Chennai: A new course in pharmacology Pharm. D., will be introduced in four Chennai colleges from the upcoming academic year.

The Pharmacy Council of India has approved the course and the goal and content is similar in lines of the courses being run in the United States.

"The aim of the course is to prepare a student to become a pharmacist, who would work as a close associate with the physician, participate in the drug recommendations and also provide additional information on drug-food interaction. Therefore, the emphasis would be on practicals and fieldwork," said P.P. Sharma, Vice-President of the Pharmacy Council of India.

Twenty-Three institutes in five states have been affiliated to conduct the course. These include four in Tamil Nadu, 12 in Andhra Pradesh, five in Karnataka and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The four colleges in Tamil Nadu that have received affiliation to conduct the first year of the course are, Vel's College of Pharmacy, Pallavaram; S.R.M. College of Pharmacy, Kattankalathur; PSG College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore; and Vinayaka Missions' College of Pharmacy, Salem.

Each of these institutes can admit up to 30 students in this academic year.

The final year of the six-year course will be an internship programme, similar to the house-surgency year for MBBS students.

"During the internship, the students will be attached to a doctor whom they have will accompany for the patient visits in the ward, enabling them to work very closely with the physician and use their knowledge to provide crucial drug information relevant to the patient," Mr. Sharma said.

"Evaluating drug interactions and antagonists becomes key factor when more than one drug is prescribed to the patient. Food and drug interactions should also be considered in such case. Pharm. D. students will be trained to provide this kind of guidance," he explained.

Some of the subjects that will be taught as part of the course include Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medicinal biochemistry, Remedial Mathematics and Biology, Pathophysiology, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacotherapeutics and Clinical Toxicology.

Mr. Sharma also said that there would be innumerable opportunities waiting for those who complete the course. Apart from the industry itself, Pharm. D. graduates would be absorbed as teaching staff by medical colleges and pharmacological colleges and could be hired by the public and private hospitals.

A number of hospitals are in the process of setting up their drug information/advisory departments, which would be a perfect slot for these graduates.

The course will be available for candidates who have cleared 10 + 2 in the science (including biology) stream and meet the required criteria.