Pharmacology and Toxicology Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope

What is Pharmacology and Toxicology

Candidates who are interested in pursuing Pharmacology and Toxicology courses will definitely prove beneficial for them. Pharmacology is an extensive medical science field that involves components ranging from biology and chemistry to physiology and toxicology. To make it more clear, pharmacology is the study of positive or therapeutic effects of chemicals, natural products and drugs on humans, toxicology is the study of negative or harmful effects of the same on humans. There is an expansive hint of difference between pharmacology and pharmacy. On the one hand, the course in pharmacy allows an individual to dispense medicinal drugs in prescribed doses to patients in need of it. On the other hand, a degree in pharmacology ensures researching properties on a drug that can act as a remedy to patients suffering from mental as well as physical diseases.

Toxicology tests are run of patients who are struggling with the adverse effects of the medicinal drug in use so that the symptoms can be prevented to an extent. Even toxicology has several sub-disciplines which are as follows - from clinical and forensic toxicology to occupational toxicologists and even risk-assessment toxicologists.

In a nutshell, it can be said that pharmacology is pro-therapeutic and toxicology is anti-therapeutic.  

To do specialization in the field of pharmacology and toxicology, candidates need to do a B.Pharm in Pharmacology to take the first step towards their goal. Then, applicants can sit for M.Pharm in Pharmacology entrance tests to get admission and acquire the degree. While B.Pharm in Pharmacology is the under-graduation degree, the M.Pharm in Pharmacology is the post-graduation degree.

If students pursue B.Pharm, then they gather knowledge about core units like - pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry and ultimately pharmaceutical. Students who are looking forward to having a future in toxicology can opt for M.Sc. Toxicology in their post-graduation period. 

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Pharmacology and Toxicology

For B.Pharm in Pharmacology (UG degree), the criteria are as follows -

• Candidates must have passed their 10+2 exam from science stream.

• Candidates’ minimum aggregate percentage should be at least fifty for all general category students while for SC/ST category students, the aggregate should be at least forty per cent.

 
For M.Pharm in Pharmacology (PG degree), the criteria are as follows - 

• Candidates must have graduated from any recognized institutions in B.Pharm.

• The percentage that should have been obtained during graduation is fifty perfect for general category students and forty-forty five per cent for SC/ST category students.

• The type of graduations that need to be completed before a candidate appears for M.Pharm in Pharmacology are mentioned below - 

Eligibility criteria for B.Pharm in Toxicology

• Bachelor of Science in biology or zoology or genetics or physics or chemistry or biochemistry

• UG degree in home science or biotechnology or botany or microbiology

• MBBS/BDS/BAMS

Eligibility criteria for post-graduation in Toxicology are -     

• Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field.

• Secondly, they must obtain the cut-off marks set by the college after the completion of their entrance test. 

Entrance Exams for Pharmacology and Toxicology

For a UG course’s degree, there are certain state-level entrance tests conducted by the state government. Few of those popular entrance exams’ names for pursuing Pharmacology and Toxicology are - 

• MHT CET (Maharashtra Health and Technical Common Entrance Test) - This test takes place via online mode for students of science stream with the two subject combinations - PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths). 

• BHU-B Entrance Test - If a candidate qualifies this test - Banaras Hindu University’s B.Pharm entrance test then of those thirty seats available will be the candidate’s. 

• Goa Common Entrance Test - GCET is conducted every year as a state-level entrance competition for students who want to pursue either engineering or pharmacy (B.Pharm). 

For PG courses’ degree, the institute conducts their entrance exams, be it national level or be it state level. Two of the popular entrance exams are -

• GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)- It is a national level entrance test is conducted by two of the most prestigious institutes in India - IISc in Bangalore and the seven IIT’s of this country. Through this exam, you can be eligible to obtain the PG degree in the science of pharmacology.

• MU-OET- Manipal University Online Entrance Test is the second most popular entrance exam conducted for admission in this field of science.

For a PG course in Toxicology, that is, a branch of chemical science, candidates need to appear for M.Sc. Toxicology entrance tests. 

Few institutes which conduct their separate entrance tests for admission in this course are mentioned below -

• University of Madras

• Bhavans New Science College

• Chaudhary Charan Singh University

• SCMS Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research and Development

Required Skillset for Pharmacology and Toxicology

The following type of candidates should opt for Pharmacology and Toxicology-

• Students who have a profound interest in laboratory-based research on pharmaceuticals.

• Students who have an aptitude for practical and hands-on analytical laboratory-based work.

• Students who have the inclination to be a part of the discovery of new potential, powerful drugs to help patients suffering from various diseases.

• Students who can engage in the technicalities of production of new drugs.

• Students who want to pursue a postgraduate degree in toxicology need the following honed skills - excellent coordination of hand and eye, impeccable analytic skill, profound information and knowledge about calculus, special interest in statistics and study of the environment.