PhD After M.Pharm - Is This The Best Choice?

PhD or Doctorate of Philosophy is the highest academic degree offered worldwide. Students can apply for a PhD after M.Pharm via UGC- NET entrance exam. PhD admission at most institutions is based on UGC merit score and PI rounds. If you have completed your M.Pharm, you can apply to universities like DIPSAR and NIPER.

This article will bring insight into the eligibility, scope and opportunities one can look for if they plan to do a PhD after M.Pharm.

Why PhD After M.Pharm?

A PhD is considered the highest educational qualification in our country. No matter how challenging and time-consuming this career path is, it is the most recognised and esteemed course in India. A PhD is the perfect option for candidates who are keen to continue learning even after completing their masters. PhD allows the candidate to get an in-depth knowledge of the research subjects they opt for and give them a chance to do innovations within the fundamentals of the subject.

The duration of this course is nearly 3 years and one can take admissions on the basis of merit as well as an entrance exam, as may be the case. The Fees is around INR 1.5 LPA and is offered at top colleges like Christ University and NMIMS, Mumbai. After completion of a PhD, a graduate is offered mid-level to Top-level management jobs that are high-yielding and may offer a salary up to INR 20 LPA.

PhD After M.Pharm: Eligibility And Admission Process

Institutes offering programmes like PhD after M.Pharma does not follow a pre-set criteria for the admission process. However, there are certain requirements that every institute looks forward to in the candidate’s application form. The requirements are as follows:  

• To take admission in a PhD course, a candidate must have completed a Masters degree in either Science or Pharmacy from a recognized institute, with a minimum of 60% marks in totality.
• Some colleges follow a reservation system for candidates of different categories. Their required aggregate scores are usually flexible according to the quota.
• Though the aggregate score is a requirement, it does not ensure admission. Universities offer admission strictly based on the scores of the entrance exams like UGC-NET, CSIR-UGC-NET, GATE etc.
• Institutes accept scores of both national and state-level examinations. The cut off marks vary from one institute to another.
• For successfully enrolling for the entrance exam, a candidate must register his/her name by submitting their application form before the last date (changes every year).
• Once these applications are assessed, the candidates are offered to admit cards to sit for the exam. Based on the scores achieved in the exam, the candidates are offered interview dates by the institutes.

Read More: PhD Admission

Specializations For PhD After M.Pharm

A degree in PhD after M.Pharm comes with several options to choose from. The most sought specializations in the field are Pharmacy, Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacology. The key differences between these specializations are as follows:

PhD in Pharmacy: This course has been designed for advanced research work in the pharmaceutical field. This is a 3- years course and requires a minimum of 55% in a masters degree program. Through this, a student will understand and get expertise in pharmaceutical sciences and molecules. They can work in the field of research on topics like drug action and disposition. The average fees for this course are around INR 1 Lakh. Job profiles like Clinical Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacist and Healthcare Unit Manager, etc. 

Read More: PhD Pharmacy 

PhD in Pharmacology: This course deals with research in drug action and related subjects at an advanced level. The tenure of this PhD program ranges between 3-5 years depending on the institute and the curriculum structure. During the course, candidates learn about the study of drug interactions & actions within a living system. The average fees of the course are INR 2- 4 Lakhs and subjects like Medication origin, additives, biological effects, & medical applications are imparted to the aspirants.

PhD in Pharmaceuticals: This course deals with researching discoveries in pharma or medicine & drugs. The tenure of learning, which usually ranges between 3 to more years, caters to subjects related to chemistry, biology and physics. The learning aspect of the course allows candidates get to design, formulate and test medicines and understand their effects. The course fees are around INR 1.5 Lakhs.

Top Colleges For PhD After M.Pharm

A challenging and high-yielding course like PhD that too in pharmacy is offered all across the globe with colleges offering high-class facilities and experience to its students with a major focus on providing academic excellence to its students. Some of the top universities and institutes in India offering PhD after M.Pharm are -

• Christ University, Bengaluru
• NIMS University
• MCOPS
• JSS College of Pharmacy
• IIT Bombay
• Nirma University
• ICT

Salary Of PhD Graduates

Pursuing a PhD is a matter of pride and not many can do. A person having utmost dedication and commitment towards academics can only pursue this course and build a career around this. Due to its academic excellence and superiority, this course is expensive in nature. Students often take education loans to pursue a course in PhD. It is crucial to have an understanding of the compensations one may be offered after graduation from a PhD.

We have listed some of the job profiles and their compensation plans below:

Scope Of PhD After M.Pharm

A degree in PhD is the highest degree that may be achieved in India. Thus it offers a stable profile with an attractive salary. This degree is highly marketable and respected throughout the globe. Employers actively look for individuals with PhDs. A PhD holder may also look forward to becoming a teacher, by clearing the competitive exams organised by the recruiters to hire the best individuals for the role.

A PhD holder has access to different fields like law, business, writing, research. They can continue their research work and then publish their research papers. Some of the prominent recruiters and job positions offered to candidates with PhD are marked below:

• Pharmacy Manager
• Medical Research Scientist
• Management Consulting
• Operations Research Analyst
• Quantitative Analyst
• Lecturer
• Clinical Pharmacist
• Pharmacy Coordinator
• Pharmaceutical Sales Manager

Read More: PhD Scope in India

Is This The Best Choice?

A PhD, which is the highest educational qualification in India, gives a sense of superiority to the holder. The PhD candidates are generally more confident in their career potential because their degree helps them look beyond general opportunities. Pursuing a PhD in areas of interest assures the candidate of better growth together with enjoying their job. Some of the reasons to pursue PhD are -

Highest Academic Degree: PhD is the highest degree in education or academic field one can earn. This degree can only be achieved through sheer dedication, commitment and passion for the subjects and the field of study.

Global Recognition: Being the highest degree, a PhD is considered all around the world, and one is offered high-yielding job opportunities and scope of development.

All in All, it comes down to the inclination of the student, whether or not they are ready to pursue a career in PhD along with subjects related to the pharmacy as their specialization. But, we can say that the scope of growth and development is lucrative. However, a student should carefully analyse and decide.