Need for Industry centered curriculum

Pharmacy education in India for the past several decades has been industry centered. It does not meet the requirements of patient care and pharmacy practice.

Industry-institute interaction is essential. This strengthens the ties for organising in campus placement services for the graduates and to generate resources for research and development. Institutions are having expert, experienced human resources having innovative patentable ideas. Industry should collaborate with institutions to avail these ideas. In return, institutes should acquire the latest technological know-how from the industry. Benefits that can be expected from this symbiotic relationship are multifold.

In India, a pharmacist has no public image. In hospitals, pharmacists are still serving as compounders rather than counselors. The pharmacists do not play any useful role in the health care of the country. Even the new Health Policy of the Government of India (2002) has not recognised the services of pharmacist.

If a pharmacist in India strives for social relevance, justice must be done to the curriculum. In developed countries, pharmacy curriculum (undergraduate) gives more emphasis to patient care and students spend considerable time in the community or in the hospital pharmacy. They acquire good knowledge of anatomy and physiology,

biochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, clinical data analysis, pathophysiology, drug information and interactions and social pharmacy. This kind of knowledge and skill enhancement prepares the graduates to practice confidently in the community and in the hospital setting. They also have the advantage of interacting with other health care professionals.

There must be a paradigm shift—from present industry centered curriculum to patient centered—so as to achieve the ultimate objective to produce a seven star pharmacist (WHO consultative group on ‘‘Preparing the Future Pharmacist’’ (Vancouver 1997); like the caregiver, decision-maker, communicator, community leader, manager, life-long learner and role model with a social commitment.

Harmonisation of curriculum, at undergraduate level, is essential so that it will judiciously focus on industry, community and hospital settings. So that future pharmacist is prepared by knowledge centres of today to serve global market/community confidently.