APTI ijopp - Indian Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Indian J. Pharm. Pract. 1(2), Jan-Mar, 2009ththHospital rounds, clinical postings, training in 4 and 5year and the one complete year residency in the hospitalduring the last year of the course (sixth year ) can helpthe PharmD students get familiar with actual hospitaland clinical practice set-ups. However the curriculum forthe PharmD course as finalized by the Pharmacy Councilof India (PCI) require drastic changes taking intoconsideration the global and national scenario to make itmore effective and result oriented.The PCI in July 2008 invited applications for startingPharmD in India. Though it was done in a comparativelyhasty manner giving only minimum period to apply, theyhad received about 50 applications from states likeAndhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala,Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa andconducted the inspection in August. In September 2008,the PCI approved about twenty pharmacy institutionsfrom states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala for startingPharmD course from the academic year 2008- 09.Subsequently few more institutions were approved forstarting the program. Some of these were given thepermission to start both PharmD and PharmD postbaccalaureate (See Table 1 and II).The pharmacy colleges have to fulfill the requirementsas fixed by the PCI like sufficient number of qualifiedfaculty, class rooms laboratories etc. Along with hospitalfacility (300 bed hospital) for starting the PharmD. In2008, the University Grants Commission (UGC) hassanctioned Rs.50 lakh to Annamalai University in TamilNadu to start PharmD program. They are the first tolaunch the PharmD in India. Immediately after startingthe PharmD, the Annamalai University initiated steps forhaving a tie-up with some American Universities. In2009 February Dr.James Scott from Western Universtity,California visited Annamalai University to study thesituation and the facilities available at the University forrunning the program. In that connection, Dr. Scott hasvisited and studied the facilities in some other centers insouth India like Amrita School of Pharmacy (AmritaUniversity, Kochi, Kerala), Alshifa College of Pharmacy(Calicut University, Kerala), KLE College of Pharmacy (KLE University, Belgaum) and Sri RamachandraUniversity, Chennai. In the years to come, the PharmDprogram in India will develop to one of the best suchprograms in the world as the country has the potential andfacility for the same.PharmD Tuition FeeThe tuition fee for PharmD varies from country tocountry, state to state, university to university andinstitution to institution. The tuition fee is highest incountries like USA. In Idaho State University (ISU) it is$12000 (about Rs 6 lakhs) per semester for non-residentsand 5000$ for Idaho residents. In Pakistan the fee isalmost uniform and is about Rs. 50000 per semester. InIndia the tuition fee on average rupees one lakh per yearin private sector. However, depending upon the facilities,infrastructure and other amenities the fee may increase ordecrease. In government institutions the fee is very less.Unfortunately, very few government institutions havetaken steps to start PharmD in India.Table.2. Pharmacy Colleges approved by PCI for starting Pharm.D (post baccalaureate) program.Sl.No Name of College University1. Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, Annamalai Annamalai University, Chidambaram,Tamil NaduUniversity T.N.2. Visveswarapura Institute of PharmaceuticalSciences,BangaloreRajiv Gandi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore,Karnataka3. J.S.S College of Pharmacy, Mysore J.S.S University, Mysore, Karnataka4. K.L.E College of Pharmacy, Belgaum K.L.E University, Belgaum, Karnataka5. J.S.S College of Pharmacy, Ootacamud J.S.S University,Mysore,Karnataka6. Sri Ramachandra College ofSri Ramachandra University,Channai,Tamil NaduPharmacy,Chennai7. Sri. Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical The Tamil Nadu Medical University, Chennai, TamilSciences, Coimbatore8. Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences,ManipalNaduManipal University, Manipal, Karnataka15