Tuesday 21 June 2011

pharmacy abroad - my views


Some people want to study in abroad after completing B.pharmacy here.  I would like to give a clear picture of it as far as my knowledge is concerned.  The first thing you have to know is pharmacy is more of profession or practice related in abroad.  It is not like that as here where we go to industries after completing pharmacy either B.pharm or M.pharm.  The first thing or doubt that comes to mind is selection of subject.  One suggestion I would like to give is, do not go to abroad for the sake of pride or with an expectation, we can earn more if we go there.  Go to abroad to learn something in your subject of interest.  Pharmacy people are considered as science graduates there and we can opt for any subject related to science like chemistry, microbiology, nanotechnology, Immunology, pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, health sciences etc.  Do not select any subject with a view of doing MS.  First, you decide on what side you want to be, go along with science groups or practice pharmacy profession.  Special training and exams like FPGEE or NAPLEX are required to practice pharmacy profession in a hospital or community pharmacy.  I think you very well know about pharmacy profession in India.  So, studies or experience of pharmacy practice or profession there may not be useful when you return here and you may also face tough competition from pharm.D people here.  If you go for a science subject, research experience on that particular subject will help you.  If you can show any review or research article or any other type of presentation in that subject, it may help you in getting the seat in same specialization.  Whatever the subject you select, try to love that and learn as much as possible.  Once you go there, you have to spare at least 4 or 5 years to complete the graduation or Phd or fetch a job.  As you are investing some money, one expects the same returns.  Your economic condition highly matters if you want to do graduation there.   Getting a job there is as much difficult as here.  The same situation exists there that you should have any reference or recommendation of your professor or senior or some other.  The second thing you have to consider is the university.  I think consultancies may help here in selection of university and select the university depending on its grade and your profile of aggregate percentage, GRE, TOFEL performance.  The last but not the least, is try to get an idea of life style there completely and be prepared for that.  

Friday 17 June 2011

National seminar on Particulate Drug delivery systems

I would like to inform all about the national seminar on particulate drug delivery systems.  Resource persons from various universities are attending the seminar.  Oral seminars and poster from M.pharm students are invited.  Please see the below link for more details.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B3Q8vqzVroyNZThiMDUzNDgtOWU5ZS00MzQzLWJhN2QtNzU3Njg1OWNiYjFh&hl=en_GB

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Bapatla college of pharmacy - details of M.pharm during academic year 2010 -11Counselling

I am keeping the details of people admitted in Bapatla college of pharmacy under various categories during academic year 2010-11.  This is officially collected from the college.  This is for your idea only and do not expect that you can get the same.  Because, we do not know the state wise ranks as this is central wide exam. You can know about your local rank if anyone take a lead as we did during academic year 2009.  During that time, counselling for M.pharm became very confusing to us. Initially, we applied in response to the PGEC notification as ever year people did.  Unfortunately, APSCHE took sudden decision of decentralizing the counselling. It gave the responsibility to universities to carry out admissions to M.Pharm or M.tech in the university(including respective colleges).  It became so hard that on same date, counselling was carried out at different universities.  Counselling dates were clashed.  On the same day, counselling was conducted at AU and JNTU. I took the initiation along with my friends, we approached APSCHE regarding this issue.  They said that they cannot recall it back of decentralizing the counselling.  We requested them to place at least the details of local ranks as we have applied for PGEC admissions.  The next day, they kept all the details of people who applied for PGEC admissions.  This helped me a lot and I attended the counselling at JNTU.  My friends who have nearer ranks to me went to AU.  Finally, I became lucky by getting seat in Bapatla.  So, anyone of you can take initiation and request to APSCHE for giving such data which will help a lot in selection of colleges and branches.  Another doubt, I would like to clarify, there is no difference in the university name.  You can join in a college affliated to any university.  I am giving the details of GPAT ranks admitted in Bapatla.

Last year, there was a confusion on second shift and another 18 seats were added at the last moment.  This created some confusion.  This year is there is no such situation. There are 36 seats in pharmaceutics and also analysis in Bapatla.

Pharmaceutics  OC (Boys) - 2608 Girls-904 to 2292.  PGCET - no one under OC
                       BC-A        -  Boys - 3118  Girls - 4538 PGCET - none
                       BC-B       - Boys    - none  Girls - 1295, 5883  PGCET - none
                        BC-C         Boys  -  no one  PGCET - none
                        BC - D       Boys   - 721, 4046, 4263
                        BC - E        Boys - none Girls - none PGCET - 73
                        SC              Boys   - none Girls - 1610  PGCET - 4467 Girls - 2701
                        ST               Boys - none  Girls - 8865  PGCET - 4678

Do remember that category will not be changed, if a SC GPAT candidate is not available, it will be given to PGCET SC candidate.

Selection of branch and college for pursuing M.pharmacy - my views

It is preferable to select a branch based on your interest.  Yes, I do agree that there is a tremendous increase in competition for pharmacy.  One has to try a lot to stand first among others. There is a lot of confusion for selection of branch, college etc.  Some people might be looking to pursue MS (PG in foreign countries) I shall post about the situation in foreign countries later.  The present post is about my views for selection of branch and college. Those students who got good ranks may be looking for admission into various universities like Manipal, BITS.  Keep aside about selection of college or university or degree where you are studying.  The additional advantage of studying in a good college or university is that you may get placement, expose to good infrastructure and professors. College or university has nothing to do with the job.  They need a degree and do not care about college studied. If you study in good college, chances of getting job are easier by references and all.   First decide about the branch in which you may want to pursue PG.  Many people might be worrying about the scope of each branch. Stop thinking about scope.  Of course, it is necessary to know about the scope of branch you want to join.  But, do not change take decision depending on the scope.  First, you think about your interest either it is pharmaceutics, analysis, pharmacology, biotechnology or pharmacognosy. I have already posted about scope of pharmaceutics.  I do agree that there is heavy competition for this branch and at the same time, there are many job opportunities for a pharmaceutics person. After selection of branch, think about stipend.  All colleges are not offering stipend.  You take the initiation along with other GPAT qualified candidates in your college and ask the college principal and management for stipend.  They need not to do anything except knowing the procedure and applying for it.  We cannot say whether stipend will be issued or not even applied, because its up to the Central government under the control of AICTE, MHRA. But application is important.  Do not expect any placements from any college of Andhra Pradesh.  You may get it or not.  No one can say.  If the college principal is interested and have some contact in industries, they will recommend you to an industry and if only he is interested on a specific candidate.  Universities and colleges from other states are doing good in this aspect.  They can bring campus placements and you can show your talent to get through the interview. JSS ooty or Mysore, Manipal, BITS are able to bring campus placements. If you have enough money to join such colleges, go for them.  But do not be under impression, placement is guarantee.  My sincere request is do not join in any college by paying huge amounts of money under donation category if you cannot afford to do so by taking loans.  It will be burden to you later. You think of job opportunities. So, first think of the branch you are interested to join and later the college.  Any comments or suggestions are welcome.  All the best!!!!

Friday 10 June 2011

Objectives of my blog

My blogs will be mostly dependent on my experience. I shall try to help the students in confusing situation to go in right direction based on my experience and knowledge.  I shall try to give some suggestions for facing this ever increasing competition

Review article or research article help

Publishing a review article or research article on your name spices up your resume and increases your job opportunities.  You may have already presented posters at different seminars in various colleges.  In a similar way, research article or review article can be published in B.pharm or M.pharm. Feel free to contact to me through mail or phone if you are interested in publishing either review or research articles on your name.

Thursday 9 June 2011

Scope of pharmaceutics


Pharmaceutics… what it is related to?
There is a misconception pharmaceutics is saturated.  Whatever the branch may be, there is heavy competition due to increasing number of colleges.  Of course, I do agree that Pharmaceutics people are many in number as in every college, pharmaceutics is the first branch for which M.pharm course is started.  By this time, you all may know the two types in pharmaceutical industry.  One is related to manufacturing of bulk drugs and the other is formulations related.  Let us leave that bulk drug industry to chemistry people.  A formulation industry cannot exist without the presence of a pharmaceutics person.  People cannot take the bulk drug that is chemical as it is without making into a formulation.  So, there is life to pharmaceutics person as long as the pharmaceutical industry exists.
What is the job of a Pharmaceutics person?
I think many of you people have thinking in mind about setting up a pharmaceutical industry as you have prepared tablets using a tablet compression machine. We can prepare a tablet using any excipient. But it is the excipients used and their concentration is the key to success of particular formulation.  So, the formulation process begins with developing a successful formula. This is where the actual skill and knowledge of a pharmaceutics person is needed.  So F R&D (formulation research and development) is the dream department where a pharmaceutics person wants to join.  But, coming to the actual scenario of a person who did M.pharm in pharmaceutics is different.  As these industries have been established long back and there are very well experienced people in developing different formulations, after completing your M.pharm pharmaceutics you have to work as trainee.  Your team leader will assign you some work like doing granulation or mixing or punching etc.  A B.pharm person can also do that.  After some experience, you can try to become a team leader (higher salaries) and from here actual work starts.  You have to handle projects.  Indian industries are largely concentrating on ANDA (Abbreviated new drug application).  Some people may already know what it is.  Regulatory authorities in European countries are very strict, before approving a particular product to enter into their market; one has to show that it is similar to already existing product (innovator brand) in terms of quality, efficacy, and safety.  We have to prove that it is bio-equivalent to the already existing product.  Such filing is ANDA.  These types of projects will have to be handled after becoming a team leader.  Later, you will be promoted to higher levels depending on your knowledge.
Novel Drug Delivery systems (NDDS)
All of you may be having some knowledge on this area.  Many type of new drug delivery systems like Transdermal patches (TDDS), Medicated chewing gums, Muco-adhesive patches or tablets, different type of creams and gels with wide variety of drug release profiles like sustained, controlled, pulsatile delivery, targeted drug delivery are in research and development stage.  They have to be commercialized.  This is very interesting area.  But one needs good exposure in handling of such type of research projects.  This type of research requires high investments to commercialize and very few companies do that.   It is also difficult to find jobs in these areas.  But, if you once try for that and enter into it, attain some experience, there will be future.  Many of you may be seeing advertisements on Nicorette(helps in stop smoking) that is available as lozenges and gums. Pharmaceutics people are required in the development of such kind of dosage forms.
Pharmacokinetics
According to my knowledge, there is a good scope in this area and there is shortage of people with good knowledge.  All of you might be exposed to compartmental modeling in determining various pharmacokinetic parameters.  There will be two compartment modeling and even non-compartmental approach for determination of these pharmacokinetic parameters.  These are generally carried out for new drugs or dosage forms.  The concept of this type of modeling is required.  You can develop interest in this area.  And again not many companies may do this. It is difficult to find jobs in this area. But, if you can enter into it, growth will be good.
Other interesting areas are Drug regulatory affairs and Intellectual property rights. Drug regulatory affairs deals with, filing of approvals for export of drugs and pharmaceuticals to other countries.  Intellectual property rights is another department.  They deal with patenting the inventions either related to process or product.  
A Pharmaceutics person can also enter into other departments like production and quality assurance.  Your signatory power is valuable there.  With the reference of recommendations you can enter into these areas

NIPER Entrance Tips


NIPER Entrance Tips


Hello friends,  

                     Most of the people want to join in NIPER for post graduation in pharmacy.  Chances of getting placements are high if one aspires to join in NIPER.  NIPER Mohali is the first branch to establish under NIPER Act and you can get placements easily there for all branches of pharmacy. NIPER Guwahati is best for pharmacology and pharmacy practice.  NIPER kolkotta is best for chemistry.  Recently, Pharmaceutics is started in NIPER Hyderabad.


Tips for preparing NIPER Entrance examination (NIPER JEE)


Introduction to NIPER :-

NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Institute) was established under NIPER Act. The first NIPER institute was started at Mohali (Punjab). Currently, there are 7 NIPER institutes located at various places of India. Mentor institutes are present for every NIPER institute. These mentor institutes help in the constant development of institute by giving access to their equipments and other facilities to those students studying in respective NIPER colleges. Three types of courses M.Pharm, MS, Ph.D. and pharmaceutical MBA are offered. Pharmaceutical MBA is present only at NIPER Mohali. It is very important to note that MS courses in various branches are not recognized by PCI or AICTE. Hence, those students studying MS in NIPER institutes are not eligible to work as teachers in various university and private colleges. Simply, NIPER institutes can be compared with IITs of engineering. Once, if you are willing to join in NIPER institutes you have to train up your minds to go to research areas in their respective branches. Various courses offered, branches, Number of seats, Mentor institutes and other information about NIPER can be obtained from www.niper.nic.in

Overview of NIPER entrance test ( NIPER JEE):-

NIPER entrance consists of 200 questions which are to be answered in 2hrs (120min) which clearly indicates that time management is very important to get success in NIPER entrance. Understanding the question quickly is very important to pick the right choice. Each question carries one mark (total 200 marks) with ¼ negative marking for every wrong answer. It is wise to leave the question if you do not know the answer perfectly. Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical analysis are the core subjects from which questions are being asked. There is no need to worry about Pharmacognosy or forensic pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Judispudence) as in GPAT. There is no official syllabus prescribed by NIPER institute for the entrance examination. Today, some coaching centres are available to train for the NIPER. Their materials and model question papers help to review the subject and practice time management. Some websites are conducting online course, competitions, giving model questions papers. www.pharmatutor.org is one of such web sites best known conducting online competition fair (OCF) for free of cost. Even though, if you are not able to afford the cost of coaching, you can secure a good rank in NIPER entrance if you can plan and prepare accordingly. Let us now see about subject wise preparation.
Chemistry:
Basic organic chemistry and biochemistry is required to answer the questions. There is no need to by heart the complex structures of drugs or SAR aspects as in GPAT. Stereochemistry, Named reactions, Basic methods of synthesis of various organic compounds is required. Thorough concepts of stereochemistry are required. You will be asked to identify the type of stereoisomer by giving various structures or the number of isomers that are possible for a structure. So be prepared for such type of questions.
Books: Sameuel (good for stereochemistry), Bahl and Bahl and Morrison Boyd (Named reactions, various methods of synthesis of organic compounds)
Pharmacology:
Types of receptors, receptor characterization, mechanism of actions, classification of drugs, overview of clinical trials, preclinical trials are to be concentrated. Importance should be given to the typical, specific type of adverse effects of drugs.
Books: Rang and Dale (You can answer maximum number of questions if you can read this book entirely)
Biochemistry, Biotechnology:
Classification of enzymes and their functions, mechanism of action of enzymes are to be given importance. Blotting techniques(Western, southern), Gel electrophoresis, Gene cloning, Immunoassays, protein, RNA, DNA synthesis, rDNA technology.
Books: U.Satyanarayana
Pharmaceutical analysis:
Entire spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques should be covered (UV-Visible, NMR, IR, Mass, XRD, Fluorimetry, HPLC, GC, LCMS). Thorough knowledge on interpretation of IR and NMR peaks is required. There is no need to study the entire instrumentation or the process. Principle involved in various techniques, examples of some drugs and columns is sufficient.
Books: YR Sharma, Chatwal
Other types of questions:
In addition to these subjects, there is a need to know about the recent drug molecules approved by USFDA and names of the scientists who made some important discoveries or inventions. Simple mathematics, logical questions, questions based on English language will be given. Students who can answer these types of questions will definitely have an edge over other students. Finally, efficient time management by answering the questions correctly in the limited time available will ultimately lead to success in NIPER entrance examination.
Resources: (Source: http:// gpatniper.weebly.com/ )
NIPER JEE Study Material:
NIPER JEE question papers :
Acknowledgements:
My sincere thanks my co-author Pavan Kumar Samudrala, who secured 199 rank in NIPER without any coaching and only by his hard work for helping me in writing this.
HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU IN GETTING THROUGH THE NIPER EXAMINATION. HARD WORK NEVER FAILS. TRAIN UP YOUR MINDS TO GO TO RESEARCH FIELD FOR THE BETTER FUTURE OF YOU AND AS WELL AS COUNTRY.