All about Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharma)

Introduction to Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the science and art concerned with the preparation and standardization of drugs. Its scope includes the cultivation of plants that are used as drugs, synthesis of chemical agents and development of medicines for mankind. Pharmacists are also responsible for preparation of dosage forms of drugs, the synthesis of chemical compounds of medicinal value and analysis of medicinal agents for the benefit of living organisms.

The pharmacists are also responsible for the preparation of the dosage forms of drugs, such as tablets, capsules and sterile solutions for injection. In simple words the science that embraces knowledge of drugs with special reference to the mechanism of their action in the treatment of disease is pharmacy/pharmacology.

Brief introduction to Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharma)

Diploma in Pharmacy or D.Pharma is a diploma level course that can be studied after the completion of PUC or 10+2 classes. The course is designed to prepare candidates to work under the supervision of licensed pharmacists in hospitals, community pharmacies and other pharmaceutical related fields.

The D.Pharma course is designed to familiarise candidates with the basic concepts of pharmaceutical sciences. The main aim of the course is to prepare the students with necessary skills and academic knowledge required for entry-level positions in retail pharmacies as well as pharmaceutical companies.

Eligibility for D.Pharma Courses

The students who have completed their PUC or 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Zoology, Botany from a recognised board are eligible to apply for Diploma in Pharmacy or D.Pharma course.

Admission to D.Pharma course

The students can take admission to D.Pharma by two modes of admissions (1) Merit Based Admissions and (2) Direct admissions.

1. Merit Based Admission

There are many institutes that conduct institution-based entrance exams for the selection of candidates under merit admissions. The students with high marks are selected for D.Pharma seats in these reputed institutes. The main idea of conducting entrance exams is to filter the deserving candidates from non-serious candidates. The fees are fairly nominal for merit seats.

2. Direct Admissions

The students also have the option to get admission to D.Pharma course by another mode, that is through direct admissions. Under this mode the students can choose to take direct admissions without applying for any entrance exams. The students who are opting direct admissions are given special privileges, where they have an option to choose their desired colleges for their study. The best part is that the students can book their D.Pharma seats even before the starting of the academic year. The fees are slightly higher for direct admission procedures.

Syllabus for D.Pharma Course

The students of D. Pharma will be studying the following subjects during their course duration:

• Pharmaceutics
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Health Education and Community Pharmacy
• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
• Drug Store Business Management
• Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy

Career and Scope after D.Pharmacy

There are few career opportunities available after the completion of a diploma in pharmacy course. The D.Pharma students can join as Pharmacists in some community pharmacy stores, pharmacy shops in hospitals and clinics. They can also join as pharmacy assistants in individual pharmaceutical shops.

Job Roles available after D. Pharma

There are few roles available after D.Pharma course they are:

• Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Assistant
• Medical Transcriptionist
• Medical Representative

Salary packages for D. Pharma Students

The average fresh D.Pharma students will be earning a decent salary package of around 2 lakhs to 4 lakhs per annum. The experienced pharmacists will be earning around 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs per annum. The salary depends upon the location and the recruiters.

Top Recruiters for D.Pharma Students

There are few recruiters that hire D.Pharma students they are:

• Apollo Pharmacy
• Frontline Pharma
• Cipla
• Glaxo Smith
• Shilpa Pharmaceuticals
• Mediplus
• Netmeds
• PharmEasy

Final Words

The diploma in pharmacy gives the basic understanding of the pharmaceutical concepts to the students. Students after the completion of their D.Pharma can choose to join any pharmaceutical shop or open their own pharmacy shops. The job options are comparatively bit less in companies for D.Pharma students when compared to B.Pharm or M.Pharma students. The D.Pharma students can easily land in lucrative jobs, if they join and complete B.Pharma courses. The students who are interested to take up pharmacy as their career can join the D.Pharma course as a starting step for a promising career in Pharmacy.