After the recent change of policies, there are a lot of universities that are offering PharmD. As a result. it is very difficult to decide what are the top Doctor of Pharmacy colleges in Pakistan.
But you do not need to worry about it as we are going to discuss this topic in detail. This article will contain information about this degree in general.
Also, we will talk about how you should decide which college is suitable and which is not. Because a lot of universities have scammed students in various ways in the past couple of years.
PharmD is a 5-year program and we do not want you to waste your precious time and money.
Hence, if you want to save yourself from any future discomfort in this regard, then read this blog carefully
Doctor of Pharmacy
Pharmacists pursue health science with an emphasis on medication safety and effectiveness, and they are prepared to help patients and other healthcare providers with support, guidance, and expertise.
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Pharmacists apply their understanding of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology to comprehend biochemical mechanisms of drug action, pharmacological applications, therapeutic roles, side effects, possible drug interactions, and monitoring variables.
Pharmacy has been an emerging field in Pakistan. It would not be wrong to say that it is an emerging field in medical sciences all around the world.
While developed countries like the USA, Australia, and the UK have already achieved a lot in this field, many other countries are also advancing at a great pace to catch up to them.
This is because pharmacists have proved that they are an essential part of our healthcare system. Since the inception of this profession in modern days, the incidences of any ADRs or medication relation accidents have been reduced significantly.
Pharm-D universities criteria
PharmD used to B Pharmacy some time ago. But after some regulations, the Pakistan Council of Pharmacy decided to upgrade this degree program to a 5-year Doctor of Pharmacy.
Because this was a relatively new field in Pakistan, there wasn’t a strict ecosystem or bylaws. As a result, a lot of people exploited this weakness and started PharmD programs without any accreditation or affiliation.
The downside to this is that people used to get degrees from the concerned unaccredited or unaffiliated institution, but PCP would not issue them a license to work as a pharmacist in Pakistan.
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Hence, people wasted their time and money. But, I am going to tell you a simple criterion that you can use when you are considering any university for PharmD. If you use this, then I am 100% sure you will be in the safe zone. I can make these claims because I am a Pharmacist. So you can rest assured.
- The university or college must be accredited with PCP
- If a college is not accredited, then it must be affiliated with some accredited institute.
- If a university or college’s name is not on the list here, then you should NEVER apply to that institute.
List of top Public sector Pharm-D colleges in Pakistan
As a pharmacist, I now understand there are a lot of factors that you should keep in mind before selecting a pharmacy school. Some of these are research facility, quality of labs, quality of instruments, alumni support base, culture in that department, etc.
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For you, I have made things a bit easier so you do not have to check every college individually. But, it is my opinion and I can be wrong as well, so you are free to research on your own too.
Following are some public sector Pharm D colleges that are best at what they do
| Name of University | Degree allowed | Allocation of seats | |
| Morning | Evening | ||
| University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, Lahore. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 160 | 150 |
| Faculty of Pharmacy, BahauddinZakriya University, Multan. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 100 | 100 |
| Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamia University, Bahawalpur. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 100 | 100 |
| Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore | Pharm D | 50 | 50 |
| College of Pharmacy, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. | Pharm D | 100 | 50 |
| Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad | Pharm D | 100 | – |
| Department of Pharmacy, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 140 | – |
| Department of Pharmacy, Sargodha University, Sargodha | Pharm D | 60 | 60 |
| Department of Pharmacy, Balochistan University, Quetta. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 100 | – |
| Department of Pharmacy, Peshawar University, Peshawar. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 60 | 60 |
List of Top Private sector Doctor of Pharmacy Colleges in Pakistan
Following is a list of top Private sector PharmD colleges in Pakistan. Again, you are free to do your research.
| Name of University | Degree allowed | Allocation of seats | |
| Morning | Evening | ||
| Lahore College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lahore. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 100 | 100 |
| Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lahore, Lahore Campus, Lahore. | Pharm D and B Pharm | 100 | 100 |
| Riphah Institute of Pharmacy, Riphah International University, Islamabad. | Pharm D | 160 | – |
| Faculty of Pharmacy, Hajvery University, Lahore | Pharm D
| 75 | – |
| Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad. | Pharm D | 50 | 50 |
| RIPHAH International University, Lahore Campus. | Pharm D | 50 | 50 |
| Shifa College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ShifaTameer-i-Millat University, Islamabad. | Pharm D | 2 Sections of 50, Annually | – |
| Southern Punjab Institute of Health Sciences, Multan | Pharm D | 100 | – |
Why choose PharmD?
A career in pharmacy provides numerous rewards and prospects. Working in the community, a hospital, home health care, pharmaceutical research businesses, nursing homes, government health agencies, and higher education are examples of these. Pharmacists play an important role in enhancing patient care by providing medicine and information.
Pharmacy is a multifaceted profession that combines science, health care, direct patient contact, computer technology, and business. Furthermore, due to the care and service pharmacists provide, pharmacy has significant income potential and is constantly regarded as one of the most highly trusted professions.
Hence, it is a great opportunity for you if you are serious about it.
Different career choices as a Doctor of Pharmacy
In Pakistan, or anywhere in the world, there are different career choices for you if you want to work as a pharmacist. In this section, I will talk about working as a pharmacist in Pakistan. There are 4 different general areas where you can work as a pharmacist.
- Academia
- Industry
- Sales and Marketing
- Retail Pharmacy or Community Pharmacy
Now it is up to you if you want to choose either of these areas as a career path. But one thing is for sure, and that is if you keep working hard, you can be successful as a pharmacist.
Conclusion
In this blog, we talked about different areas where you can work as a pharmacist. Our main focus was to cover top Doctor of Pharmacy Colleges. We did that too.
I will still suggest that you do your research too. This is because this decision is going to cost you a lot of your time, money, and effort. Make sure that you follow the criteria that we talked about.
This will keep you safe from scammers in this industry. Again, I will tell you to believe in yourself and keep working hard, because being a pharmacist is an interesting prospect, and you can be a respectable professional if you work hard enough.
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Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Are Pharmacists Doctors?
HEC has allowed pharmacists to use the prefix Dr. in their names
How many years will it take to become a pharmacist?
PharmD is a 5-year degree
Do I need a license to work besides a degree?
Yes, you will get category A from PCP after your graduation, that is your license
Can I work as a pharmacist overseas?
Yes, there are a lot of jobs for pharmacists abroad. But you will have to pass their licensing exam
What is the average salary of pharmacists in Pakistan?
The average salary of a pharmacist in Pakistan is about 50 thousand rupees. It can be as low as 30 thousand to as high as 7-8 lac rupees.
