The Education Committee of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has formed a special committee consisting of academia from the pharmaceutical field and pharmacy practitioners to improve the pharmaceutical curriculum in the country.

The first meeting of the sub-committee was held recently and they would be meeting again in Ooty to form a concrete plan. The committee is expected to submit its interim report by March 2007 and the changes in the courses would be implemented by the coming academic year.

The committee would assess the need for curriculum involving more emphasis on clinical training to pharmacy students based on our country's requirement and the global needs. The group will also examine whether the clinical training and programme imparted is of international standards that enables the students eligible for careers in foreign countries.

"The overall objective would be to improve the B pharm content with slight strengthening of the clinical content. Steps will also taken to develop a post bachelor programme (Post B Pharm programme) as an interim measure to meet the increased need of clinical skill expected of the pharmacists of our country, in India and abroad," said B Suresh, president of PCI.

He said that the committee would also discuss the concept of forming a programme that would lead to the Pharm D programme, to meet the national as well as the global needs for qualified and trained pharmacists. Efforts would also be taken to see that such projects also have the relevant infrastructure as well as training requirement, that may be expected out of International Pharmacists Registering Authorities.

As reported in Pharmabiz, the PCI was in the process of tying up with the US Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) with a view to help Indian pharmacists getting easy job openings in the US. An ACPE delegation had visited the India in this connection recently.

Suresh said that once the courses and curriculum are chalked out, further discussions with the ACPE would take place, as only then will the talks be of some benefit.