How to Become a Pharmacist After Class 12: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Become a Pharmacist After Class 12: A Step-by-Step  Guide

Pharmacy, as a branch of healthcare, is important because it manages the effective and safe use of medicine. As a pharmacist, you are expected to counsel patients about medicine, supervise drug distribution, and contribute to public health. This guide will explain how you can pursue a career in pharmacy after your class 12 exams, especially if you wish to know what to do next.

1. Learning About the Responsibilities of a Pharmacist

At this stage, it is prudent to note that pharmacists are healthcare professionals who prepare, dispense, and give recommendations on medicines. As the final check on medications administered in a health care setting, pharmacists ensure that patients receive the correct medicine and dosage and understand any side effects or interactions that may occur with other prescribed medicines.  Pharmacists are employed in many places, such as hospitals, clinics, retail pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutes. 

2. Educational Requirements: Class 12 and Beyond

If you are from the science stream, the first thing you need to do is complete your class 12 exams. This is usually the first thing to do when pursuing a course in pharmacy. Here’s how you can proceed:

Step 1: Complete Class 12 with Science Subjects

To pursue a career in pharmacy, one should have a science background. Only those Class 12 students who have Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Mathematics can apply for pharmacy courses. Pharmacy aspirants ordinarily choose Biology as their 12th-grade subject as it has direct relevance to medicine and health sciences; however, some institutions do allow candidates who have taken  Mathematics.

Step 2: Choose the Pharmacy Degree Program

Immediately after finishing class 12, the advisable program to pursue next is a  Bachelor of Pharmacy, or B.Pharm. This undergraduate program goes for 4 years, thus imparting such knowledge in core fields as:

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry 

• Pharmacology

• Medicinal Chemistry

• Microbiology

• Pharmaceutics

• Clinical Pharmacy

• Drug Regulatory Affairs

The course involves both theoretical learning and practical experience, thus ensuring that graduates will fit into various roles in the pharmacy field.

3. Admission to B.Pharm. through Entrance Exams and Selection Processes

Various countries worldwide adopt different admission systems for B.Pharm.  programs, including India. Admission to such programs can be through different  methods, which are commonly a combination of:

• Direct admission: Some institutions admit students based directly on their class 12 marks, provided they meet cut-off requirements.

• Entrance Exam: The entrance exam is a common requirement for many  B.Pharm programs in India. Though the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude  Test (GPAT) is primarily for admissions into postgraduate programs such as M.Pharm, some institutions conduct their own entrance exam for B.  Pharm admissions. If these exams constitute part of your admission process, it is important that you prepare for them accordingly.

4. The practical training and internship 

The practical training and internship are crucial components of the B.Pharm  course. In the course of B.Pharm, you are required to undertake a compulsory internship in a hospital, clinic, retail pharmacy, or pharmaceutical company. This is the time for you to apply what you've learned in a real-world setting, build

confidence in your skills, and understand how a pharmacy operates. Some of the programs have practical lab sessions as part of the curriculum.

5. Get Your Pharmacy License

In most countries of the world, a pharmacy license is provided for a pharmacist to practice professionally. This is usually done through:  Requirement of Registration to the Pharmacy Council- Immediately after  B.Pharm, you have to register with the relevant pharmacy regulatory SC, like the State Pharmacy Council in India or the General Pharmaceutical Council in the  UK. Licensing Exam: Some countries require you to pass a licensing exam before you can legally practice as a pharmacist. The licensing examination tests for knowledge of drug dispensing, pharmacology, and other relevant fields.

Once you have met all necessary requirements and applied for your license, you can officially work as a pharmacist.

6. Career Opportunities

Becoming a licensed pharmacist opens a whole new world of varied career options. Such as: 

• Retail Pharmacy: This is a function in pharmacy stores where medications are dispensed, counselling is given to customers, and inventories are maintained.

• Hospital Pharmacy: This is a function in a hospital environment that involves administering medications to patients, working with other health professionals, and assessing drug therapy.

• Pharmaceutical Industry: Conducts research, develops, and tests new drug molecules; works with drug manufacturing companies.

• Clinical Pharmacy: Advises healthcare providers on the best use of medicines in patient care. 

• Government or Public Health Agencies: Ensures the safe use of medicines and engages in public health initiatives.

7. Further Education: M.Pharm and Specializations

To specialize further and develop the profession, there is an option for  M.Pharm. postgraduate degree programs with various specializations, apart  from:

• Analytical Pharmaceuticals

• Pharmacology

• Greater Research Chemistry

• Dataphor Regulatory Issues

A more elevated Pharmacy degree pursues research, teaching, or managerial work roles at much higher levels at the pharmaceutical industry.

Conclusion

To become a pharmacist, two years of education will provide the person with a rewarding career choice. Those passionate about healthcare, love medicines,  and would dedicate the time, gain the experience, and finally be licensed in the profession will earn in terms of rewards. 

You can start after the 12th class through degrees like B.Pharm, and with the right education and training, a future professional will be ready to step into the healthcare industry as a professional pharmacist.

If you love to help others, have a knack for medicine, and would like to be a part of such an area that influences people's lives, this could be your career.