Bachelor of Pharmacy: Course, Eligibility, And Prospects

If you are striving to build your career in the medical field then you must be aware of the wide range of degree programs available. Besides MBBS, there are a number of professional Medical science courses to pursue which are both rewarding and respectable. Even though the healthcare sector has seen tremendous growth in the past decade, a lack of experienced professionals in the field remains a cause of concern. To overcome the burden, new specialized courses and posts are being created and the roles of the existing ones are being more defined. Pharmacy courses, especially the Bachelor of Pharmacy, have become one of the popular and most pursued courses for a large number of aspirants who want to progress in this sector.  This degree program equips the students with the professional skills to jumpstart a career in the pharmaceutical industry. In this blog, we will shed light on the various aspects of the B. Pharmacy course. 

Course Level	Undergraduate
Full-Form	Bachelor in Pharmacy
Duration	4 years
Examination Type	Semester
Average Initial Salary	INR 3.5 – 6 LPA

Bachelor of Pharmacy Course Overview

Pharmacists constitute an integral part of the healthcare system. While doctors are the professionals who diagnose, monitor, and cure diseases, pharmacists are the ones who develop diagnostic procedures and medicines through research. The b pharmacy course is an undergraduate degree program that lays special attention on medicinal research. The degree which ideally spans over 4 years gives a thorough understanding of prescriptions, medications, drugs and how drugs and diseases react in various situations. The Subjects in the course include Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy. The comprehensive course trains you for the vast opportunities offered in the field. You can further boost your career prospects by specializing in any of the below-mentioned courses. 

Pharmacology

The course curriculum of this specialization program in the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree is concerned with studying how drugs react with the human body in different situations. The toxic effects of drugs, their absorption rate, effectiveness and usage of drugs for special cases are the key concepts studied in the Pharmacology specialization.

Clinical Practice

The aim of the specialization program is to teach students about various therapeutic practices, prescriptions, and direct care to patients. Clinical Practice is pivotal in disease prevention, optimizing medication and related processes in the improvement of healthcare which also includes communicating with the patient. 

Microbiology & immunology

Taught alongside the degree program, microbiology and immunology from an important aspect of the b pharmacy course. While Microbiology deals with the study of the anatomy of the micro-organisms like viruses, bacteria, and fungi to help develop medicines to fight disease-causing organisms. Immunology involves the study of the immune system of a human being and how diseases can be prevented. 

Drug Development

The key component of the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program, the drug development course imparts knowledge on the types, nature, usage, and process involved in the manufacturing of drugs. 

Pharmaceutical Technology

This part of the course is completely focused on acquainting the students with the technology used in the drug manufacturing process. It gives hands-on training in operating and understanding the modern technologies used in the industry. 

Also read: Diploma in Pharmacy 

Why Study B Pharmacy?

There are numerous compelling reasons why you should obtain a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. Apart from assisting you in pursuing a career as a Medical Representative, Scientific Writing, Medical Scripting, Clinical Research, and so on, we will go through the extra benefits of getting this degree in detail.

• Government Jobs: You may be able to work for several government organizations and hospitals after completing your bachelor’s degree in pharmacy.
• Working with Patients: In addition to being a pharmacist, you will play an important role in the healthcare system by offering asthma care, cholesterol testing, diabetic disease management, and bone density scans, among other things.
• Working at a retail pharmacy, whether in a healthcare facility or the community, is the most apparent choice for pharmacists. The job includes offering people over-the-counter and prescription drugs, as well as counselling.
• A bachelor’s degree in pharmacy will not only offer you a steady job throughout your career, but it will also provide you with the freedom to pick and work according to your preferences.

Popular B Pharma Course Specializations

B Pharma specializations include the following, which we’ve mentioned below:

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry: Students learn about drug design, testing, and development in pharmaceutical chemistry, as well as how to safely use therapy or medicine. Students also study fundamentals of biology, engineering, and technology that may be used to design new procedures and processes.
• Pharmaceutics: Pharmaceutics is the study of topics related to pharmacies, such as biomedical analysis, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and pharmacodynamics. The creation, design, distribution, and usage of drugs for illness prevention and alleviation are all covered in this topic.
• Pharmacology: It is the study of biological principles in pharmaceutical responses. It comprises looking into the biological impacts, chemical qualities, and therapeutic uses of drugs.
• Ayurveda: This B Pharma speciality teaches students about the Ayurvedic medical system’s drugs and treatments.

Must Read: Diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy

Skills Required for B Pharma

• Both communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
• Medical and scientific research abilities.
• Curiosity and the ability to persuade are both important qualities.
• Business talents include marketing and organizational abilities.
• Both scientific and technological prowess is required.
• A quick memory and a wealth of information.
• Ability to counsel and treat others.
• Medical writing and ethics
• Ability to be persistent and consistent in one’s efforts.
• Adaptability to changing situations.

B Pharmacy Entrance Exams

Entrance Exam	Application Dates	Exam Dates
NEET UG	July 2022	September 2022
PUCET	July 2022	September 2022
MHT-CET	February 10, 2022 – March 31, 2022	2nd week of May 2022
BITSAT	February 2022	June 2022

B Pharmacy Syllabus

SEMESTER I
Human Anatomy and Physiology I – Theory	Human Anatomy and Physiology – Practical
Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry – Practical	Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry I – Theory
Communication Skills – Theory	Communication Skills – Practical
Remedial Biology/ Remedial Mathematics – Theory	Remedial Biology – Practical
Pharmaceutical Analysis I – Practical	Pharmaceutical Analysis I – Theory
Pharmaceutics I – Theory	Pharmaceutics I – Practical

SEMESTER II
Human Anatomy and Physiology II – Theory	Human Anatomy and Physiology II – Practical
Biochemistry – Theory	Biochemistry – Practical
Computer Applications in Pharmacy – Theory	Computer Applications in Pharmacy – Practical
Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry I – Theory	Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry I – practical
Pathophysiology – Theory	Environmental Science – Theory

SEMESTER III
Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry II – Theory	Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry II – Practical
Pharmaceutical Microbiology – Theory	Pharmaceutical Microbiology – Practical
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry I – Practical	Physical Pharmaceutics I – Practical
Physical Pharmaceutics I – Theory	Pharmaceutical Engineering – Practical
Pharmaceutical Engineering – Theory	——–

SEMESTER IV
Physical Pharmaceutics II – Theory	Physical Pharmaceutics II – Practical
Medicinal Chemistry I – Theory	Medicinal Chemistry I – Practical
Pharmacology I – Theory	Pharmacology I – Practical
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry I – Theory	Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry III – Theory

SEMESTER V
Pharmacognosy Phytochemistry II – Theory	Pharmacognosy Phytochemistry II – Practical
Pharmacology II – Theory	Pharmacology II – Practical
Industrial Pharmacy I – Theory	Industrial Pharmacy I – Practical
Medical Chemistry II – Theory	Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence – Theory
Herbal Drug Technology – Practical	——-

SEMESTER VI
Medical Chemistry III – Theory	Medical Chemistry III – Practical
Pharmacology III – Theory	Pharmacology III – Practical
Herbal Drug Technology – Theory	Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics – Theory
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology – Theory	Quality Assurance – Theory

SEMESTER VII
Pharmaceutical Analysis III – Theory	Pharmaceutical Analysis III – Practical
Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics I	Pharmacognosy IV
Pharmacology IV – Theory	Pharmacology IV – Practical
Pharmaceutical Technology IV – Theory	Pharmaceutical Technology IV – Practical

SEMESTER VIII
Medical Chemistry IV – Theory	Medical Chemistry IV – Practical
Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics II	Biopharmaceutics
Pharmacognosy	Clinical Pharmacy – Theory
Pharmacokinetics	Clinical Pharmacy – Practical

Must Read: B Pharmacy Syllabus

Eligibility Criteria

Here are the eligibility criteria to secure admission in the Bachelor of Pharmacy course, both in India and Abroad.

India

To secure admission to this professional undergraduate degree program, students have to clear the entrance exams conducted by the medical institutes. To be able to apply for the b pharmacy course, you must have passed your 12th class exam with BiPC subjects i.e. Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. The reputed medical colleges and institutions receive a number of applications for the course which makes it among the toughest undergraduate exams. But using a strategic study plan, you can crack the entrance exam easily. 

Abroad

Basic B Pharma eligibility requirements for enrolling in a B Pharma programme at a foreign university vary from country to country. The following are the essential requirements for B Pharma eligibility:

• A minimum score of 65 per cent from an approved board is needed to pass the class 12 exam.
• 65 to 70 per cent overall across five academic courses.
• The student must pass language proficiency tests like the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
  • TOEFL: 80
  •  PTE: 58
  •  IELTS: 6.5

Admission Process

Admissions to the B Pharma programme are based on both a merit list and an entrance exam. The required percentage in the qualifying exams and 10+2 is 50% for students interested in pursuing a B Pharma degree. The national level B Pharma entrance exam is available for students to take, as well as state-level admission tests like the TS EAMCET, AP EAMCET, BCECE, and WBJEE, among others.

• B Pharma Admission by Merit List: The major admissions criterion used by colleges and universities is the applicants’ qualifying exam scores.
• Admission through an entrance exam: Admission to the B Pharma programme through an entrance exam is offered by a number of colleges and universities. The results of the candidates’ B Pharma entrance exams determine whether they are admitted.

Bachelor of Pharmacy: Top Universities

Studying a b pharmacy course abroad not only enhances your knowledge and skills but also increases your chances of being recruited by the top companies as the institutions abroad have close links with the industry specialists. Listed below are some of the renowned institutions offering this degree program: 

QS Pharmacy Rankings 2023	College Name	Country	B Pharma Course Fees
4	University of Oxford	United Kingdom	INR 34,00,000
57	Monash University	Australia	INR 20,92,900
5	Harvard University	United States	INR 35,54,730
=34	University of Toronto	Canada	INR 28,01,500
8	UCL	United Kingdom	INR 25,16,200
2	University of Cambridge	United Kingdom	INR 25,67,400
114	University of Nottingham	United Kingdom	INR 9,21,430
44	University of California, San Francisco	United States	INR 32,16,300
=102	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	United States	INR 12,45,400
28	University of Manchester	United Kingdom	INR 23,33,700

Jobs and Salary

Depending on the job role and the type of company, the monthly salary of a Pharmacy graduate can range between 60,000-1 Lakh INR. Here is the list of the most suitable job profiles after B.Pharma:

Job Profiles	B Pharm Salary
Medical Writer	NR 4 – INR 6 LPA
Clinical Researcher	INR 5 LPA
Drug Inspector	INR 8 – INR 14 LPA
Medical Representative	INR 3 – INR 6 LPA
Pharmacy Business	INR 7 – INR 10 LPA
Hospital Pharmacist	INR 3 – INR 4.5 LPA
Chemical Technician	INR 5 – INR 8 LPA
Health Inspector	INR 5 – INR 8 LPA

Top Recruiters

Indian Recruiters	International Recruiters
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.	Johnson & Johnson
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.	Roche
Divis Laboratories Ltd.	Bayer
Cipla Ltd.	Abbott
Biocon Ltd.	Merck & Co
Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.	Pfizer
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.	Celgene
Lupin Ltd.	GlaxoSmithKline
Cadila Healthcare Ltd.	AbbVie
Abbott India Ltd.	AstraZeneca
Alkem Laboratories Ltd.	Bristol-Myers Squibb
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.	Daiichi Sankyo

Relevant Read: Why Pursue an MBA after B Pharmacy?

Career Prospects

A career in Pharmacy can be exciting and equally rewarding. With the emergence of modern technologies, the health sector has seen tremendous growth which has led to the rising demand for professionals in the field. After completing your undergraduate degree, you can either pursue Pharmacist courses like an M.Pharm  degree or can start working in the industry. A number of job profiles are available after completing your b pharmacy course degree.

From Hospitals and community pharmacies to working as a lecturer or as a sales professional, the degree opens the door to a wide range of career opportunities. Pharmaceutical Companies like Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Amgen are among the potential recruiters for B.Pharma graduates.

Must Read: Best Courses after B.Pharmacy

FAQs

By providing a dynamic working environment and a lucrative salary, a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree opens an array of career opportunities. If you are planning to pursue the degree but are not sure about how to get started with it then the experts at Leverage Edu will guide you throughout the process of university selection and will assist you in completing the admission-related formalities.