Pharmacy Education In India Research Articles

Pharmacy education 2.0 with special reference to digital India

Indian pharmacy education has grown and changed, producing trained individuals needed in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Pharmacy education in India is reviewed here, noting its merits, weaknesses, and future possibilities. India has many pharmacy schools, with a concentration in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) regulates curriculum and infrastructure. Diploma, undergraduate (B. Pharm), postgraduate (M. Pharm), and doctoral (Ph.D.) pharmacy programs serve students with varied professional goals. Students learn basic pharmaceutical sciences, technology, medication interactions, clinical pharmacy, and regulation to prepare for healthcare careers. Through experiential learning, creative methods, and digital resources, the teaching methods integrate academic knowledge with practical applications. Students' critical thinking and involvement improve with collaborative learning. Quality pharmacy education is ensured by qualified instructors, research culture, and industry exposure. Faculty development programs improve teaching and research skills. Along with academic guidance, student research projects create a research mindset. Industry-academia partnership enhances students' experiences and employability through internships, cooperative research, guest lectures, and technology transfer. Specialization and transdisciplinary programs can help Indian pharmaceutical education meet industrial needs. Focusing on research-oriented learning and sponsoring research projects will boost innovation and science. The merger of AI and precision medicine will prepare graduates for the future of healthcare. Faculty development programs will keep academics current, and industry-government-academia collaboration will solve healthcare problems. Growth requires filling skill gaps, responding to the changing healthcare market, and assuring quality and consistency. Transparency, accountability, and global recognition depend on accreditation. Pharmacy education in India can produce skilled pharmacists that promote healthcare and science by addressing obstacles and embracing the future. Pharmacy education will become a cornerstone of healthcare excellence and innovation in India with ongoing stakeholder initiatives.

Impact of National Education Policy 2020 in Pharmacy

Pharmacy Education is an example of multidisciplinary knowledge approaching education system with broad opportunity of research work, which is supported by the principle of National Education Policy 2020. In this article the Pharmacy practice in India as well as the pharmacy education in India are briefly discussed. The impact of National Educational Policy in Pharmacy is also focussed and critically discussed.

Quality management aspects of pharmacy colleges in India

In the past two decades, pharmaceutical study in India has changed dramatically. The Portuguese established India's earliest pharmacy college in Goa in 1842, and it was the first of its kind in Asia. It was founded in 1932 by Professor Mahadev Lal Schroff (considered the father of Pharmacy Education system in India) at Banaras Hindu University. Since then, the landscape has shifted dramatically, with the number of pharmacy schools springing up all across the nation in response to the growing need. In the past, pharmacy education in India was heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical business and its products. Graduate pharmacists in developing countries choose employment in the pharmaceutical sector, which contrasts with the position in affluent countries. It takes just two years and three months of pharmacy schooling in India to get the right to work as a pharmacist. A large portion of pharmacy practise is conducted by these diploma-trained pharmacists. There hasn't been much focus on the pharmaceutical practise curriculum. More Indian colleges and universities are beginning to provide pharmacy degrees at all levels, including a doctor of pharmacy degree that is focused on practise rather than theory. In 2008, several private colleges and universities began providing a Pharm.

Aspects of Indian pharmacy institutions' quality management: Techniques for improving their academic prospects

Throughout the last 20 years, the landscape of pharmaceutical education in India has undergone significant changes. While the first pharmacy college in Asia was established by the Portuguese in Goa in 1842, it was not until 1932, with the founding of Banaras Hindu University by Professor Mahadev Lal Schroff, that the foundation for the modern pharmacy education system in India was laid. In response to the growing need, a number of pharmacy schools have sprung up across the country since then. The pharmaceutical industry has always had an impact on India's health education, with graduates often opting to work in the industry. However, the education path to becoming a pharmacist in India is relatively short, with just over two years of schooling, resulting in a significant proportion of pharmacy practice being conducted by diploma-trained pharmacists. Unfortunately, this has led to a lack of emphasis on the pharmaceutical practice curriculum. Nevertheless, there is a positive trend in Indian colleges and universities offering pharmacy degrees, including a practice-focused doctor of pharmacy degree. Private institutions began offering this program in 2008. However, there is a lack of research on the current state of pharmacy education in India, with curriculum inadequacies being one of the significant issues. This article aims to highlight these issues and the evolution of the profession through the emergence of the PharmD program. Its content is intended to stimulate debate, critical thinking, and strategic planning towards improving pharmacy education in India.

A Study of Two Great Pharmacists in the Development of Pharmacy Education in India --The Lives of Harkishan Singh and Bhagwan Dass Miglani--

A Study of Two Great Pharmacists in the Development of Pharmacy Education in India --The Lives of Harkishan Singh and Bhagwan Dass Miglani--

Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Implementation of community pharmacists role in treating tuberculosis patients in south India Region

Background: Knowledge, attitude, practice and implementation of community pharmacist role in treating tuberculosis patients. Community Pharmacy education in India faces many challenges. An assessment of the challenges and opportunities of community pharmacist role in eradication of Tuberculosis in India has not been conducted. Methods: This was a cross sectional study A one-day training was conducted in 6th may 2019 in Belagavi , Karnataka state, India. A selected sample of stake holders was invited experts Like Medical education expert in the field of tuberculosis, District Tuberculosis controller officer, Deputy Drugs controller, Assistant Drugs controller. The training Program was conducted by Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, KLE college of Pharmacy, Belagavi in association with District Tuberculosis center Belagavi and Regional office of Deputy Drugs Controller, Belagavi, India. Results: A total of 60 community pharmacists are responded. The lowest number of correct answers were to the questions were Patients with active TB disease can infect people by talking (56.7%), TB is often spread from person to person through sex (53.3%), aware of Public Private mix (PPM) for Tuberculosis control and care (35%), Anti-TB drugs which are contraindicated in pregnancy (35%). Conclusion: There are significant gap in knowledge, Attitude and practice on TB infection and control among community pharmacist. Proper training is essential to overcome the gap between community pharmacist and Government sector to eradicate TB by 2025 from India.

Integration of Pharmacy Education and Pharmacovigilance: Scope and Challenges in India

Abstract: Aim: Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) are the two professional organizations which are presently regulating the pharmacy education in India. Curriculum change of pharmacy education has been undertaken by central government notification as per amendment of pharmacy act. Methods: All the information and data has been obtained from standard articles, books and official websites including current scenario and topics. Results: Introduction of Pharm. D program concerning the significance of Pharmacy Practice and clinical exposure for students is a remarkable step taken by PCI in the year 2008. Pharmacovigilance (PV) is the science, which maintains the safety and rational therapy, making an essential checkpoint for regulatory utilization and movement of drugs and medicines is main component of pharmacy practice. However, in spite of all the achievements regarding the significance of PV and its efforts, awareness and knowledge about rational utilization of drugs and its side effects is low. However, an aspect common to all developing countries, despite of economic level is that the PV education in universities is far below the minimum requirements to sustain an effective drug monitoring system. Conclusion: As future prospects increase, PV systems capable to detect new ADRs and taking regulatory actions are needed to protect public health which will achieved only by further strengthening the existence system and enhancing the quality of PV education. Key words: Pharmacovigilance, Pharmacy education, Awareness, Students Empowerment, Pharm. D, Career opportunities.

Clinical Pharmacy Education in India- An Emerging Trend

Clinical Pharmacy Education in India- An Emerging Trend

A Cohort Retrospective Study on the Necessity of a Faculty Development Program for Pharmacy Colleges in Khammam

The important asset of any educational institution, more so of those imparting professional knowledge and skill is its faculty members (Bligh, 2005). Pharmacy is one such professional course witnessing constant research and developments. Therefore, updating of knowledge is of paramount importance for faculty members to keep in pace with these fast developments (Cline 2003). The most effective way of training the faculty is by what is called as faculty development program (FDP). A cohort retrospective study with 2000 students and 88 faculty members from 9 colleges were evaluated on various aspects with the help of a score scale of 0-3. Pearsons coefficient of correlation (R) was applied to the data. Results indicate a significant correlation exists and between student score vs. institutional score for FDP(R=0.8237) and faculty performances vs. institutional score for FDP (R=0.9385) indicating that students and faculty from institutions having an FDP committee and conducting regular FDPs performed well, were more confident and competing well in their carriers. The need for FDP has already been felt in developed countries and necessary steps were taken to establish institutional FDP committees improve educational skills. Studies are very limited for the Indian scenario except an occasional paper (S. S. Agarwal, 2010). Therefore, the present study greatly substantiates other studies concluding that FDPs greatly enhanced teaching performance by instructors and improved learning outcomes for students, high satisfaction and change in the attitude of faculty towards teaching and development of educational skills and their efficient tackling of student diversity with varying cultural and academic background. This study concludes and recommends that educational bodies controlling pharmacy education in India should make FDP committee mandatory in every pharmacy college for better development of the profession.

Need for Problem-Based Learning in Clinical Pharmacy Education in India

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional student centered approach, which serves to enhance skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, clinical reasoning and self-directed learning to develop a solution to a defined problem. This review serves the need of changes in the teaching methodology in clinical pharmacy education, where the clinical pharmacy students are involved in elaborative patient care responsibility which embodies exclusive communication skills, increased problem solving capabilities, effective critical thinking abilities and sound decision making skills. As an alternative to current traditional or instructive technique of one way of knowledge transformation from teacher to students, a passive approach where the participation of the student in the learning process is restricted. It also creates an environment for student group dynamics in an open PBL setting. In this model a mentor should act as a facilitator rather than an instructor. The PBL incorporates basic elements of learning and integrate theory and practice and relates the basic to the applied knowledge. Furthermore there is a need to validate the effectiveness of PBL with conventional class room teaching. Unless the practical problems are not posed to the students the development of accessible effective knowledge is not achieved. Hence the PBL ensures highest participation of the students. Thus the PBL can be incorporated in the future clinical pharmacy practice curriculum to make PharmD course an effective in training skilled clinical pharmacist.

Pharmaceutical regulations in India: the missing links

Description of the problem (Max. 100 words) Modern pharmaceutical industry in India emerged in the 1900s and with that regulation of pharmaceuticals also evolved. The reforms of the ‘90s while improving the exports, also brought in improved standards of quality to be followed in the entire supply chain of drugs. While for the manufacturers it meant documentation, increased expenditure, and more export opportunities, for the consumer it has resulted in improved drugs, as the public health system also started emphasizing on selecting only those manufacturers with quality standards. However, governance and enforcement mechanisms have to improve to benefit the consumers and the entire health care system. Methods (Min.100 words & Max. 150 words) Based on a survey of literature on a few of the pharmaceutical regulations governing manufacturing standards, pharmacy education, and drug prices, this paper discusses the positive outcome of certain regulations and points out where explicit policy focus is needed. Specifically, the paper discusses the (a) positive outcomes of implementing Good Manufacturing Practices that has improved the standards of production (b) need for aggressive pharmacovigilence practices to enhance awareness on adverse drug reaction; (b) need to integrate the pharmacy education with the needs of the health systems which functions with far minimal trained human resources particularly in the preventive health care and (c ) impact of issues related to the drug price control orders on the consumers. Main findings (Min.150 Max. 200 words) Modern pharmaceutical industry in India emerged in the 1900s. Regulation of pharmaceuticals also emerged with the industry. The ultimatum given to the industry to adhere to the schedule M implementation has resulted in improving the standards of medicines produced. While the industry centric regulations emphasizes on quality, little attention is paid particularly to the pharmacovigilence practices to systematically document the adverse drug reactions. The pharmacy education in India has the industry bias. Every year, because of the spate of permission from the All India Council of Technical Education, pharmacists are churned out in thousands in the country, who however do not find jobs in the industry. If the pharmacy education is oriented towards community pharmacy/ hospital pharmacy, the human resources shortfall in the preventive health care could be improved. The Drug Price Control Order presently covers only 75 essential drugs and leaves out the new innovator drugs and the biotechnology based drugs, which are prohibitively expensive. While manufacturers wriggle out of price control by producing combinations so that they do not come under the purview of price control, consumers are inundated with irrational an combination that push up the cost of treatment but delays the course of treatment. Discussion including recommendations (Max. 200 words) – The Drugs and Cosmetics Act needs to be revamped taking into consideration the changing industrial scenario. While the GMP practices are emphasized, the environmental aspect of pharmaceutical production remains a cause of concern. Stricter monitoring is required on clusters with bulk drug production concentration where environmental degradation is increasingly observed. Pharmaceutical governance can be vastly improved if the regulatory authorities have more man power with them. In India generic drugs are sold in brand names which push up the cost of treatment as doctors prescribe branded generics. Instead if drugs are sold in generic names, the cost could be contained. The bureaucratic bottlenecks particularly at the state level that delays the spread of Jan-Aushadhi stores need to be addressed. The curriculum of pharmacy education should be revised thoroughly. Pharmacy education in India should include courses like community /hospital pharmacy, where the pharmacist actually assists the doctor in choosing the right medicine analyzing the patients’ case history. This type of pharmacists could be deployed to man the number of primary health centers in the country that lack the doctors. Conflict of Interest Statement: None Funding Source: None

Pharmacy education in India and its neighbouring countries

During the past few years, the pharmacy profession has expanded significantly in terms of professional services delivery and now has been recognized as an important profession in the multidisciplinary provision of health care. The Pharmacist is a key component of healthcare and manages the human resource to support the growth. In contrast to the situation in developed countries, pharmacists in developing countries are still underutilized and their role as health care professionals is not deemed important by either the community or other health care providers. The aim of this paper is to highlight the role of pharmacists in developing countries, particularly in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The paper draws on the literature related to the pharmacy profession in the country in the context of the current directions of health care. The paper highlights the current scenario and portrays the pharmacy profession in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It concludes that although the pharmacy profession in developing countries is continuously evolving, the health care system which yet to recognize the pharmacist's role. This lack of recognition is due to the limited interaction of pharmacists with the public. Pharmacists in developing countries are concerned about their present professional role in the health care system. The information presented in this paper may stimulate discussion and critical analysis and planning, and will be of value in further adaptation of the pharmacy education to desired educational outcomes. These are times of enormous change in healthcare and the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical education must prepare students to enter into the practice of pharmacy.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i9.11622 International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(9): 294-301

The Life of Mahadeva Lal Schroff -- The Father of Pharmacy Education in India

The Life of Mahadeva Lal Schroff -- The Father of Pharmacy Education in India

Pharmacy Education in India: Strategies for a Better Future

In this world of specialization and globalization the pharmacy education in India is suffering from serious backdrops and flaws. There is an urgent need to initiate an academic exercise aimed at attaining revamping of curriculum, keeping in pace with current and emerging trends in the field of pharmacy. Unfortunately all these years, enough emphasis was not laid on strengthening the components of Community Pharmacy, Hospital and Clinical pharmacy, while designing curriculum at diploma and degree levels of teaching. The curriculum followed by almost all universities in India are no were up to the world standards and students are still getting the 20-30 yrs older compounding practical exposure in labs during the graduation level. The article emphasises the concept of innovation ecosystems and quality management. Application of TQM to the educational system improves the present situation. The counseling system which serves to be the gateway of the students for entry into the profession should be brought under the scanner. Introducing specializations at the graduation level will result in professional expertise and excellence. Education is a customer focused industry and every student should be capable of evaluating themselves for continuously improving their quality and professionalism. Teacher focused mastery learning should give away to student focused smart learning. An educational institution should provide the student with a stress-free atmosphere for learning and developing his intellectual capabilities. Every college should have a counseling centre to address the problems of students in their academic and personal life. An emphasis on the concept of quality teacher is included. Revival of the pharmacy education in India is the need of the hour which in turn will pave the way for the up gradation of the pharmacy profession in the country.

Pharmacy Education in India

Pharmacy education in India traditionally has been industry and product oriented. In contrast to the situation in developed nations, graduate pharmacists prefer placements in the pharmaceutical industry. To practice as a pharmacist in India, one needs at least a diploma in pharmacy, which is awarded after only 2 years and 3 months of pharmacy studies. These diploma-trained pharmacists are the mainstay of pharmacy practice. The pharmacy practice curriculum has not received much attention. In India, there has been a surge in the number of institutions offering pharmacy degrees at various levels and a practice-based doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program was started in some private institutions in 2008. However, relatively little information has been published describing the current status of complex pharmacy education of India. In this paper we describe pharmacy education in India and highlight major issues in pharmacy practice including deficiencies in curriculum. The changing face of the profession is discussed, including the establishment of the PharmD program. The information presented in this paper may stimulate discussion and critical analysis and planning, and will be of value in further adaptation of the pharmacy education to desired educational outcomes.

Letters

Letters

Letters

Letters

The PharmD Degree in Developing Countries

To the Editor. A doctor of pharmacy degree program must have a multidisciplinary curriculum that produces pharmacists with sufficient mental acuity to differentiate their position from that of simply dispensers of drugs to that of providers of pharmaceutical care. The PharmD program in the United States is the epitome of the practice-based model as it evolved from industrial and compounding pharmacy to a more patient-focused program. Now, as there is an upsurge in clinical pharmacy, many developing countries have expanded their pharmacy curriculum to a 5- or 6-year program that issues a doctorate of pharmacy degree. However, it is still to be determined whether these countries are genuinely interested in a practice-based model or simply want their graduates to enroll in the US system. Let us look at the situation in various developing countries. Recently, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) decided to introduce PharmD (post-bacclaureate degree) courses for the first time in the country in the coming academic year. This decision has been appreciated in a previous letter to the editor entitled “India to Introduce Five-year Doctor of Pharmacy program” in AJPE.1 However, it is imperative to evaluate the state of pharmacy education in India before fully supporting this decision. There are more than 600 pharmacy institutes in India producing over 13,000 pharmacy graduates every year. Pharmacy practice experiences are more or less non-existent with particularly no emphasis on pharmacotherapeutics and clinical pharmacy. There may be exceptions like Jadavpur University and JSS College of Pharmacy.2 As the principal author of this letter and a former lecturer in one of the pharmacy colleges in Delhi, I want to share my experience and observation on the infrastructure of pharmacy colleges, especially those in north India. The pharmacy colleges are in a debilitating state. Their curricula are devised by highly non-technical personnel who have no idea about clinical pharmacy or pharmacy practice. Most of the pharmacy colleges do not have any alternatives to animal experiments as software for undergraduate education. However, they are busy producing postgraduates and PhDs, obviously in bulk. More or less all of the pharmacy colleges are recognized by PCI as well as the All India Council of Technical Education. In Pakistan, a universal PharmD program has been started; however, questions have been raised regarding inadequacies within the curriculum. There are also issues in terms of lack of experienced academicians and practice-based facilities. It is imperative to revisit these issues because, since its inception, pharmacy education in Pakistan has not contributed in any notable way to healthcare policy.3 In Iran, although implemented, the PharmD degree does not provide pharmacy students with clinical insight through active participation in patient care at the interdisciplinary level.4 According to Iranian academcians,5 pharmacy education and pharmaceutical services in Iran must be in accordance with social needs. In Korea, though the curriculum seems clinically orientated, the induction of a 6-year curriculum in pharmacy education is likely to cause educational inequality and may ignite a struggle for power between pharmacists and physicians.6 Clinical pharmacy promotes rationale drug use and plays an important role in patient care. However, in developing countries, clinical pharmacy is promoted as an isolated single entity and not related to a stable population-based pharmaceutical system.7 In the United States and in other Western countries where clinical pharmacy was established, a stable drug distribution system was in place in the hospitals and drug regulatory authorities were efficient. However, how developing countries will promote the PharmD degree and clinical pharmacy in the absence of good governance of pharmaceuticals it is still a question mark. According to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), there must be well-planned execution of good pharmacy practice in developing countries. Thus, the implementation of the PharmD program must largely emphasize pharmaceutical care encompassing areas of patient care such as hospital and clinical pharmacy. It should not be used as a tool for the pharmacist to be employed internationally or as a sole instrument of professional power and status. If it is so, then implementation of the PharmD degree is certainly questionable and merits justification. We hope that the FIP as well as other national pharmacy councils would take heed of this situation. Shazia Jamshed, M Phil Zaheer Ud Din Babar, PhD Imran Masood, MBA IT School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia Penang, Malaysia

Clinical pharmacy education in India

In 1948, soon after India achieved independence, the Pharmacy Council of India drafted the nation’s first standards for pharmacy practice. In 1953, the diploma of pharmacy (D.Pharm.) degree became the minimum qualification for pharmacy practice in community, industry, and hospital settings. During