Update on 2024-04-15

Difference between Pharmacy Course and Medical Course - Check Pharmacy vs Medical

During a conversation with our College Disha’s executive, a candidate asked - “what is the difference between Pharmacy Course and Medical course?” Well, the answer is - a Pharmacy course is a Medical course itself, we agree on the fact that the Pharmacy courses are different from other Medical courses in some aspects but that doesn’t make it a non-medical course.

Is Medicine Course and Pharmacy Course the same?

To get the answer you have to read this article carefully. Medical Science is a vast field and that is why medical Courses are offered in various specializations like Medical and Biomedical Sciences, Allied Health, Nursing, health & fitness, and Pharmacy is also another specialization of medical science. Different specializations of Medical courses involve the study of a different perspective of medical and health Sciences for eg- A physician (MBBS) deals with the diagnosis of diseases, a Cardiologists (CVT) deals with Heart diseases, a Physiotherapist deals in the Physical development of the patient, Similarly a Pharmacy student works on a different perspective of Medical & Health Sciences. A Pharmacy course imparts the knowledge of medicines, drugs, and their medicinal use. While pursuing a Pharmacy course, an individual learns about various drugs/medicines and their medical use for treatment & diagnosis. After completing a Pharmacy course the students can practice as a Pharmacist or as Lab researchers.

The drugs and medicines are needed to be tested and approved by the recognized labs before being prescribed by the doctors. After being tested and studied about the use, dosage, and side effects, the prescription guidelines are formed, after that, the clinical trials are conducted to study the effects of the drug/medicine. A Pharmacist plays an important role in this entire process and he/she is also responsible for introducing a new medicine to the medical practitioners and therefore a Pharmacy professional plays a crucial role in the health sector and gets directly or indirectly involved in the medicinal practices conducted by the doctor.

If you are someone who wants to pursue your career in the medical field but you are not able to pursue MBBS or don’t want to practice as a doctor, then you can opt for a Pharmacy course and pursue your career as a Pharmacist or a Lab Researcher. You can also become a Career Pharmaceutical Distributor, Drug Inspector, or Medical Underwriter after completing a Pharmacy course.now if you understood the difference between Pharmacy Course and Medical course then check out the below list for further information.

List of Pharmacy Courses in India:

List of Medical Courses in India

Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Master of Surgery (MS Course)
Doctor of Medicine (MD Course)
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS)
Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS Course)
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT Course)
BSc. in Nursing Course
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (B.VSc)

Pharmacy Course V/S Medical Courses (Medical vs Pharmacy)

Both are quite similar to each other so there is nothing much like Medical Course vs Pharmacy Course or Pharmacy vs Medical. But there few minor differences that are listed below:-

Pharmacy Courses	Other Medical Courses
Pharmacy course disseminates better knowledge of pharmacology, the use, and effect of various drugs.	Other Medical courses are more focused on diagnosis and treatment methodologies than pharmacology.
Pharmacy Courses are shorter in Duration	Other medical courses are longer in duration, it also depends on the medical course.
All Pharmacy Courses involve the study of medicines and their medical use by Doctors and health practitioners, it doesn’t involve treating and diagnosing the patient. .	After pursuing other medical courses, the student usually becomes a health practitioner and treats the patients with the help of medicines and other treatment methods.
In a Pharmacy Course, an individual learns about accurate and safe processing of prescriptions, dispensing and compounding of medicines, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence (laws regulating the profession of pharmacy), use of Pharmacy software, Purchasing, merchandising and inventory control, third-party billing, accurate record-keeping as required under Food & Drug Act, computer processing, dispensing & Compounding of medicines, Patient-provider relationships, verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, etc.	In other medical courses, the student learns about various branches of Medical & Health Sciences, diagnosis and treatment technologies, and methodologies.
Despite being a medical course, Pharmacy courses are also Technical courses.	Other medical courses are solely based on medicines/drugs, research, diagnostics, and treatments.
Average Course Fee- Rs 3 Lacs to Rs 6.2 Lacs .	Course fee of other medical courses starts from Rs 8 Lacs and it can cost up to Rs 50 Lacs or more depending on the course
Average Salary after Pharmacy Course- Rs 3.5 L.P.A to Rs 7 L.P.A	Average Salary after other Medical Courses- Rs 4 L.P.A to Rs 12 L.P.A
Career Prospects after Pharmacy Courses- Pharmacist in health care organizations, Lab Researcher, Pharmaceutical Distributor, Drug Inspector, Quality Control, Medical Underwriter, Patient Counsellor, Self-Employed as a Pharmacist.	Career Prospects after other Medical Courses The self-employed clinic, Dentist, Cardiologist, Surgeon, Physician, Pathologist, Lecturer, Professor, Physiotherapist, Orthopaedician, Pediatrician, Gynaecologists, Nurse, Pulmonologists, etc.

Which is better Pharmacy Courses or Medical Courses?

If we do a comparison between Pharmacy Courses and Medical courses then it won’t be a fair comparison, because a Pharmacy course is also a medical course and it also offers fair career prospects and secure jobs to an individual just like other medical courses. All Medical courses give you the ability, knowledge, and skills to contribute equally to the development of the health sector. After completing a medical course or a pharmacy course, an individual becomes eligible to work with various health care facilities/organizations, Laboratories, and Public service organizations. Moreover, you can also become a self-employed individual by setting up your clinic, diagnostic center, or Pharmacy after completing a medical course(including Pharmacy courses). Pursuing a medical course allows you to become a self-sustained and self-employed individual.

The Pharmacy courses cost less than other medical courses like M.B.B.S, B.D.S, M.D, or M.S. The average fee of a B.Pharm course varies from Rs 3 Lacs to Rs 6.2 Lacs and the average fee of an M.B.B.S course starts from Rs 8 Lacs and can cost up to Rs 50 Lacs. So if you want to do a medical course not exceeding your budget then you can choose B. Pharm as this course will also offer you a fair share of career opportunities, but if you are someone who wants to become a practicing health worker ( like a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, surgeon, nutritionist, etc.) then we suggest you pursue some other medical course that suits your interest.