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Way ahead for pharma students - My views

Its been a long time that I have posted my views.  Inspired by the messages through FB and mobile, I am posting this in my blog.  As the number of pharmacy colleges increased, lot of competition and at the same quality of pharma education degraded (It is well known to all and I do not want to talk much about this).  It is true that pharma industry is growing in these recent years which is evident by growth in revenues and number of companies. The generic market is in boom and most of the companies are looking to expand their market world wide. It is a fact that every third medicine (generic) taken by the patients is being manufactured from India.  But the pharma students are not able to find jobs especially freshers. Companies are looking for only experienced people from various departments. Freshers from only prestigious institutes are getting jobs in companies through campus interviews and students studying in private colleges are still searching for a job.

At the present juncture and situation, I suggest to join in any small company or in any department irrespective of interest or growth.  Do no think whether it is QC or QA or Production. In fact, these are the major core departments of a pharma industry and they will be ever growing.  First, join in any small company that you come across. Do not think about packages or company reputation.  Grab the opportunity that comes your way first.  Getting a job in pharma industry is itself getting difficult and there is no chance for choice. A year wasted for job is a year lost.  Many people will be competing with you after the next year.  Think wise and Act.  All the best!!!  

Pharma industry : Actual scenario, my experiences and views

Hello all ! Its been long time that I have shared my experiences with you.  I have been receiving many mails and and phone calls about their situation and the way forward in pharma industry.  It is one of the mails that provoked me to post this.

I would like to share my own experience first.  I am very passionate about research and did my project with lot of interest and as every M.pharm student dreams, I also dreamed of joining in research department.  I attended for 2 to 3 interviews and was not offered a job even though I performed well in interview. Later, I joined in production department in a small company and later with that experience I could get a job in a big company with that experience in the same department.  Even now, I am interested to enter Product development side and I do not know whether it happens or not and now I understood that it is purely dependent on fate.

To my surprise, companies are offering good packages and jobs to students studying in good reputed colleges.

So, my suggestion to people studying M.pharm or B.pharm in local colleges is to first enter into the pharma industry whether it is small or big and do no think about the salary they offer.  It is the experience that matters more and considered.  It is very difficult to get job as a fresher and no company is ready to offer a job for fresher. First join in any job or company that comes in your way and then continue your search.  One or other day you will be rewarded.  Many things matter while the company is offering a job.  It is the  references and recommendations and 'n' number of factors will be considered.  Realize the fact and act......... I wish you all the best in job search........

Thank you !

M.pharm without GPAT - my views

Hello all... I am G.Sailesh completed M.pharm in pharmaceutics in 2011 and its been long time that I interact and involve in discussions . It seems that people are worrying a lot regarding GPAT cut off mark and the number of people that qualified this year. Let me put my views on this. Whatever be the reason whether it is politics in GPAT or it is the mistake of Baroda university or to escape stipend for qualifying less number of people. Those who qualified in GPAT think that they can get good colleges and branch as there is no competition. Those who did not qualify think that they missed an opportunity. Let us not bother about it or think about it. If we think about the result of it is government gets benefit as it may need not to pay stipend. It is the private colleges that are going to be more benefited by exploiting students for payment seats utilizing the craze and demand for different branches and based on the name and fame of colleges. They are going to get more money, because much of the seats will be filled based on PGCET or through donations this time which is quite contrary to the previous years where more number of seats are filled through GPAT. Neither the college need not to apply for stipend for students, nor government will pay by itself. Ultimate sufferer will be the student. Now, more students and parents tend to join in colleges with big fame, name and also start discussion about the branch that they need to select. But, my dear friends, please do no think that there is a great demand for PG students of pharmacy. It is once upon a time, there is demand for people who did PG and Phd in pharmacy. Post graduation needs dedication, orientation towards research, strong zeal to learn and more over suffering in the initial stages of career as you will not get a job in research department where PG candidate is necessary. Do not take PG as pride or as essential qualification for getting a job. It is a degree student who can easily get a job in an industry when compared to Post graduate student. Think a moment, whether you are suitable to do PG and take the challenge of research (I am not insulting any one here). Now, its high time to think about career path. Do not go blindly as most of us joined in pharmacy (as we do not get MBBS seat after intermediate). I do not suggest going states for PG as it is highly risky path and all cannot afford. We have many options after doing B.pharmacy like going towards Clinical research industry, Regulatory affairs, Intellectual property rights (most untapped areas and there is a demand) software industry, marketing ( please do not feel it as prestige to do in marketing department. You will earn more than any other if you are capable and suitable to that job). Please do not hesitate to go to marketing department if you really have that capability. B.pharm people doing in marketing department can easily get promoted.  I shall not say not to join in PG.  Post graduation helps in promoting to higher levels once you enter the industry into any department. But it is very difficult to enter into industry with Post graduation.  Generally B.pharm people are preferred. You can do post graduation later also.  Your financial status highly matters here.  Finally I conclude that think repeatedly before investing on PG (your financial, intellectual status and other reasons for joining PG). One day, I am sure that you will regret if you join in PG by investing heavy amounts (taking loans etc.) Think wisely before taking a decision. Thanks for your patience in reading this. All the best !!!!!!!!!!!!

Writing the thesis of a project work

After a long gap, I would like to post on my blog again.  This post is about documentation of the carried research work.  Many of the M.pharmacy second year may have completed their research work in lab  and currently may have started documenting the research work which is called a thesis.  In any Industrial scenario, there are two things one, which is the technical or practical work that is done on the floor and the other is documentation of work that is carried out.  Documenting the work whether it is production, quality analysis or a research work is equally important of doing the work.  This documentation helps in ways in regulatory point of view as well as to the company.  Documentation in industrial scenario is a different issue where the head of QA department will be an in-charge.  I shall discuss about this in my upcoming posts.  Right now, I would like to discuss about documentation of a research work. Every university will have their own guidelines for submitting the research work.  But I would like to discuss about the general aspects of making a thesis look effective.

Brief overview of thesis book:

Generally, a thesis starts with title of work, student name, university name, guide name and finally the college name.  The next page consists of declaration stating that the work has been performed on your own and not replicated from anywhere.  The next pages are declaration from guide and principal of the college.  It will look good if an Abstract of the work (brief overview) is included in next page.  The next page is the abbreviations that are used followed by contents.  The contents include Aim, scope and objective, Introduction, Drug and excipients profile, Literature review, Experimental investigations, Experimental results, Results and discussion, Summary, conclusion and future recommendation, finally bibliography.

It is a common tendency to cut, copy, and paste in the introduction part from different sources of net or from a review or research article.  This is plagiarism which is absolutely not acceptable and considered as crime in foreign countries. It is the stealing of one’s ideas and method of writing.  It will not help in any way.  There are many arguments on it.  I would like to say only one thing regarding this issue.  Avoiding plagiarism gives honor to the author and also helps in generating new ideas besides helping you in understanding the theory and concepts.  Visit www.pharminfo.net for more information on plagiarism.

Drug & Excipients profile, Literature review can be easily written.  In the literature review, ensure that most relevant work is cited. (Give preference to drug and later concept like increase in bioavailability, sustained release etc.)

Experimental investigations include the materials and methods used along with the source of chemicals. Applying statistical ANOVA to the results will always help.  Different software (graph pad prism is one of it) is available to carry out ANOVA.  Dissolution graphs (time vs % dissolved, first order or zero order graphs) should be present neatly using excel.  Drug- excipient compatibility (IR graphs) interpretation is important.  See the wave number at which peak appeared and write the shift that appeared when combined with the excipient.  Interpretation of results of dissolution profiles, rate graphs, IR peaks with proper reasonable thinking gives good appearance to the thesis and also helps in improving knowledge.   This will help in designing the power point and also improves your subject knowledge to confidently face the Viva and interviews.  I do not know whether this helps or not.  But I presented my views in my own words.   

All the Best!!!

   

Significance of GMP

If a company wants to export their product to the international market (any foreign country), it needs to follow strict quality guidelines.  Every country has their own regulations to accept a product into their country which is manufactured outside the country. International guidelines (ISO standards, International standards organization) gives guidelines to the manufacturers for manufacturing a a product which is safe and effective.  So, one has to maintain those standards in a company for exporting their product to the international market. The ultimate aim of any guidelines or any standards is to deliver a quality product to the customers.  These standards deals with starting from establishment of building facilities, equipment, testing the quality, maintenance of documents till the release of final product to the market.  Each and every step has to be carefully monitored, documented and controlled for maintaining the quality of product. It is worthwhile for a B.pharm or M.pharm fresher to know about these guidelines and the significance of it.  Each and every qualified person has got some responsibilities in delivering the safe and effective product.  I shall try to explain these guidelines based on my experience in a step wise manner in my coming next blogs. 

Project in industry and college - pros and cons - my views

It is a big dilemma whether to do project in college or industry.  Most of the people cannot get an opportunity to do a project in industry without a strong reference.  If one gets a project in industry, there is no scope of learning the subject more. You will be allotted to a team leader as guide and you have to follow his instructions. There will be less chance for you learn something. At the end of the day, you will be given a project to put as thesis.  There are many few industries which will allow you to work on yourselves by utilizing the facilities.  Hence in an industry there is a less scope of developing as a research scientist.  But the advantages of going for project in industry is you can get some contacts and references which will help in job search. You will also be knowing the functioning of industry and it wont look  new when you go for a job.  Coming to the advantages of doing project in college is there is large scope of learning by yourselves regarding how to design a project and how to execute it, different problems that you may encounter and how to overcome them.  But proper guidance and facilities are needed for doing the same. You will also be knowing how to document the research work (thesis) and how to publish article.  Dedication and willingness to learn and do the work is needed.