PharmD or Doctor of Pharmacy is one of the new courses introduced in the Indian pharmaceutical education. Pharmacy is considered as the field that leads the community towards a healthy life. In India, the role of a pharmacist is confined to the field of study and industry. The actual and absolute role of a pharmacist is always least bothered or almost ignored in present scenario. The first and foremost role of a pharmacist is to make the patient feel happy about his health and provide better advices for the patient apart from dispensing medicine. Pharmaceutical science is considered to be an independent branch of science that deals with all aspects of drugs and pharmaceuticals and a pharmacist is expected to be crucial in patient care and counselling.
  
With respect to the manufacturing of various pharmaceuticals, India stands among the top 10 makers in the world. As of now there are thousands of pharmaceutical companies which are engaged in producing quality drugs and dosage forms in India. To support, the tremendous growth and expansion of the healthcare sector, the pharmaceutical industry is making required changes in the manufacturing standards, quality control practices, research activities and clinical practices. These positive developmental changes in the pharmaceutical world have resulted in the growing demand for well qualified pharmacy professionals with theoretical knowledge, practical experience & right approach.

As far as pharmacy educational programmes are concerned PharmD is considered to be an ever challenging programme. PharmD was first introduced in the United States; the curriculum was prepared as per their healthcare system primarily focusing on the practical work implementation. The main goal behind introducing PharmD programme is to put the pharmacy education in heights and to provide better services to the citizens on health grounds. On similar lines, recently Pharmacy Council of India has taken a decision to introduce PharmD or Doctor of pharmacy programme here in India in order to improve India’s healthcare system. This programme has also been approved by the Government of India. The duration of this course is six years. The period of six years 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 during sixth year involving posting in specialty units of hospitals.  In the sixth year, Internship or residency training student should independently provide the clinical pharmacy services to the allotted wards as follows;

(i)  Six months in General Medicine department, and
(ii) Two months each in three other specialty departments 

PCI approved 22 colleges to start PharmD course for the academic year 2008-09 through out India. According to rules and regulations given by the PCI, the institutions which are starting the PharmD course should provide 300 bed hospital facilities. Initially PCI has given permission for a period of one year and it would be renewed on yearly basis. At present there are 39 PharmD colleges in India. The list of all colleges with complete address is placed in www.pci.nic.in website. The institutions have to apply for renewal six month prior to expiry of initial permission. Eligibility for this course is 10+2 in M.P.C or Bi.P.C or equivalent exam and the intake is 30 seats per institution.

Another programme also introduced along with PharmD that is, Pharm.D Post Baccalaureate programme which consists of 10 seats in a single batch.  It is three-year programme with two years of study and one year internship or residency. The completion of B.Pharmacy course is minimum admission criteria for Pharm.D Post Bacca-laureate programme. Recently, PCI approved four colleges to run the PharmD Post Baccalaureate Programme in Andhra Pradesh for the academic year 2009-10 (list of Colleges is placed in www.pci.nic.in. The subjects in these programmes include, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmaceutics, Medicinal Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry, Pathophysiology, Phytopharmaceuticals, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Clinical Research, Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharma-coeconomics, Clinical Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacotherapeutic Drug Monitoring, Clerkship, Project work (Six Months).

The PharmD curriculum is designed to produce a scientifically and technically competent pharmacist who is capable of providing maximum healthcare services to patients. Students are provided with the opportunity to gain greater experience in-patient close cooperative relationships with health practitioners. It is the goal of all pharmacy schools to prepare pharmacists who can assume expanded responsibilities in the care of patients and assure the provision of rational drug therapy.

The opportunities for the PharmD graduates are many more. The following are some of the numerous and diverse career options available
to PharmD Graduates

v Community Pharmacy
v Hospital Pharmacy
v Pharmaceutical Industry
v Pharmacy Education
v Bio-medical research
v Geriatric Pharmacy
v Governmental Agencies
v Home Healthcare

PharmD is one of its rare kinds of courses, by studying one is eligible to write exams in United States to become a pharmacist. However, there are number of job opportunities for PharmD graduates in United States. Once graduated in the field of pharmacy, they can work in a pharmaceutical industry and other related research laboratories. But if you have a passion to work in drug stores (Pharmacist) in United States, they need to obtain license to practice. For this pharmacy graduates should have 5-years degree and they need to pass the examinations called Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) which is conducted by National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to assess individual’s competency and knowledge so that they may be given license to practice. In India, there are no such examinations to assess the pharmacy graduates.

But there are so many unanswered questions in the minds of scientists and academicians. Whether our PharmD curriculum meets the requirements to get registered as pharmacist in the US? What is the future of PharmD graduates, if the hospitals are not providing employment? To solve these problems there is only one way that is boosting the healthcare system and making people aware of their health and the role of a pharmacist. If this is going to happen then a pharmacist gets to serve the society as required.