

is concerned. Many experts blaim the faulty education and training

that has so far been more industry oriented and less inclined

towards pharmacy practice. Even mandatory training at the end of

the B.Pharm. course was being imparted in an industrial set up

rather than a hospital setting. Under these circumstances a dire

need was perceived for a fully clinical oriented course that could

exhaustively train the aspiring students in

> patient healtcare delivery and hence PharmD Course. The remedial

measures suggested by you to bring the existing dilapidated system

back on track are quite laudable and significant. I fully endorse

the same. Besides there is need for regular exposure of PharmD

students to clinical setting right from their very first year

rather than during final year of their course. PharmD candidates

should be constantly exposed to the interface that they are

ultimately going to serve from the very beginning of their course. I

have seen a few letters from your university published in American

Journal of Pharmaceutical Education on this very issue. Can you

kindly throw some light over the assertions made in those

communications and the situation existing in and around the place of

your study vis-a-vis pharmacy practice.

> 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

>

>

>

>

> ____________ _________ _________ __

> From: shazia jamshed <shazia_12@. ..>

> netrumgroups (DOT) com

> Sent: Friday, 5 December, 2008 7:37:35 AM

> Subject: Re: Re: PharmD Course in India - Prospects &

Constraints

>

>

>

>

> Dear Dr Ishaq,

>

> Congrats for taking up this issue of Pharm D course in India-

Prospects and Constraints.

>

> This morning I read the enlightened postings which energize me to

write something on this issue.

>

> As we all know pharmacists being the health information custodian

and the third largest group of health care providers seep into the

changing dynamics of healthcare environment where now patient is

both demanding and receptive for information even on minor

illnesses. To be precise the profession of pharmacy embraces a novel

concept of ‘Pharmaceutical Care’ thus changing the image of a

pharmacist from a dispenser to a decision maker and caregiver. Still

a lot of work is needed to be done to establish the true status of

this underrated healthcare group in the eyes of other stakeholder;

be it a doctor, nurse or a patient.

> A panegyric attempt to provide due recognition to pharmacists as

well as to ascend their numbers pharmacy education has taken strides

with more number of pharmacy institutes in the recent years.

> India will be a role model to follow for developing countries in

terms of Pharmacy Education.

> As per Gazette of India, Part III, Section 4, dated 10th May

2008the Health Ministry has paved the way for Indian pharmacy

practice training and education by giving formal approval for Pharm

D. regulations. The Pharm D course comprises of six academic years

with five years of study and one year of internship and residency in

speciality units with six months in General Medicine Department and

two-months each in other speciality departments. The clerkship

coupled with a research project covering areas of biostatistics and

research methodology as well as concepts of pharmacoeconomics and

clinical research is also in place. Still the fruitful

implementation of any such program in Indianeeds coherence of many

factorsbut for developing countries to follow the same track is not

a bitter pill to swallow.

>

> To produce a worldly competitive Pharm D graduate, Pharmacy

Education System in will exercise following remedial measures both

in curriculum, its implementation as well as pharmacy practice

> * Incorporation of courses of Pharmacoepidemiolog y,

Pharmacoeconomics and Social Pharmacy with Clinical Pharmacy as a

separate entity

> * Formation of an Internal Quality Assurance Committee

(IQAC) within each pharmacy institute ensuring the delivery of

laid down components of the curriculum

> * “Training of the Trainers†by interactive, hands-on

workshop with the help of international faculties to generate

excellence in novel and innovative aspects of curriculum

>

>

> Thanks and Regards

> Shazia Jamshed

>

>

>

>

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