BS in Pharmacy in the Philippines

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Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy is a four-year college degree designed for people who want to have a career in the various fields of the pharmaceutical industry. The program focuses on the identification, discovery, isolation, synthesis, and formulation of biologically active compounds for clinical use. Students are also able to have a wider understanding of the different factors affecting drug behavior in the body.

Recommended Senior High School Strand

Students who want to pursue a degree in Pharmacy are encouraged to take the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand under the Academic Track. The strand provides the basics of applied mathematics and sciences that will be useful in their college life.

Subjects and Curriculum

Human Anatomy and Physiology
Drug Delivery Systems
Drug Testing and Analysis
Dispensing and Medication Analysis
Clinical Toxicology
Pharmacology-Therapeutics
Pharmacognosy and Plant Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Calculation
Pharmaceutical Biochemistry

Admission Requirements

Qualifications

The student must be a high school graduate.

However, if they were not able to graduate high school, they may opt to take the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and pass the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to qualify for college; the availability of courses for PEPT passers depend on the university.

The students must pass the College Admissions Test of the university.

Basic Requirements

Form 138 - High School Report Card (Original and Photocopy)
Recommendation letter from High school principal and guidance counselor
Most recent medical and dental health record
Copy of NSO Certified birth certificate
Certificate of Good moral character
Copy of honorable dismissal
Copy of high school diploma
(1) Latest 2”x2” ID Picture

Program Outcome

Graduates of BS in Pharmacy are expected to be able to:

Define terminologies related to pharmacokinetics
Present raw data and derive pharmacokinetic models and parameters that explain the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs in the body
Understand how the changes in the physiologic state and disease states affect one’s drug behavior
Apply biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics knowledge in the design of rational drug therapy and monitoring

On-The-Job Training/Internship

During the fourth year of the program, students are required to attend an On the Job Training (OJT) in the various field of pharmacy; drugstores for retail, hospitals for clinical, and for pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing. Students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an actual work setting. Usually, universities require them to submit a written report on their tasks, learning experiences, and hours rendered. Their work performance will also be evaluated by their immediate managers and will be submitted to their respective OJT coordinator. The number of hours required may differ in each university.

Board Exam

To become a Registered Pharmacist in the Philippines, a graduate of BS in Pharmacy needs to pass the Pharmacist Licensure Examination. The examination is conducted by the Board of Pharmacy under the supervision of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC).

Career Opportunities

Graduates of BS in Pharmacy may pursue a career path in higher education institutions, community drug stores, hospitals, government agencies, research establishments, public health and in the pharmaceutical industry. They may apply as a pharmaceutical sales representative, community pharmacist, hospital pharmacist, regulatory affairs officer, process development pharmacist, clinical research associate, and a medical research scientist.

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Reviews of BS in Pharmacy graduates:

A. P.

◈ Studied BS in Pharmacy
◈ At University of Santo Tomas
◈ Graduated 2007

Why did I choose Pharmacy: Parent's advice.

About my college education: The course was interesting because we touched a lot of science and other disciplines. The laboratory subjects are fun and challenging.
It will be helpful for the students to read ahead, come on time and be attentive to the professors. Take all the subjects seriously as the pharmacy profession offers a lot of career paths to choose from. Develop your communication, business and leadership skills while in the university as there are many areas to choose from once you graduate.

My current job: Regulatory pharmacist.
We are in charge of preparing and submitting scientific dossiers and technical documents to the regulating agency/ies for the registration of our products. We serve as the liaison between the pharmaceutical company and the government regulating bodies. We need to make sure that our company is following the rules and regulations set by the regulators. We need to keep our documents well for future reference and for any issue that may arise in any product. We coordinate with different persons internally and externally.

Am I using what I learned in college: Yes. These skills that helped me: pharmaceutical knowledge, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills, computer skills, business and leadership skills, professional etiquette.

How long did it take to find a job: 3 months after passing the board exam.

Do I recommend studying Pharmacy: Yes. There's a lot of employment opportunities and there's still less competition among job seekers than in other courses. There are many interesting areas to choose from.

Salary depends on the job and company. Some are more rewarding than others. Pharmacists are also needed abroad.

This is also a very good pre-med course.

Advice to people who are thinking of studying this course: There's a lot more to the pharmacy profession than what some Filipinos think. Here are some of the areas to choose from once you graduate:
Researcher in manufacturing company or research institution; regulatory pharmacist in pharmaceutical company or government institution eg, FDA, DOH; instructor in schools; marketing trainer or marketing professional; dispensing pharmacist in hospital or drugstore setting where patient counselling is slowly being put into practice; clinical pharmacist in hospital or clinical research coordinator in pharmaceutical or clinical research company; production pharmacist, quality control or quality assurance in laboratories.

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