Top reasons to study pharmacy in 2021

A doctor and nurse are incomplete without me

- A Pharmacist

So, you are interested in a healthcare career but are skeptical about which path to take. If you are zealous about chemistry and want to be a part of major innovations in medication therapy, then Pharmacy is for you. Do you know that India is the only country with the largest number of US-FDA-compliant pharma plants?

The pharmacy has been a developing and growing industry for many years. It attracts ample students who want to help people stay healthy and love to work directly with patients. Covid-19, one of the major black swan events has made us realise the importance of pharmacists from testing to developing vaccinations.

This article is an attempt to shed some light on the hot topic - Is it worth becoming a pharmacist in 2021.

The simple answer is YES. Why? Let’s explore.

Sought-After Profession

Irrespective of whether you are living in a small city or the capital of your country, pharmacists are in high demand. Drug stores are everywhere from universities to MNCs and near residential localities.

Walk a little out of your home and you will come across many on your way. This denotes the enormous demand for both pharmacists and medicines. Coming to salaries, this profession certainly offers lucrative packages. According to recent statistics, the median pay for a pharmacist in the USA was around 128,000 USD per year in 2019.

Flexible Hours

Other medical professionals like doctors and nurses generally have a tighter and a fixed schedule as compared to pharmacists who have an easier schedule as they do not usually deal with emergencies.

The employees have the flexibility to:

• Work in shifts
• Part-time work
• Can work and continue to study at the same time

The job has not much stress and pressure involved. It certainly varies from patient to patient as some can be more demanding than others. But at the end of the day, you don’t need to be involved in any major surgeries or make critical decisions for patients.

What you need to do at the end of the day is to prescribe the appropriate medicines and help people know how to use them safely.

Directly interacting with people

If you are passionate about building relationships with other people, then you are advised to choose pharmacy as a career path. Pharmacists manage patient-centered care and help choose suitable medicines depending on the medical conditions, lifestyle, and other factors.

Pharmacists also work in the laboratories with other colleagues to execute research, develop new pharmaceutical practices within specific business entities, clinical trials, quality assurance and take part in regulatory and medical affairs. They work with doctors to make sure that patients are receiving the correct medications.

People-person benefit a lot from this degree as different people share their problems in detail so that you can suggest to them the correct advice and medicines. For that, you need to brush up on some skills like active listening and showing empathy.

Working as a pharmacist will truly accomplish your human interaction needs.

Help people recover

One definitely cannot neglect the importance of pharmacists in the healthcare system. From prescriptions to over-the-counter drugs, pharmacists are everywhere for people to help them stay healthy.

There are fewer cases when pharmacists might even develop the medicine on the spot, using a laboratory, or in the drug store. The responsibilities transform with where they work. If they are working with doctors in a hospital, they might have to decide the right dosage for certain prescriptions.

f one becomes a pharmacist in a smaller community, then the job involves vaccinating people and keeping them informed about the latest medical issues.

Pharmacists must pay close attention to the patient’s previous medical history and the drugs they sell. Different people can have strong adverse reactions to some medicines which might put their lives in danger. You need to prescribe the perfect combination of medicines.

A plethora of pharmacy specialisations

If you can plan to have a pharmacy degree, we recommend not to be confined to general pharmacy degrees. Select from different specialisations for your studies and future career:

• Research Pharmacy
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Community Pharmacy
• Addiction Pharmacy

Affordable Pharmacy degrees

Pharmacy degrees are generally economical and are less expensive as compared to other medical programmes. There are many colleges available providing bachelors and medical programmes.

Are you seeking out a good opportunity in North India? Then, Chandigarh University is one of them providing decent undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Several online Pharmacy degrees available

Another feather to the cap about online Pharmacy degrees is that they can be done from anywhere in the world. Online Pharmacy degrees eliminate barriers between students and universities.

You can get international exposure from the comfort of your home. Online Masters is extremely common among pharmacists who want to boost their knowledge and are looking for vocational advancement. Virtual education has certainly supported a lot of people during this pandemic.

Get ready to dispense drugs, recommend the right medicines, and offer people the best medical advice.

For more information on admission process of Chandigarh University, click here

Note: The views expressed in this article are that of the institute and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha