The Onset of Pharmacy
Indian
pharmacy education was established by the Portuguese in 1842, but it was not
until 1937 that Varanasi's Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh, introduced
degree programs in pharmacy. Getting a Diploma
in Pharmacy (D. Pharm) is the requirement in India for practicing as a
pharmacist, which is rewarded after two years and three months of completion of
the program. The profession of pharmacy is dominated by diploma-trained
pharmacists. Additionally, various universities and colleges in India offered
higher degrees, such as the Bachelor
of Pharmacy (B.Pharm), the Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) and the Ph.D. In
2008, the number of private institutions offering a practice-based Doctor of
Pharmacy (Pharm D) degree program surged.
Ancient
knowledge and traditions in India date back thousands of years. For treating
various diseases, traditional healers used to extract medicine from a variety
of sources including animal, vegetable, and mineral sources. It was common for
traditional medicines to be prepared empirically by a few experienced people
and the traditional knowledge of that system typically remained within the
family. Despite this, there were no scientific methods for standardizing the
drugs. As the British traders became the rulers, they introduced the western or
allopathic system to India. State patronage was given to this system during the
British Empire. By the end of the 19th century, it had become popular among the
people.
Career as a Pharmacist
A career
in pharmacy can be divided into three sections.
1) Practice Setting - included Community, Hospital, Clinical
2) Industry - Production, Quality Assurance, R&D, Quality
Control, Packaging, Regulatory, Sales & Marketing
3) Other Settings - Academics, Clinical Research, Regulatory,
Teaching, Research.
By this,
one can easily assume that Pharmacy is a very versatile, increasingly diverse
profession and holds endless opportunities for young professionals. However, in
the eye of the public, the importance of pharmacist and their contribution to
the field of medicine is not given its due recognition. In the present scenario
owing to the pandemic, the world has realized the power of the pharmaceutical
industry. Pharmacists finally have been being recognized for their contribution
to the health of the nation.
The
pharmacist can help with queries about health issues, missed doses, what
affects the medication from foods, drinks, drugs, or activities. Fundamentally
speaking, their expertise lies in medicine.
Learning Areas in Pharmacy
Depending
on the course selected, pharmaceutical education generally involves theory classes,
practical classes, examinations, industrial or hospital training. The
Department of Pharmacy at the Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai, has
introduced Pharmacy courses with the objective of providing the best pharmacy
education in the Northeast region of India by developing efficient and
confident pharmacy professionals by imparting professional knowledge while
giving them the appropriate practical hands-on experience of the field. This is
also done by maintaining the pharmaceutical education at par with other leading
institutes providing similar education in the field, up-to-date research in
order to provide technical standards and workforce in the area of pharmacy,
and, also to promote research and development activities, social harmony and peace
in the health care system in North-east India.
Arunachal University of Studies has become one of the best B Pharma College in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India.
