Pharm.D is a Professional Pharmacy Doctoral Programme. ‘Pharm.D’ is a Latin term which stands for ‘Pharmaciae Doctor’ which means ‘Doctor of Pharmacy’. The course is also known as Pharma.D, which many of the medical institutes prefer to term it as such.
It is a registrable qualification under the Pharmacy Act 1948. Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is the regulatory body of Pharmacy education in India, and the whole & sole regulating body of Pharm.D in India .
Introduction in India:
Pharmacy Council of India introduced the 6 years Pharm.D course in India from the academic year 2008. Pharm.D enables one to practice the profession of a Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Doctor of Pharmacy Programs is focused on classroom theory, penetrative laboratory experiments and motivated research projects.
Only PCI approved Colleges can offer Pharm.D course. There are only a limited number of Pharmacy Colleges which provide Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Q: How long does it take to get a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree?
The answer is 6 years (5 years + 1 year internship/residency).
There are 2 types of Pharm.D courses currently in INDIA:
Regulations for both Courses as per PCI 2008
1. Pharm.D – The duration of the course shall be 6 academic years (5 years of study and 1 year of internship or residency) full time with each academic year spread over a period of not less than two hundred working days.
The period of 6 years duration is divided into two phases
Phase I – consisting of First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth academic year.
Phase II – consisting of internship or residency training for sixth year involving posting in speciality units. It is a phase of training wherein a student is exposed to actual pharmacy practice or clinical pharmacy services and acquires skill under supervision so that he or she may become capable of functioning independently.
2. Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate) – The duration of the course shall be for 3 academic years (2 years of study and 1-year internship or residency) full time with each academic year spread over a period of not less than two hundred working days. Read more about Pharm.D(PB)…
Number of seats per college for Pharm.D(Doctor of Pharmacy) in Indian Colleges:
The number of admissions for the Pharm.D. program are prescribed by the Pharmacy Council of India from time to time and is restricted to 30 student’s intake for Pharm.D per academic year as per 2008 regulations.
Pharm.D Eligibility:
- A pass in any of the following examinations –
• 10+2 examination with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects along with one of the following subjects: Mathematics or Biology, OR
• A pass in D. Pharm course from an institution approved by the Pharmacy Council of India under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act, OR
• Any other qualification approved by the Pharmacy Council of India as equivalent to any of the above examinations. - Provided that a student should complete the age of 17 years on or before 31st December of the year of admission to the course.
- There shall be reservation of seats for the students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes in accordance with the instructions issued by the Central Government/State Government/Union Territory Administration from time to time.
Best PharmD colleges in India. List click to view.
Pharm.D colleges to prefer – State wise list. Click to view
Qns: What is the difference between the Pharm.D program and the Ph.D program? Are both programs are same?
Ans: No. A Pharm.D program is not the same as a Ph.D program. Though both programs are similar, they are quite different. A Pharm.D program is tailored for those who want to become pharmacists, while a Ph.D program is tailored for those who wish to pursue a career in research. A Pharm.D program trains students for careers as pharmacists. The curriculum primarily focuses on gaining knowledge of the biological sciences with a clinical component that teaches future pharmacists to be health care providers; whereas, a Ph.D in a pharmacy related topic is more research focused and gives students the opportunity to pursue their own original research project. Students take at least 2-3 years to complete their Ph.D coursework and dissertation, while a Pharm.D program is 6 years long.
In terms of career paths, Pharm.D graduates typically work in a patient care setting, while Ph.D recipients primarily hold positions in academia or in pharmaceutical research settings.