Doctor of Pharmacy
A Doctor of Pharmacy is a professional doctor degree in pharmacy. In some countries, it is a first professional degree, and a prerequisite for licensing to exercise the profession of Clinical pharmacist and Pharmacy doctor.
Africa
Ghana
Currently, Pharm.D is a 6year course being offered in Ghana.
Kenya
The University of Nairobi offers a 6 year Pharmacist education program. During the first 4 years, students focus on studying Pharmaceutical science. The last two years are considered clinical residency in which students practice clinical pharmacy at various hospitals and community pharmacies before they graduate.
Nigeria
Presently, The University of Benin, Edo State is one of the institutions offering the Pharm.D degree. It is a six-year undergraduate program. Students are giving clinical training in pharmaceutical care in various hospitals in the city.
South Africa
Since 2006, Pharm.D is a post-graduate course being offered by Rhodes University.[1]
Tunisia
The Pharm.D program has been available in Tunisia since 1975.
Asia
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Bangladesh
A four year degree (Graduation) and a one year degree (Post-Graduation) in Pharmacy is offered in numerous universities of Bangladesh. The study material is taught in English. The text books, exams as well as thesis are also provided in English. The universities are the University of Dhaka since 1964, Jahangirnagar University since 1982, Rajshahi University, Khulna University, and Noakhali Science & Technology University. All of these are government universities. There are also 20 private universities in Bangladesh offering pharmacy education. Among them East West University,"University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC)http://www.ustc.ac.bd/","Stamford University Bangladesh (SUB)www.stamforduniversity.edu.bd","Manarat International University (MIU)http://www.manarat.ac.bd","The University of Asia Pacific (http://www.uap-bd.edu0, International Islamic University Chittagong[1] North South University and university of development alternative are the top rated private universities. It is the best for home and abroad students. The B.Pharm is completed in 4 years and the M.Pharm in one year.
India
The Pharm.D (a 6 year doctoral degree program in pharmacy) was introduced by the Government of India and the Pharmacy Council of India in 2008. The Pharm.D program is a pre-PhD, post-graduate program. The first batch of post-baccalaureate Pharm.D students graduated in August 2011 The Pharm.D degree requires five years of classroom-based didactic study (two years didactic post-baccalaureate course), followed by one year of internship training in addition to ongoing practicals and research project.[2] The entry requirements for 6 year program is after 12 years of school education and for post baccalaureate entry is after 4 year B.Pharm undergraduate qualification.
As per new amendments, the Pharm D course structure should last 6 years(graduation as doctor is given after 6th year)comprising 5 years of academics including project, and final 6th year internship in any 500 bedded hospital or above.
With reference to Clarification on Pharm.D qualification,[3] it is clarified to all universities that Pharm.D is a post graduate degree and passed out students can directly register for Ph.D. From 2012 the Amendment passed by PCI (Pharmacists' professional association called Pharmacy Council of India) states that the person can use the initials "Dr" before their name after completion of their pharm-D [4]
Nepal
Nepal started three years post baccalaureate Pharm.D in the year 2010 in Department of Pharmacy, Kathamandu University, Dhulikhel, Kavre. Currently, most of the Universities in Nepal offer four years bachelor's degree in Pharmacy. A three years vocational degree called 'Diploma in Pharmacy' is also offered by many institutions under CTEVT. Pharmacy practice in Nepal is regulated as per 'Drug Act 1978' and 'National Drug Policy 1995' by 'Department of Drug Administration'.
Pakistan
In I.R Pakistan, a total of 21 universities are registered with Pharmacy Council of Pakistan for imparting Pharmacy courses. In 2004 Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and the Pharmacy Council of Pakistan revised the syllabus and changed the 4-year B.Pharmacy Program to 5-year Pharm-D. program. All 21 universities have started the 5-year PharmD Program.The curriculum has been revised again in the year 2012 and is going to be implemented from 2013 onwards.
Philippines
In the Philippines, only the Centro Escolar University offers the degree Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). The degree requires the completion of 52 units of formal course work and 36 units of clinical rotation done at the Makati Medical Center. It is a 2-year postbaccalaureate degree open to licensed pharmacists in the Philippines.
Thailand
In Thailand Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharmacuetical Care)program first curriculum in Asia was established at Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University in 1992.
Europe
Czech Republic and Slovakia
In both countries, the Pharm. D. (Pharmaciae doctor) diploma can be obtained by pharmacists who have previously graduated in pharmacy (Magister, Mgr.) (the undergraduate study of pharmacy takes 5 years). Applicants must defend a research or experimental thesis, and pass a rigorous examination. The PharmDr. title is highly prestigious and written in front of the name. It is different from the postgraduate Ph.D. diploma.
France
In France, pharmacy studies can only be accessed through a competitive examination ("concours", with numerus clausus) happening at the end of the first year of health studies. Most candidates hold a Scientific Baccalaureate from the equivalent to high schools (lycée). In case of failure, it is possible to retry once. Yearly success rate depends on the university's current numerus clausus and the number or registered students, ranging from 10 to 30% bearing in mind that second-time participants are three to four times more likely to succeed than students trying for the first time.
The studies last a minimum of 6 years, or 9 years for students choosing residency (hospital pharmacy or medical biology). It is accessible through another competitive exam, even more selective. It lasts four years and gives another diploma of specialist like in medicine (DES for "diplôme d'études spécialisées" ) . Students must specialise when entering the 5th year, and choose between dispensing pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry or hospital residency. In any case, a 12-month part-time hospital externship is mandatory during the 5th year, although some flexibility is possible for students choosing industry.
6th year for industry is generally dedicated to further specialisation with a former Professional Master's degree or a former Research Master's degree including internship.
In France, since the harmonization of European Union in September 2005, the student who chooses the industry/research orientation have a 6 month period of part-time hospital externship, and 3 to 6 month of full-time training in a pharmaceutical industry or a research lab.
Hungary
In Hungary, pharmacists obtain their Master's degree, after 5 years of study. On the fifth year, students must undergo a professional training, that lasts for six months in a public pharmacy or a hospital. At the end of this period, the student must pass a nationwide exam to be legally entitled for practicing the profession of pharmacy, after acquiring the pharmacist work license. According to the new law in 2008, all pharmacists, who have acquired the Masters degree of Pharmacy, are entitled to the Doctor of Pharmacy.
Italy
In Italy the Master's degree in Pharmacy last 5 years, which includes a 6-months professional training in a public pharmacy or hospital. At the end of this period, the student must pass a nationwide exam to be legally entitled for practising the profession of pharmacist. The subscription to "Pharmacists Order", or in Italian "Ordine dei Farmacisti", is required for working in public pharmacies or hospitals. It is not required if the pharmacist is working in a private entity (e.g. a pharmaceutical company).
Netherlands
The education of pharmacists in the Netherlands requires a minimum of six years of university study. EU-harmonisation has led to division into three bachelor and three master years. A bachelor title is, however, not used at all professionally. The Dutch consider the educational level of their current (M.Sc.) Degree in Pharmacy to be comparable to the PharmD title in use in the United States. Before the harmonization a four year Master of Science was superseded by two more years of university education preparing for pharmacy practice. To become a hospital pharmacist a 4-year residency program has to completed after that.
Portugal
In Portugal, Pharmacy studies consists in 4 years of basic school, 5 years of preparatory school, and three years of high school where afterward the student is submitted to nationwide exams. The process is the same for every degree the student chooses, from medicine to engineering. The student takes the Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (equivalent to the PharmD program) in one of the 9 Pharmacy faculties with their own respective numerous clausus which comprises a 6 year rigorous study (5 with the uniformities in EU teaching). Finished the degree, the academic title of Doctor of Pharmacy is issued. The graduate can then enroll in the regulatory institution for the Pharmacist profession in Portugal called, "Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society" or in Portuguese "Ordem dos Farmacêuticos". After the enrollment the title of Pharmacist is issued. Afterward, Pharmacists can start their career in a limitless number of professional areas that range from community pharmacies, drug development, fundamental or applied research, biotechnology to areas such as forensic sciences, toxicology, regulatory affairs, clinical analysis, law enforcement (scientific police), bromatology, drug marketing, regulatory authorities, university teachers, etc. The Pharmacists can also choose to become a specialist in one of following areas of activity: Pharmaceutical Industry, Regulatory Affairs, Hospital Pharmacy, and Clinical Analysis. Each specialization requires an additional 5 year professional study program guided by a tutor in the respective area of knowledge. This training includes regular evaluations by the professional order, which also requires an exam at the end of the 5 year training. After the success at the exam, the Pharmacist then becomes a specialist in its area of expertise.
Spain
In Spain, Pharmacy studies can be accessed after completing five and a half years of University College (with at least 6 months of initiation to Pharmacy Practice). The Licenciado en Farmacia or Grado en Farmacia (equivalent to the PharmD program) Spanish degree is the only title that allows to practice the profession of Pharmacy in Spain. To become a Hospital Pharmacist a person with a degree in Pharmacy must enter a selection process (national selection process called FIR) to initiate a Pharmacy Residency period of professional training during 4 additional years (including one full year of advanced clinical practice in different medical wards). Apart from the professional degrees, like with any other university studies, Pharmacy degree allows to pursue an academic career by enrolling masters and doctorates programs (MSc and PhD) in several scientific fields (pharmaceutical technology, pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics, biomedical sciences, cosmetics & pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and organic chemistry, physical chemistry, food sciences, pharmacology, toxicology, public health, etc.). Masters usually lasts 1–2 years and PhD's no less than 4 years.
In summary, in Spain an entry-level pharmacy degree lasts 5 years and a Hospital Pharmacy Specialist needs 9.5 years of education and/or training. Hospital Pharmacy Residents are paid during their residency period. There are other residencies avalailable to pharmacists such as Medical Biology, Clinical Biochemistry, Immunology, Microbiology, Radiopharmacy, Pharmaceutical Analysis, and Industrial Pharmacy lasting from 2 to 4 years. Pharmacists usually work as retail pharmacists (private practice), hospital pharmacists, primary care pharmacists, medical biologists, scientists (private and public biomedical research institutions), as university professors (Pharmacy, Medicine, Biology, Food Sciences, Biochemistry, Veterinary, Nursing, etc.), and as technicians and exceutive managers (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and governmental institutions).
Middle East
Iran
In 1930 Tehran University changed the Pharmacy degree from Masters to doctorate and the duration of the study was increased to 5 years. Graduates need to present and defend their theses in different fields of pharmacy and this adds another year to their studies and generally after 6 years students can graduate as Doctor in Pharmacy. The Masters degree in Pharmacy was available in Tehran University since 1926.
Jordan
In Jordan, this program was first offered in hjj. This program is not to be confused with Pharmacy Program. When the program was first offered, students shared their first 3 years with medicine students, the last two with pharmacy students and one year of clinical work. After 2006, the program's nature had changed; a new curricula was developed specifically for this program. Students now complete 5 years of academical work and 1 year of clinical practice to earn their Doctor of Pharmacy degree. This program is offered at some public universities in Jordan, such as Jordan University of Science and Technology and University of Jordan.
Lebanon
In Lebanon, the first Doctor of Pharmacy degree was awarded by the Lebanese University Faculty of Pharmacy (upon a decree by the Lebanese government) to its graduating class of 19 students in 1992. The program was first established by Dr. Anwar Bikhazi, a Pharmacy graduate of the American University of Beirut with a PhD from the University of Michigan. The 6-year entry level PharmD program at the Lebanese University adopted the US PharmD curriculum and training. Enrollment into the program is highly competitive with an average admission rate of 20% of applicants. This is the leading PharmD program in the Middle East, which was followed by other similar programs in Lebanon and neighboring countries, such as the one provided by the Lebanese American University.
Qatar
In Qatar, pharmacy degrees are offered by the new College of Pharmacy at the Qatar University. Students were accepted into the 5-year BSc (Pharm) program commencing in 2007. Students will be accepted into the final year of the 6-year PharmD program in 2011. Accordingly, the first graduates of the PharmD program are expected in 2012. The program adopts a Canadian curriculum and received early accreditation by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) in February 2009. This is the first international program to undergo review and receive accreditation by this sole Canadian accreditation agency.
Saudi Arabia
Started in 2001 at King Abdulaziz University, then in 2005 at Ibn-Sina University, then 2006 at KFU, then 2007 at Qassim University. In 2008, KSU College of Pharmacy at Riyadh, College of Pharmacy at Kharj, and Taif University started their PharmD programs. The degree duration in Saudi Arabia is six years in total, including one academic year of clinical rotations.
According to the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, if a student graduates with a (minimum six years) PharmD degree, then the graduate has the chance to further develop himself. This can be achieved by taking an Accredited Residency Training Program that is at least one year long (for a total of seven years, minimum). Upon successfully completing both the Residency program and the PharmD, the graduate can apply for Professional Equivalent (only equivalent in practice) to the Master degree in Pharmacy.
The Pharm.D degree is now offered by almost all pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia. This is a transitional period as this degree will replace the conventional Bachelor of pharmacy degree in near future and the old Bachelor degree will be phased out.
United Arab Emirates
Started in 2008 by the College of Pharmacy, at Gulf Medical University, Ajman. The first university in UAE to offer Pharm D and approved by the Ministry of Higher Education. This course is an advanced practice degree specialized in advanced clinical practice. Pharm D is five and half year undergraduate program for high school graduates and three year (Post Baccalaureate) program for B.Pharm graduates. The course offers community pharmacy training and Advance Pharmacy Practice Experience training with clinical and multi-speciality rotations. This undergraduate degree program is offered for school graduates after their A level, or 12th standard. All high school science students with TOEFL are eligible after an entrance exam. Pharm D graduates can secure jobs as clinical pharmacists in hospitals, community pharmacists in large chain stores, in Medical insurance companies, in clinical research organizations and Pharmaceutical industries.
North America
Canada
Currently in Canada, the BPharm (and not PharmD) is the minimum qualification required to practice pharmacy, as compared to the US. In Canada the PharmD program is offered in both English and French, and as a first professional degree as well as a postgraduate degree. Students enrolled in the program must have graduated from a CCAPP (Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs) or an ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) school with an accredited teaching program or must have passed the PEBC (Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada) Evaluating and Qualifying examinations.
As of 2007, the PharmD professional degree program in French is offered at the Université de Montréal and, as of 2011, at the Université Laval. The Université de Montréal was the first Canadian university to offer the PharmD program as a first professional degree instead of the BPharm in pharmacy. In 2013, the University of Alberta would be offering a PharmD as a post-professional degree, and a BPharm is required for admission into the program.
The PharmD degree is offered as a postgraduate degree at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto.
United States
In the United States, the PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree is a graduate-level professional degree, akin to medical school, that prepares the graduate for pharmacy practice. After completing the required prerequisites or obtaining a bachelor's degree, pharmacy school is another four (or three continuous) years, which include at least one year of practical experience. Most schools require students to take an entrance test[5] (PCAT) and complete 60-90 credit hours (2–3 years) of university coursework in the sciences, mathematics, composition, and humanities before entry into a professional program. Many pharmacy students complete a bachelor's degree before entry to pharmacy school, and some schools, such as The Ohio State University, require a bachelor's degree prior to matriculation into the 4 year PharmD program.
Total time: 4 years undergraduate (Bachelor degree), 4 years graduate-level professional doctoral degree (PharmD), and optional 1–2 years post-graduate residency training (required by 2020 for direct patient care roles).
Previously, in the United States, the bachelor's degree in pharmacy was the first-professional degree for pharmacy practice. Some schools and colleges of pharmacy offered a post-baccalaureate graduate PharmD degree. These professional graduate level degrees became prevalent in US programs in the late 1960s.
In 1990, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) mandated that a doctor of pharmacy degree would be the new first-professional degree. Currently all accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy in the US offer the PharmD degree. Many also offer post-PharmD graduate programs in specialized areas of the profession.
For holders of BS Pharmacy degree, a two year Post-Baccularate or Post-BS Pharmacy or Non-Traditional PharmD (NTPD) is offered by more than ten (10) Universities. The programs are offered in evening and/or weekends and/or on-line. These programs are approved by ACPE. Around half of these ten Universities also accept foreign Pharmacy graduates for this two year post-BS PharmD program.[6]
The current PharmD degree curriculum is considerably different than that of the prior BS in pharmacy. It now includes extensive didactic clinical preparation, a full year of hands-on practice experience in a wider array of healthcare settings, and a greater emphasis on clinical pharmacy practice pertaining to pharmacotherapy optimization.
In the USA, legal requirements to becoming a pharmacist include graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from an accredited college of pharmacy, serving an internship under a licensed pharmacist, and passing a national exam (NAPLEX - North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam) and a pharmacy law exam (MPJE - Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam). The designation PharmD is sometimes erroneously likened to a PhD degree which is an advanced scientific degree in this field (i.e. Phd. in Pharmacology or Pharmaceutics). The former degree was a Bachelor of Pharmacy and required slightly less schooling and different curriculum. Due to the changes to health care in today's society and the increasing need for counseling and medication maintenance, pharmacists have taken on a larger role as clinicians. This increase in the need for accessible health care information for consumers has led to great strides in the field of pharmacy. One result of this has been a change in the way pharmacy schools structure their curriculum as well as a first professional doctorate degree, which further sets the pharmacist apart as a trusted ally in a patient's health care treatment regimen. In fact, pharmacists consistently rank as one of the most trusted professionals in today's society. This degree usually requires on average 7–9 years of college education at present time, depending on which state you live in and the pharmacy school which you attend and how long it takes to obtain a bachelor degree. The former degree obtained upon completion of pharmacy school was a Bachelors in Pharmacy or BS and pharmacists with this designation were given the title BSPharm. The R.Ph. (Registered Pharmacist) is a designation given to graduates of an accredited school of pharmacy who pass both the NAPLEX and state law exam in which they plan to practice (unless part of a federal facility such as the VA). The same exams are given regardless of whether the person has a BSPharm or a PharmD. Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.
References
- ^ Rhodes University Masters and Doctoral courses
- ^ Pharmacy Council of India (2008-05-10). "Pharm.D Regulations 2008" (PDF). Gazette of India, No.19, Part 3, Section 4. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
- ^ Ref. No. 14-126/2010-PCI / 28844-947; Dated: 30 Sep. 2011
- ^ https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tP7Q4RyFlHk/T1gm3hKmMaI/AAAAAAAAAgE/jgiZtYpgBl4/w293-h287-k/pharmd.jpg
- ^ http://www.pharmapplicants.com/schools_that_require_pcat.php
- ^ http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/Pages/Non-TraditionalStudents.aspx