Pharmacology courses in Sri Lanka – be a Pharmacist

Update 2013: You can apply Diploma in Community Pharmacy 2013 course upto 10 Januray 2013

Do you want to become a pharmacist? Pharmacists distribute prescription drugs to individuals. They also advise their patients, physicians, and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Nowadays the world is more attentive about the pharmaceuticals, therefore it would be a lucrative business opportunity if you can start your own Pharmacy.

In Sri Lanka there are four major types of pharmacists
• Community pharmacists
• Hospital pharmacists/ government pharmacist
• Pharmacists for special forces
• University B.Pharm degree holders




Community pharmacists – start your own pharmacy:
Most private sector pharmacists found in Sri Lanka are generally produced by the private institutions around the country. One who possesses a good apprentice with two years of professional experience under the supervision of any medical council approved community pharmacist may earn the privilege to acquire the registration of the Sri Lanka Medical Council to practice as a pharmacist. Then he should follow a course work of pharmacology through any recognized institute (see details below for such institutions) which is oriented to the National Medical Council placement examination. After receiving the charter form the Medical council then you can start your own pharmacy and follow on.

Diploma in Community Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka conducts this 1 year course, conducted on Sundays. Course Fee is Rs. 25,000/= (Payable in Installments)
For More Details & Applications- Please contact
Administrative Manager, Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka, Professional Centre, 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Colombo 7.
Telephone: 011·2598826 E mall: admln@psslnet.org Website: www.psslnet.org
Applications will be accepted for 2013 batch until 10 January 2013

Hospital pharmacists are the direct government servants who have the institutional bond with the government health sector. Applying according to the government gazette you can enter the pharmacology field by selecting to the short listed pharmacists to be trained in fulfilling the local health service needs. Two years of academic education followed by a one year practical experience will be given to such students and they will be recruited to the government hospitals and other affiliations. Pharmaceutical chemistry, forensic pharmacology, pharmacognocy are some of the subfields that these students might learn, where they will obtain an in grain practice in the field. However these government servants are strictly prohibited in practicing as community pharmacists while working in a government body.

Pharmacists for Special Forces is one of a less known way of being a pharmacist. Security forces such as Sri Lanka Army and Police services, specially recruit some selected number of pharmacists to cater their own pharmacological needs. Such pharmacists will select under the authorization of the health ministry and directly affiliated to the government training sector and finally let in to the army and police hospitals.

B.Sc. Pharmacology University Degree: The other way of being a pharmacist is to follow a university or a private institutional degree specialized for pharmacology, which even recognized as much as the other governmental ways. Almost all the medical faculties of the local universities provide pharmacology courses, as B.Sc pharmacology (Bachelor of Pharmacy degree). If you fulfill the basic requirements as a bio student with three passes in A/L are eligible for the course, where you can follow this degree for three academic years along with a recognized training period as well. These degree holders are also capable in researching pharmacology where they can draw new knowledge to the field of study. Apart from the professional aspects, these university courses have more outspread research aspects which motivate students in experimenting new pharmaceuticals etc.

Private Institutes that Conduct Pharmacology courses
Aquinas college Colombo; a leading private institution in Sri Lanka, provides some good pharmacy and pharmacology courses to the students through its Diploma in Pharmacy Management and Practice course. Students who have three passes in A/L bio stream are eligible for the study.

PATHE academy, offers a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Pharmacy which is said to be one of the precious gift to local students to get the pharmacology qualifications. School leavers who are looking to enter in to the medical professional sector, those working in a Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical related organization, any person in the Healthcare Service looking for career development are welcome to this diploma where it will provide the students a deep knowledge and a practice in following fields of study.

• Basic Pharmaceutical English Forensic
• Pharmacy Pharmaceutics
• Human Anatomy & Physiology
• Pharmacology Pharmacognocy
• Pharmaceutical Management Pharmaceutical Ethics
• Pharmaceutical Marketing Practical and Internship

Affiliated to reputed Indian universities PATHE will offer this diploma for a sum of 36,900 LKR for all two years of both academic and professional study. For pharmacology numerous foreign study opportunities are also available.

Therefore in studying and practicing pharmacology in Sri Lanka, you might consider these details and facts which we believe essential to you in choosing the correct path.

Other similar study Options:
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Select Universities and Courses in Sri Lankan Universities

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Courses you can do after Advanced Level
Higher Education Choices for 18+ (after GCE AL) in Sri Lanka and aborad
Foreign Medical degree