With many pharmacy colleges offering multiple programs, students often find it challenging to pick the right one for them. Every year almost 50-60% of students from PCM/PCB opt for the pharmacy course but, with multiple options around, it’s always better to consider a few factors that will help find the best pharmacy college for you.
Well! Here is some piece of advice to help you get through the challenge and find the top pharmacy college to pursue your course.
Factors to Consider While Choosing a Pharmacy College
College/ University Accreditation
This is the most important criterion for selecting a pharmacy college. Check the institute’s establishment dates and its approvals from the regulatory bodies. The top regulatory bodies approving the pharmacy colleges are the Pharmacy Council of India, the All India Council for Technical Education, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and ISO certification. This will ensure their reputation as stringent factors need to be met by the colleges for gaining these accreditations.
Faculty Experience and Excellence
Faculty plays the part of the heart of an institution. In the absence of adequately experienced and qualified teaching faculty, it is very difficult to educate students in the right direction with deep-rooted knowledge of the stream. Choose an institute with sufficiently qualified professors and supporting staff in the field of pharmacy. Eminent teachers are clear indications of superior institutes.
Infrastructure
The best pharmacy college is one that hosts ample facilities for laboratories, libraries, and other related equipment. Academic ambience enriched with an ample number of classrooms, and seminar halls that are well-furnished is a must for a reputed pharmacy institution. The campus should be well connected for easier locomotion and procurement of required materials for performing experiments and research during the course curriculum. Indoor hostel facilities, sports facilities, and extra-curricular support structures with adequate security will always be an add-on. A medicinal garden or botanical park forms an integral part of any top-rated pharmacy institute.
Alumni Network and Repute
An alumni network is the biggest reward one can get from a reputed pharmacy college. Alumni achievements, their national and international awards, and their positions across the industry reflect much about the institute. This will also help build a good network across the pharmacy industry for further job placements.
Job Placement
Job placement is the most crucial factor post-completion of the pharmacy course. An institute with ample connections with pharmaceutical companies via their placement cell assures great placement opportunities for students once they complete the course. Good institutes conduct industry interaction programs regularly, such that pharmacy students can have ample exposure to the pharmaceutical world. Students should ensure to look for these factors in the college of their choice.
Additional Criteria
International university collaborations and other programs, including quality improvement programs, training programs for young teachers, and continuous professional education conducted by institutes help in enhancing the course curriculum. This also helps in gaining the license to professionally practice pharmacy as a profession. Students can visit the university campus to get unbiased feedback from the students, college/university alumni, industry, and experts for a better understanding of the educational institution.
The above-listed criteria can help students choose the right place to pursue their education at the best pharmacy institution.
What Role does the Right Pharmacy College Selection Play in your Career Building?
Networking is the biggest point everyone is concerned about. It is very crucial to build a robust network as it may invite greater opportunities for your career endeavours. In addition, they consider the alumni network to be the biggest help in pharmacy as you leave your college and look for future opportunities.
Pharmacy colleges or universities offer courses like-
- Diploma of Pharmacy (Pharm)
- Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm)
- Master of Pharmacy (M. Pharm)
- Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
Choose the course and college as per your career ladder and the highest degree you wish to pursue in the field. This is what the market is concerned about and not the college alone.
Final Words
Therefore, students should consider the above points while narrowing down the list of the colleges they prefer to apply to. Sangam University’s School of Pharmacy, approved by the Pharmacy Council of India, offers quality education in the field of pharmacy. Combining the most important factors like job placement, college curriculum, degrees, and campus environment, it ranks as the top pharmacy college in Rajasthan.
