Job Opportunities After Diploma in Pharmacy in India & Abroad

Pharmacy is a scientific branch encompassing medicine research, development, and distribution. It also includes clinical business functions and the management of pharmaceutical operations and marketing. A Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharma) is a good way to get started in this rewarding professional field. Graduates can work as pharmacists, assistant professors, clinical pharmacists, and more. Per Glassdoor, pharmacists in the US earn an annual salary of $1,25,956, whereas $111,583 in Canada.

What is D Pharma

D Pharma is a diploma program for aspirants who wish to embark on a career in the pharmaceutical-related field. It is usually a full-time and two-year course that prepares learners for working under the guidance of licensed pharmacists across pharmacies, hospitals, government organizations, medical centers, and more such establishments. 

Moreover, if you are looking to work in pharmaceutical or Biotech firms, you may choose to take up a B Pharma course after completing this program, since the scope in B Pharma is also high globally.

Top Industries to Work in After D Pharma

There are several career options after D pharmacy for graduates. Some of the avenues include the following: 

• Government and private hospitals- Pharmacists have a crucial role to play in hospitals, managing the procurement and supply of drugs and inventory. They also take care of catering to medicine requirements based on prescriptions and the needs of doctors. 
• Clinics and healthcare centers- Graduates have various roles to play in clinics as well, which are similar to those in hospitals. 
• Private drug stores and pharmacies- Job roles include pharmaceutical management, supply and inventory, filling prescriptions, and catering directly to customers. 
• Pharmaceutical firms- Professionals may be required to take care of early-phase clinical trials while reviewing marketing materials and evaluating comparable products. The medical liaison may be another vital job role in this case. Pharmaceutical sales and marketing may also be other job duties in this arena, along with drug development, evaluation, testing, and compliance. 
• Research laboratories- These professionals mainly function in a laboratory environment, helping formulate and develop new drugs and evaluating existing products. Testing and managing drug pipelines are other crucial responsibilities in most cases. They also take care of the clinical development of drug candidates throughout all trial phases and examinations. 
• Regulatory agencies- Aspirants may also work at regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They may have to evaluate product quality and ensure that it complies with regulatory standards across the pre-clinical and discovery stages to clinical and post-marketing processes. Other responsibilities may include regulatory intelligence, labeling, promotion, operational support, publishing, and controls. Some may also find work as pharmacovigilance or drug safety officers at various government agencies, tracking drug safety throughout the lifecycle and offering patient education. 

Job Opportunities After D Pharma

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the burgeoning demand for a state-of-the-art healthcare system, job openings in the pharmaceutical industry are on the rise globally. 

Here is a brief insight into available jobs after D pharma and salary structures in India and abroad.

Foreign Countries

Per Payscale, the average annual salary of a pharmacist is approximately $118,231 (₹ 96.74 lakh). But that is not the only profession that you can explore. Here are some of the job opportunities after D pharmacy abroad, along with their average annual salaries as per Payscale.

• Pharmacy Manager- These professionals interact with customers and manage the operations of pharmacies. Their average annual salary is $133,388 (₹ 1.08 crore). 
• Clinical Pharmacy Specialist- They work with healthcare establishments for patient care and support doctors with recommendations. These professionals earn approximately $112–150,000 (₹ 91.84 lakh to ₹1.23 crore) per year. They enable patients to take proper doses of prescribed medicines, while offering guidance on storage, side effects, and drug interactions. 
• Pharmacy Director- These professionals are responsible for the management of pharmacy operations, while supervising pharmacy workflows, performance tracking, and vendor coordination. They earn annually around $125–177,000 (₹1.02 crore to ₹1.45 crore).
• Medical Science Liaison- They are the bridge between sponsors, pharmaceutical companies, and researchers/scientists for clinical trials, product development, regulatory adherence, and many other aspects. These professionals earn $119–189,000 (₹ 97.58 lakh to ₹1.54 crore) per year. 

India- 

Graduates also get multiple career options after D pharma in India. Let’s have a look at what graduates can expect to earn as per Indeed. 

• Clinical Pharmacists- The national average salary is around ₹2.40 lakh per year. 
• Pharmacy Director- Average salaries are approximately ₹7.5 lakh per year. 
• Staff Pharmacist- Average salaries hover around ₹1.8 lakh per year. 
• Medical Writer- Average salaries stand at around ₹2.5 lakh per year.
• Retail Pharmacist- They may earn average salaries of ₹2.2 lakh per year
• Pharmaceutical Consultant- They earn ₹6-7 lakh per year on average.
• Pharmaceutical Scientist- They earn salaries of ₹400,000 per year and upwards. 
• Drug Inspector- They earn average salaries of ₹4.8-5 lakh per year and upwards. 
• Drug Safety Associates- Average salaries hover around ₹400,000 annually and upwards for these professionals. 
• Pharmacy Technician- Pharmacy technicians earn average salaries of ₹1.8-2 lakh per year and upwards. 

Top Recruiters for D Pharmacy Graduates 

Per Indeed, here are some of the top recruiters in the USA: 

• Memorial Care
• State of Louisiana
• Kaiser Permanente
• US Military Treatment Facilities under DHA
• Multi-Care Health System
• Costco Wholesale
• Walmart
• Rite Aid
• Kroger
• Express Scripts
• Publix
• Kmart
• Safeway
• Stanford Health Care
• MWIDM Inc.
• Dignity Health

Some other top recruiters include Walgreen Co., Humana, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, HCA, Inc., Cigna Corporation, Pfizer, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Johnson & Johnson, MedStar Health, and more. 

Here are some of the leading recruiters for D Pharma graduates in India: 

• Aurobindo Pharma Limited 
• Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited
• Cadila Healthcare Limited
• Lupin Limited 
• Glenmark Pharma Limited
• Cipla Limited
• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
• Biocon Limited
• Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited
• Mankind Pharma Limited
• Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited
• Wockhardt Limited
• Abbott India Limited
• Divis Laboratories Limited
• Piramal Enterprises Limited

Requirements for D Pharma 

Studying D Pharma is possible if you meet specific eligibility requirements that may vary across countries and institutions. Here are some general guidelines: 

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant or scientific discipline as may be required by the institution. 
• Some universities may need experience working in pharmaceutical medicine. 
• Some institutions may also have specific GPA or grade requirements. 
• Scores in English language proficiency examinations like TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE may be required. 

To sign off, it can be said that there are numerous fulfilling job opportunities after D pharma, both in India and abroad. If you want to be part of a sector that directly contributes towards public health and safety, then you should go ahead and pursue a career in the field.