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Pharmacy Course Syllabus & Subjects Overview
Pharmacy subjects and syllabus offer students a comprehensive understanding of chemistry, pharmaceutics, human biology, and pharmacology. The pharmacy course curriculum emphasizes subjects related to the human body and how drugs react to it. In other words, the medical specialisation of pharmacy is concerned with the production and administration of medications. Its goal is to guarantee that prescription medications are used safely and effectively. Pharmacy is derived from the Greek word pharmakeia. The word ‘Pharma’ was first used in the 15th-17th century. A pharmacist is a healthcare professional who has studied medicine. As pharmacists, they can help patients recover effectively and faster by utilising their knowledge of medicines.
We visit the doctor’s clinic at the time of illness and they offer us the most advanced medications to treat/eliminate the disease as soon as possible. But how do they offer or know the most recent drug advancements? The answer lies here: the pharmaceutical industry manufactures the drugs we take, something many people do not know. There is a drawn-out procedure involved in the production and approval of a medicine that is taken care of by this industry. In accordance with a prescription from a qualified healthcare provider, pharmacists (also known as chemists or druggists) are licenced to manufacture and dispense medications, partake in patient care, offer patients counselling, and track patients' progress. In addition to dealing with medications, a pharmacist also has a comprehensive role to play in anything that contains chemicals.
Students enrolled in a pharmacy course at a university will typically take modules in human biology and physiology, chemistry, pharmaceutics (the process of making medicines), and pharmacology (how drugs interact with the body). The majority of pharmacy courses incorporate academic study with more practical training and professional pharmacy expertise, including knowledge of legal and ethical concerns and patient interaction. Students will gain comprehensive knowledge of prescriptions, pharmaceuticals, and clinical practice.
Pharmacy Course Subjects
As colleges strive to equip students with all the necessary information needed to become good pharmacists, all Pharmacy subjects are similar in most colleges. There are differences in the course syllabus for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level programmes, but here are the core subjects taught in all Pharmacy courses. The following is a brief discussion of the core subjects of this course:
Biochemistry | Biology | Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics |
Biostatistics and Research | Cell and Molecular biology | Communication skills |
Cosmetic Science | Herbal Drug Technology | Remedial Mathematics |
Human Anatomy | Human Physiology | Industrial Pharmaceutics |
Inorganic Chemistry | Medicinal Chemistry | Organic Chemistry |
Pharma Marketing Management | Pharmaceutics | Pharmaceutics Engineering |
Pharmaceutics Microbiology | Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry | Pharmacology |
Pharmacy Practice | Physics Pharmaceutics | Quality Assurance |
Quality Control and Standardisation of Herbals | - | - |
Semester-Wise Detailed Syllabus for Pharmacy Subjects
The following table highlights the semester-wise detailed syllabus for Pharmacy subjects:
Semester | Subject Name | Subject Specifications |
Semester I |
| It covers the anatomy and physiology of humans, as well as the fundamentals of pharmaceutical sciences, treatments, the interpersonal skills needed to resolve pharmaceutical problems in the workplace, and the fundamentals of both inorganic and organic chemistry. |
Semester II |
| The extensive study of organic chemistry, the anatomy and physiology of the human body, and ideas linked to pathophysiology, biochemistry, etc. are the common subjects of this semester. |
Semester III |
| It covers research on organic chemistry and its basic concepts, the physical characteristics of medications, the place of microbiology in pharmacy, and several other insights. |
Semester IV |
| It covers the study of medicines and how they have changed over time, from using natural ingredients to cutting-edge engineering methods to create current medications. |
Semester V |
| It contains a thorough explanation of numerous pharmacological ideas as well as the study of industrial and medicinal pharmacy. |
Semester VI |
| This semester will address the study of herbal medications, the function of biological components in pharmacy, and related ideas. |
Semester VII |
| This semester's course material covers the best pharmacy procedures as well as the modern equipment for dispensing medications, analysing instruments, and delivering medications. |
Semester VIII |
| Preventive medications in pharmacy are the main subject of this semester, along with present and past studies that have benefited in the growth of the pharmaceutical sector. It also discusses how pharmaceuticals are controlled in various nations, as well as marketing strategies and other elements that need to be kept under close watch when pharmaceutical drugs and medicines are kept in high-quality storage facilities. |
List of Core Pharmacy Subjects
The following table outlines the detailed list of core Pharmacy subjects along with their specifications:
Subject Name | Details |
Biochemistry | It entails learning about ideas about living things and the bodily chemical processes that take place within them. |
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics | This subject deals with medications and their physicochemical properties. |
Computer Applications in Pharmacy | Computer-Aided Design of Drugs (CADD), data storage, computer-based learning, and other computer-related topics are all included in this topic. |
Human Anatomy and Physiology | It involves research on the anatomy and physiology of people. |
Industrial Pharmacy | This subject includes topics on quality assurance, development, manufacturing, and marketing. |
Mathematics | This subject covers the measurements and computation techniques required to choose, formulate, and produce medications. |
Pharmaceutical Analysis | This subject explains the identification, separation, purification, and determination of pharmaceutical goods. |
Pharmaceutical Engineering | It addresses issues about quality assurance, drug discovery, production, and analysis, as well as drug formula analysis. |
Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry | This subject deals with the uses of inorganic materials in medicines, as well as preparation techniques, characteristics, etc. |
Pharmaceutical Microbiology | This field of study examines the role that microorganisms play in the creation and industrialisation of medications. |
Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry | This subject includes studies on the chemical components of drugs and medications. |
Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry | This subject calls for the study of ideas relevant to contemporary pharmacognosy and the evolution of phytochemistry. |
Pharmacology | This subject analyses how drugs affect living things. |
Physical Pharmaceutics | In this subject, physics and chemistry ideas related to the pharmacy course is studied. |
Remedial Biology/Remedial | This subject explains how to utilise biological agents to remove pollutants from water or any other edible medium. |
List of Elective Pharmacy Subjects
The following table highlights the detailed list of elective Pharmacy subjects along with their specifications:
Elective Subject | Details |
Advanced Instrumentation Techniques | This subject covers the use of sophisticated tools in the production and analysis of drugs. |
CADD - Theory | This subject teaches students how to recognise novel possibilities and conduct computational drug design research. |
Cell and Molecular Biology - Elective Subject | This subject includes the study of cellular structure and the functions of macromolecules including RNA, lipids, DNA, and others. |
Cosmetic Science - Theory | This subject deals with the business, development, and regulatory aspects of cosmetics. |
Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals | In this subject, the role of pharmacists concerning dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, the distinction between nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, and associated ideas are discussed. |
Experimental Pharmacology or Pharmacological Screening Methods | This subject explains how to identify prospective medications and improve them using various pharmacological techniques. |
Pharma-Marketing Management-Theory | This subject includes studies on the underlying principles of pharmaceutical management, as well as pharmaceutical marketing. |
Pharmaceutical Product Development | This subject will cover topics including formulation, prototype development, biological considerations, scaling up pharmaceutical products, etc. |
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science-Theory | This subject discusses innovative treatments and medications available in the Indian and international markets. |
Pharmacovigilance Theory | This subject covers concepts such as signal intelligence, risk management, expedited reporting, and other pharmaceutical management-related ideas. |
Standardisation and Quality Control of Herbals-Theory | This subject explains how to standardise the minimum and maximum amounts of active substances in pharmaceutical goods. |
List of Laboratory Pharmacy Subjects
Pharmacy course focuses primarily on practical labs, which is an important aspect of the course. Placing strong emphasis, practical lab courses are offered every semester. Following is the list of laboratory Pharmacy subjects:
- Lab-II in Pharmaceutics (Unit Operations)
- Lab-III in Pharmaceutics (Physical Pharmaceutics)
- Lab-IV in Pharmaceutics (Cosmeticology)
- Pharmacology Lab II
- Laboratory of Biochemistry
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutics I (General and Dispensing)
- Laboratory of Remedial Biology
- Lab-V in Pharmaceutics (Biological Pharmacy)
- Lab-VI of Pharmaceutics (Pharmaceutical Technology)
- Lab-VII of Pharmaceutics (Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics)
- Lab-VII of Pharmaceutics (Pharmaceutical Technology2)
- Pharmacology Laboratory I Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Laboratory II
Pharmacy Subjects Offered With Specialisations
Like many other clinical disciplines, Pharmacy is advancing as a result of the specialisations offered. Following are some of the top specialisations that Pharmacy courses offer in Indian colleges and universities:
Specialisation | Details |
Clinical Pharmacy | The main goals of this field of pharmacy are patient care and using medication to enhance patient health. |
Industrial Pharmacy | Pharmaceutical development, production, distribution, and marketing are the concentration of industrial pharmacy. |
Pharmaceutical Chemistry | This subject includes strategies for drug design and the synthesis of bioactive compounds. |
Pharmaceutical Technology | Basic research on the various tools and techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry. |
Pharmacognosy | This section discusses medications created from natural components derived from plants and animals. |
Pharmacology | This subject addresses drugs and their effects on people and other living things. |
Sales and Marketing | In this subject, concepts relating to the sales and marketing of pharmaceutical machines and goods are covered. |
Pharmacy Course Best Books
Pharmacy course books will help students gain a deeper understanding of their subject matter. Students will be able to prepare ahead of time about all the essentials they will need for the coursework with the help of the reference books. The following books will help students get started with their core, elective, laboratory and Pharmacy subjects:
Name of the Book | Subject Name | Author/s | Book Specification |
Analytical Chemistry | Medicinal Chemistry | CBS | This book discusses the chemical properties of medications and how to evaluate them. |
Atlas of Human Anatomy | Human Anatomy and Physiology | Elsevier | In this book, different themes related to human anatomy are covered as well as its structure. |
Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology | Applied Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry | K K & Pillai | This book talks about testing biological fluids and biochemistry-related ideas. |
Clinical Research | Clinical Pharmacy | CBS | This book explains how to choose the most effective and secure method of giving a drug or therapy for a certain ailment. |
Dosage Calculations | Pharmaceutical (Drugs) | Gloria D & Pickar | How to calculate medicine dosage and topics connected to it are covered in this book. |
Drug Discrimination | John Wiley | This book serves as a guide to newly established chemical entities, their contributions, and an assessment of existing or novel pharmacological drugs. | |
Medicinal Chemistry of Bioactive Natural Products | Medicinal Chemistry | Wiley India | The use of bioactive natural ingredients in medicinal chemistry is the main topic of this book. |
Organic Chemistry | Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry | Pearson India | This book discusses the function and value of organic chemistry in the study of pharmacy course subjects. |
Proteins: Biochemistry and Biotechnology | Applied Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry | Wiley India | This book discusses protein science and how proteins are used to create pharmaceuticals. |
Textbook of Pharmacognosy | Pharmacognosy | Arumugam | This book explains how natural ingredients derived from plants and animals are employed in pharmaceutical goods. |
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