Assalamualaikum, Ni hao, Konnichiwa,
Here 7 sections of pharmacy in Malaysia. This is copied from my friends who take this notes during a talk. Community pharmacy, Academics, Hospital pharmacy, Enforcement, NPRA, Management,Store, and Clinics, and Industrial pharmacy. After you graduated, you will be entitled to Provisionally Registered Pharmacist (PRP) position for about 1 year. After finished and pass Pharmacy Law exam, you will be entitled to Fully Registered Pharmacist (FRP). So, in FRP position, you can work at any division.
1. COMMUNITY PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Independent pharmacy
- Chain pharmacy
DEMAND : Many work in government. So, demand is high for community pharmacy.
SALARY : High. RM 6000-RM8000 or more
CHALLENGES :
- Risk taker
- Business has many challenges such as :
A) Competition (price war)
B) Wide range of knowledge about clinical and business information
C) Counseling skills with patient (many go for brand they first get and do not want generic drugs)
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN RETAIL PHARMACY :
1) BP check
2) Weight management program
3) Mobile, Pos Laju (future opportunities) still not implemented because of government rule and regulation.
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Pharmacist must be presented
- Customer will come and seek for pharmacist for consultation
ADDITIONAL ADVICE : Experience in hospital, industry, and other sector before entering retail pharmacy will help a lot.
2. ACADEMICS
DESCRIPTION:
- Lecturers
- Students > Assistant Professor > Professor
DEMAND :
- Ratio of 1 Pharmacist to 8 Students
- Need more lecturers in the future with increasing number of pharmacy students in whole university in Malaysia
CHALLENGES :
1) Scholarships
- To pursue master and PHD need a good CGPA.
- Master > Above 3.0
- PHD straight without master > 3.7 (First class degree)
2) Need to continuously do research and publication
- Key performance index of pharmacist
3) Need to do research but need grant (financial aid to do research)
- Need to seek for grant
ADDITIONAL INFO :
- Only UIA and UITM has lecturers with master and can teach
- Other university set PHD level of education to become a lecturer (This rule can change with the future changes of the government)
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Need good CGPA to pursue study and become a lecturer
ADDITIONAL ADVICE :
- The best part of being lecturer is you can share your knowledge with others and see your students grow up and become a successful students
3. HOSPITAL PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in hospital
- Departments :
1) Outpatient (OPD)
2) Clinical pharmacist
3) Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
4) CDCR (Deal with chemotherapy drug preparation and reconstitution)
5) Drug information services (DIS)
6) Store and distribution of drug
DEMAND :
- If JPA scholar > Confirm join government for 1 year for PRP
SALARY :
- Fresh graduates
1) RM3,800 (Basic) + Fix allowance (RM750) = RM4,500++ RANGE
CHALLENGES :
1) Deal with many healthcare provider
- Lots of things to consider and encounter
2) Full response of pharmacist
- Pharmacist the last person patient met to get medication
3) Medication error
- Danger for patient life if pharmacist made a medication error
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN HOSPITAL :
Board pharmacist specialization (BPS)
- Specialization of field in pharmacy
- Need to further study in interested field and then have exams
- If pass the exam so can get specialized pharmacy
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- High level of clinical knowledge (need to learn and read a lot)
- Confidence in dispensing medication
4. ENFORCEMENT
DESCRIPTION :
Police and Enforcement of Drug
- Field of work
1) Operasi (serbuan) dan risikan
2) Perlesenan
3) Kawalan precursor (Ectasy, NDMA)
4) Pemeriksaan premis
5) Pemeriksaan kedai ubat
6) Siasatan dan undang-undang
7) Kawalan iklan ubat-ubatan
8) Pencegahan dan kesedaran pengguna
9) Pemeriksaan di pintu masuk (pelabuhan dan lapangan terbang)
CHALLENGES :
- Need to spend a lot of time travelling and deal with people
- People angry if we want to take other people items and drugs
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Knowledge of Acts and Rules and Regulations of Drugs
5. NPRA (NPCB) - Regulatory
DESCRIPTIONS :
- Regulation of drug
- Field
1) Registration
2) Post registration
3) Regulatory control
4) Quality Assurance
5) Notification of cosmetics
6) Monograph of traditional and herbal product
7) Answer question in parliament
CHALLENGES : Many products enter and need to be processed everyday for registrations
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS :
- Quest (Online registration of drug registration)
- PIC'S - Licence and manufacturing
IMPORTANT ASPECT:
- Application of all knowledge
1) Pharmacokinetics
2) Clinical skills
3) Dosage design
4) IT skills crucial for development of software and websites
5) Soft skills
6. MANAGEMENT, STORE, CLINICS
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in management, clinics, and stores
1) Clinics
- Family medical clinics
- Methadone dispensing in clinics
CHALLENGES :
1) Deal with lots of healthcare field
2) Dispensing of methadone (Opiods)
- Lots of patient around 30-40 person per day
- Need to do ordering and recording of methadone every month. If wrong, will be questioned and if cannot give appropriate answer, can go into jail
- For sisters, need to be careful when dealing with male patient taking methadone (fussy patient can bring harm
3) Purchasing
- Need to know all about not only drug but also non-drug, vaccine, medical equipment such as cathether
- Wrong purchasing enter jail
4) Budget control wisely
- Need to make report effectively
IMPORTANT ASPECT : It skills (ordering) need excel and more IT handling skills
7. INDUSTRIAL PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in industry
- Field
1) Production
2) Regulatory
3) Research and Development (R&D)
4) Plant manager
5) Quality Assurance Manager
6) GMP Consultant
7) General Manager
8) CEO
CHALLENGES :
1) Need to know all about product. From formulation until registration of drug.
2) Working. Not fix. Sometimes need to work until midnight for processing and product manufacturing
3) Working with machines, audit form NPRA, and many more.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN IKOP IIUM :
- Focus on as the leading of halal pharmaceutical company for drugs.
- Produce halal pharmaceuticals.
The above information might be true at the time of writing.
After all, working is only one of the way to get close to Allah and achieve paradise. No matter what we do, purify your intention. We are working this hard just to please Allah, our Creator, so that we will get blessed.
That's all. Jaane.
Here 7 sections of pharmacy in Malaysia. This is copied from my friends who take this notes during a talk. Community pharmacy, Academics, Hospital pharmacy, Enforcement, NPRA, Management,Store, and Clinics, and Industrial pharmacy. After you graduated, you will be entitled to Provisionally Registered Pharmacist (PRP) position for about 1 year. After finished and pass Pharmacy Law exam, you will be entitled to Fully Registered Pharmacist (FRP). So, in FRP position, you can work at any division.
1. COMMUNITY PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Independent pharmacy
- Chain pharmacy
DEMAND : Many work in government. So, demand is high for community pharmacy.
SALARY : High. RM 6000-RM8000 or more
CHALLENGES :
- Risk taker
- Business has many challenges such as :
A) Competition (price war)
B) Wide range of knowledge about clinical and business information
C) Counseling skills with patient (many go for brand they first get and do not want generic drugs)
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN RETAIL PHARMACY :
1) BP check
2) Weight management program
3) Mobile, Pos Laju (future opportunities) still not implemented because of government rule and regulation.
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Pharmacist must be presented
- Customer will come and seek for pharmacist for consultation
ADDITIONAL ADVICE : Experience in hospital, industry, and other sector before entering retail pharmacy will help a lot.
2. ACADEMICS
DESCRIPTION:
- Lecturers
- Students > Assistant Professor > Professor
DEMAND :
- Ratio of 1 Pharmacist to 8 Students
- Need more lecturers in the future with increasing number of pharmacy students in whole university in Malaysia
CHALLENGES :
1) Scholarships
- To pursue master and PHD need a good CGPA.
- Master > Above 3.0
- PHD straight without master > 3.7 (First class degree)
2) Need to continuously do research and publication
- Key performance index of pharmacist
3) Need to do research but need grant (financial aid to do research)
- Need to seek for grant
ADDITIONAL INFO :
- Only UIA and UITM has lecturers with master and can teach
- Other university set PHD level of education to become a lecturer (This rule can change with the future changes of the government)
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Need good CGPA to pursue study and become a lecturer
ADDITIONAL ADVICE :
- The best part of being lecturer is you can share your knowledge with others and see your students grow up and become a successful students
3. HOSPITAL PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in hospital
- Departments :
1) Outpatient (OPD)
2) Clinical pharmacist
3) Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)
4) CDCR (Deal with chemotherapy drug preparation and reconstitution)
5) Drug information services (DIS)
6) Store and distribution of drug
DEMAND :
- If JPA scholar > Confirm join government for 1 year for PRP
SALARY :
- Fresh graduates
1) RM3,800 (Basic) + Fix allowance (RM750) = RM4,500++ RANGE
CHALLENGES :
1) Deal with many healthcare provider
- Lots of things to consider and encounter
2) Full response of pharmacist
- Pharmacist the last person patient met to get medication
3) Medication error
- Danger for patient life if pharmacist made a medication error
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN HOSPITAL :
Board pharmacist specialization (BPS)
- Specialization of field in pharmacy
- Need to further study in interested field and then have exams
- If pass the exam so can get specialized pharmacy
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- High level of clinical knowledge (need to learn and read a lot)
- Confidence in dispensing medication
4. ENFORCEMENT
DESCRIPTION :
Police and Enforcement of Drug
- Field of work
1) Operasi (serbuan) dan risikan
2) Perlesenan
3) Kawalan precursor (Ectasy, NDMA)
4) Pemeriksaan premis
5) Pemeriksaan kedai ubat
6) Siasatan dan undang-undang
7) Kawalan iklan ubat-ubatan
8) Pencegahan dan kesedaran pengguna
9) Pemeriksaan di pintu masuk (pelabuhan dan lapangan terbang)
CHALLENGES :
- Need to spend a lot of time travelling and deal with people
- People angry if we want to take other people items and drugs
IMPORTANT ASPECT :
- Knowledge of Acts and Rules and Regulations of Drugs
5. NPRA (NPCB) - Regulatory
DESCRIPTIONS :
- Regulation of drug
- Field
1) Registration
2) Post registration
3) Regulatory control
4) Quality Assurance
5) Notification of cosmetics
6) Monograph of traditional and herbal product
7) Answer question in parliament
CHALLENGES : Many products enter and need to be processed everyday for registrations
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS :
- Quest (Online registration of drug registration)
- PIC'S - Licence and manufacturing
IMPORTANT ASPECT:
- Application of all knowledge
1) Pharmacokinetics
2) Clinical skills
3) Dosage design
4) IT skills crucial for development of software and websites
5) Soft skills
6. MANAGEMENT, STORE, CLINICS
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in management, clinics, and stores
1) Clinics
- Family medical clinics
- Methadone dispensing in clinics
CHALLENGES :
1) Deal with lots of healthcare field
2) Dispensing of methadone (Opiods)
- Lots of patient around 30-40 person per day
- Need to do ordering and recording of methadone every month. If wrong, will be questioned and if cannot give appropriate answer, can go into jail
- For sisters, need to be careful when dealing with male patient taking methadone (fussy patient can bring harm
3) Purchasing
- Need to know all about not only drug but also non-drug, vaccine, medical equipment such as cathether
- Wrong purchasing enter jail
4) Budget control wisely
- Need to make report effectively
IMPORTANT ASPECT : It skills (ordering) need excel and more IT handling skills
7. INDUSTRIAL PHARMACY
DESCRIPTION :
- Work in industry
- Field
1) Production
2) Regulatory
3) Research and Development (R&D)
4) Plant manager
5) Quality Assurance Manager
6) GMP Consultant
7) General Manager
8) CEO
CHALLENGES :
1) Need to know all about product. From formulation until registration of drug.
2) Working. Not fix. Sometimes need to work until midnight for processing and product manufacturing
3) Working with machines, audit form NPRA, and many more.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN IKOP IIUM :
- Focus on as the leading of halal pharmaceutical company for drugs.
- Produce halal pharmaceuticals.
The above information might be true at the time of writing.
After all, working is only one of the way to get close to Allah and achieve paradise. No matter what we do, purify your intention. We are working this hard just to please Allah, our Creator, so that we will get blessed.
That's all. Jaane.
Comments
I recently graduated with a pharmacy course from the UK and I was told we need to pass the pharmacy forensic exam before we can register with lfm. This news was definitely heartbreaking and a bit daunting for me because I haven't learnt about Malaysian Pharmacy Law and now they have negative marking to go with it :'(
Do you have any tips to pass this exam for someone so noob, please? Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
-Aya Sofya