Pharmacy - beyond the counter - Patient centric.
Pharmacy, once seen as a profession behind the counter or within the factory walls, is today poised for a transformation.
The pharmacist is evolving into a critical member of the healthcare team, contributing to patient care, therapy optimization, public health, and even disaster management.
Yet, despite this exciting evolution, our pharmacy colleges are struggling to match pace. The ailments are deep-rooted, but curable—with vision, reform, and a renewed commitment to quality.
At the heart of the issue lies the quality of student admissions. For many, pharmacy is not a first-choice profession. It is often a fallback, filled through vacant seats rather than merit-based enthusiasm. This has diluted the academic ecosystem, resulting in a large number of graduates who lack the passion or preparedness for a demanding healthcare role.
Equally urgent is the need for high-caliber faculty. A great teacher can ignite a lifelong spark, but many colleges lack such mentors.
Faculty development programs have to be more effective and impact ful, salaries are uncompetitive, and industry or clinical exposure is minimal. Institutions must invest on faculty, their training, research engagement, and continuous professional development, aligning educators with global standards. Strong mentors alone can produce , strong professionals.
The absence of a central body like a National Pharmacy Council (NPC) to replace weak fragile PCI to standardize education, licensure, and practice scope adds to the vows of the colleges and education in general.
An empowered NPC can uplift the profession by enforcing quality norms in admissions, curriculum design, institutional infrastructure, faculty competency, and student assessment—just as the NMC does for medicine or INC for nursing.
Exposure of Students graduate with to real-world challenges. Internships, interdisciplinary learning, clinical postings, and innovation labs should be made compulsory and meaningful.
When the Pharmacists come out with inbuilt professional quality the demand for their service increases.
The time to heal is now—and with the right reforms, pharmacy education can not only recover but qualitatively support healthcare service.
Pov: Bhagwan P. S
POV :
Earlier there was MCI equivalent to PCI.
Then MCI got changed to NMC.
Now he is talking about bringing up NPC equivalent to NMC.
What a mess?
PCI & MCI now NMC.
Whats the job of the Representative from MCI now NMC in PCI?
Do we have PCI Representative in MCI now NMC?
Indian Health System practices untouchability towards Pharma Professionals!
Looks PCI failed to gel and coordinate with MCI now NMC in professional matters.
When PCI doesn't gel, how can the Pharmacists gel with Healthcare professionally.
This appears to be the root cause for B, M Pharm and Pharm Ds being stranded with no opportunity to serve in Healthcare.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Please narrate your experience, observation, views in the comment box.
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POV: Bhagwan P. S
