PhD Pharmacy, or Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy, is a doctoral degree course which can be pursued after post-graduation. The minimum course duration is 3 years. The duration can vary as per the rules and regulations of the respective universities and institutes.
PhD Pharmacy is a degree course specifically designed for those who aim to pursue advanced research work in the pharmaceutical field. The course undertakes research work on the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs at a more intense spectrum.
- Course Type: Doctorate
- Course Duration: Minimum of 3 Years
- Examination Type: Semester System
- Eligibility: MPharm or Other Relevant Streams
- Admission Process: Entrance Exam or Merit-Based Admission
- Annual Course Fee: INR 50,000 – INR 4.5 Lakhs
- Top Recruiting Industries: Academic Institutions, Research Facilities, Drug Development and Healthcare Facilities
- Job Positions: Researcher, Pharmacist
- Average Annual Salary: INR 3 LPA – INR 10 LPA
The tuition fees for pursuing a PhD Pharmacy differs as per universities and institutes. The average course fee varies between INR 40,00 to INR 4.5 Lakhs. The course has under itself various course specializations including pharmaceutical sciences, pharmaceutical chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceutics.
The curriculum can also differ according to the course specializations but generally it focuses on imparting an in-depth and intense knowledge, and understanding of the different interdisciplinary aspects of the pharmaceutical field through research and advanced studies.
Some of the Top Colleges for pursuing PhD Pharmacy are:
| NIRF Rank 2020 | College Name | Admission Process | Average Annual Fees | Average Placement Package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali | Entrance Exam | INR 1,27,000 | INR 4.5 LPA |
| 4 | Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai | Entrance Exam | INR 64,500 | INR 3.5 LPA |
| 7 | Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal | Entrance Exam | INR 4,30,000 | INR 4 LPA |
| 9 | JSS College of Pharmacy, Udagamandalam | Entrance Exam | INR 2,84,500 | INR 3 LPA |
| 26 | Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi | Entrance Exam | INR 46,815 | INR 8 LPA |
The areas of study include Research methodology, Information communication technology, Drug discovery and development, Pharmacological screening and assays, Biopharmaceutics, Novel drug delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, Product development, etc. Many universities also offer a dual degree course of MPharm and PhD Pharmacy.
The job opportunities for the students after completing PhD Pharmacy is lucrative in both private and public sectors. The most popular job profiles include Researcher, Pharmacist, Biomedical scientist, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Analytical Chemist, Assistant Professor. The average starting salary can be anywhere between INR 3 LPA to INR 10 LPA as it differs as per the sector and job profile.
What is the PhD Pharmacy Admission Process?
The admission procedure for enrolling in PhD Pharmacy in most of the top institutes in India is generally based on national or state level entrance examinations. At the same time, some other institutes and universities conduct admissions to the doctoral course through merit-based evaluation.
Admissions to this course are often preceded by personal interviews conducted by the respective department faculty of the universities. The admission procedures followed in Indian institutes and universities for PhD Pharmacy course are given below:
- Merit-based Admission: In merit-based admission, the institutes or universities grant admissions to students based on their marks at the postgraduate level.
- Requirements: The minimum requirement to apply for merit-based admission in Indian institutes for PhD Pharmacy is a postgraduate qualification from a recognized Indian college or university. The candidate can have a master’s degree or an equivalent degree in any subject of the Pharmacy stream, or Science stream, with a minimum aggregate mark of 55% at the post-graduation level.
- Online application: Each university or institute conducts admission in the doctoral degree courses as per their respective vacancies. To apply for a PhD program in Pharmacy, the candidate must apply in response to the university’s advertisement of the post of a research scholar. To do so, they need to visit the official website of the respective university or institute and go to the application portal in response to the vacancy or recruitment advertisement.
- Submission of the details: The candidates need to submit scanned copies of their original documents like identification proof, birth-proof, mark sheets, and other related certificates in the format specified by the respective university.
- Interview: After the candidate has successfully applied to the doctoral course, they may be called in for a personal interview by the department faculty of the respective university or institute.
PhD Pharmacy Eligibility Criteria
The minimum eligibility criteria for students who want to pursue PhD Pharmacy in Indian institutes are given below:
- Having a postgraduate degree in any subject of Pharmacy stream or Science stream from a recognized Indian university or institute with a minimum aggregate mark of 55% for candidates of general category, and 50% for candidates of reserved category.
- Qualifying national or state level entrance examinations like NET, SET in a related subject, with a minimum passing marks of 40%.
PhD Pharmacy Entrance Exams
PhD Pharmacy Entrance Exams
The entrance exam conducted for admission to PhD Pharmacy can vary according to universities. The most common entrance examinations are:
- UGC NET: UGC NET is the National Eligibility Test conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) under the aegis of the University Grants Commission. It allows qualifying students to pursue doctoral studies in any discipline in any Indian university or educational institute.
- UGC SET: UGC SET is the State (Level) Eligibility Test under the aegis of the University Grants Commission. It allows qualifying students to pursue doctoral studies in any discipline but only in state institutes.
- CSIR NET: CSIR NET is the National Eligibility Test conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) under the aegis of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. It allows qualifying students to pursue doctoral studies in science and technology disciplines.
- NIPER JEE: NIPER JEE is conducted by National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. By qualifying this exam, students can take admission in their PhD Pharmacy courses.
- AU AIMEE: AU AIMEE is conducted by Annamalai University and stands for Annamalai University All India Medical Entrance Exam. It is conducted for granting admission to qualified students in the PhD Pharmacy courses.
PhD Pharmacy: Why this particular course?
PhD Pharmacy is a doctoral degree course specifically aimed for students who want to pursue advanced studies and research in the pharmaceutical field.
- It offers a thorough and in-depth understanding of subjects in the Pharmacy field and prepares the students to carry out advanced research work. However, several reasons make students want to study this course:
- PhD Pharmacy is an advanced course that imparts an intense understanding of the different aspects of the pharmaceutical field and provides all the resources required for conducting advanced research work.
- This course is perfect for the students who are immensely interested in medical sciences as well as in drug use.
- This course provides the students with a competent degree along with advanced knowledge that can enable the students to pursue post-doctoral studies in the field for further research.
- PhD Pharmacy offers different course specializations that give the students ample options to pursue research in the specialization they want.
- This course offers the students an opportunity to enhance their educational qualifications that further open up job prospects with high pay scales.
PhD Pharmacy vs Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D)
PhD Pharmacy vs Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D)
Both PhD Pharmacy and Pharm. D are doctoral degree courses related to the pharmaceutical field. Hence, often students face some confusions between these courses.
Although the job prospects and employment areas remain more or less the same in both the degrees, there are some differences between them as well.
A comparison between the two courses are given below in a tabulated form for better understanding along with their respective fee and expected salaries.
| Parameters | PhD Pharmacy | Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | It is a doctorate level course that offers students an in-depth and thorough understanding of the pharmaceutical field through advanced research and education. It has under its umbrella various course specializations that provide adequate opportunities for students to pursue an area of research of their liking. | Pharm D is a doctorate level course that prepares the student in managing patient medication therapy by imparting intense and in-depth knowledge through advanced research. |
| Type of Degree | Doctorate | Doctorate |
| Duration | Minimum of 3 years | 6 years |
| Eligibility | Qualifying post-graduation in a subject of Pharmacy discipline or science discipline with a minimum aggregate mark of 55% from a recognized Indian university. | 10+2 or equivalent qualification from a recognized Indian education board, and a diploma in Pharmacy from a recognized Pharm.D college. |
| Exam Type | Semester | Semester |
| Admission Process | Entrance Exam/ Merit Based | Entrance Exam |
| Average Annual Fees (INR) | INR 40,000 – INR 5 Lakhs | INR 6 Lakhs – INR 20 Lakhs |
| Average Starting Salary (INR) | INR 2 LPA – INR 10 LPA | INR 3 LPA – INR 10 LPA |
| Job Profiles | Researcher, Pharmacist, Biomedical scientist, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Analytical Chemist, Assistant Professor | Clinical Pharmacist, Drug inspector, analytical chemist, researcher, retail pharmacist |
| Top Recruiters | Cognizant, Coromandel International Limited, eValueServe, Ranbaxy, Biocon, Piramal, Zydus, GlaxoSmithKline, BioClinica,Indegene, Novartis Pharma AG | Ranbaxy, Lupin, Cadila, Fortis, Max, Sun Pharma, Zydus |
What is the PhD Pharmacy Syllabus?
The syllabus of the PhD program in Pharmacy varies as per course specialization of the discipline and also according to the area of doctoral study.
The general structure that is followed in PhD Pharmacy is provided below.
| Research Methodology | Information Communication Technology |
| Recent Trends in Pharmaceutical Sciences | Modern Topics in Pharmacy |
| Advanced Developments in Pharmaceutical Studies | – |
PhD Pharmacy Subjects
The subjects taught in the PhD Pharmacy course in the Indian universities include subjects related to medical sciences and drug composition and usage. Just like the syllabus, the subjects also vary as per universities, course specializations, and particular areas of research. A general outline of the subjects include in PhD Pharmacy degree course are given below:
| Research methodology | Information communication technology | Drug discovery and development |
| Biopharmaceutics | Novel drug delivery systems | Pharmacokinetics |
| Clinical trials | Development of therapeutic guidelines | Adverse drug reaction |
| Drug information resources | Rational drug use | Essential drug concept |
| Pharmacological screening and assays | Bioavailability & bioequivalence | Product development |
PhD Pharmacy Best Books to Follow
PhD Pharmacy is an advanced degree course for research work in the pharmaceutical field. Hence, the students must have certain skill-sets if they want to successfully pursue this course Some of the best books for students who are pursuing PhD Pharmacy are given below:
| Name of the Book | Author |
|---|---|
| Pharmacology in Rehabilitation | Charles D. Ciccone |
| A Dictionary of Natural Products | Hocking, George MacDonald |
| Case Studies in Pharmacy Ethics | Robert M. Veatch |
| Metal Nanoparticles in Pharma | Mahendra Rai |
| Progress in Medical Chemistry | F.D. King |
PhD Pharmacy Job Prospects and Career Options
PhD Pharmacy offers a thorough understanding and advanced research opportunities in the field of pharmaceutical studies. It imparts on the students all the necessary knowledge regarding the relation between medical sciences and drug use in the most advanced level.
- Since it provides research opportunities, it enables the students to learn product development as well. In-depth understanding and intense advanced curriculum prepare the students for lucrative job prospects.
- The areas of employment for doctoral students of Pharmacy include both private and public sectors.
- Students can find lucrative job prospects with high pay scales after completing PhD Pharmacy in private institutes, research facilities, drug development companies, private practice firms, and also in public universities, and research facilities.
A list of some of the popular job profiles offered to doctoral students of PhD Pharmacy are given below along with their job descriptions and average annual salary:
| Job Profile | Job Description | Average Annual Starting Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | Responsible for researching and working on new drug developments and formulations. | INR 9 LPA |
| Pharmacist | Responsible for properly distributing and dispensing suggested drugs and medicines to patients. | INR 3.5 LPA |
| Biomedical Scientist | Responsible for working on various diseases and their micro-biological causes to formulate the correct treatments and drug applications. | INR 6 LPA |
| Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | Responsible for promoting company drugs by using their knowledge of medical drugs and treatments along with their communication skills. They represent companies and promote their product in healthcare facilities. | INR 1.75 LPA |
| Analytical Chemist | Responsible for determining the formulations, compositions, and development of drugs through organic and inorganic substances. | INR 2.5 LPA |
| Assistant Professor | Responsible for teaching students about the different methods and practices relating to the different aspects of Pharmacy. | INR 5 LPA |