Faculty of Pharmacy — Overview

Eligibility

• Pharm-D (Five years Program): H. S. C. (Biology Group) or equivalent with a minimum of 60% marks (‘B’ grade)

In addition, the three- and four-year degree holders can upgrade their degrees to Pharm. D. (five-year degree program) after completion of deficiency courses.

Allocated Seats

• 200 seats are available on merit basis for Pharm. D program in morning + reserved seats including foreign students.
• 50 seats are available for one year program for the students holding four year degree in order to upgrade to Pharm. D. (five years program).

Pharm. D catalogue : Click here

Pharmacy is a distinct profession and on it lies the success of any health program. With the rise of population world wide during the last few decades, it has been realized that the traditional medical and health services now play a limited role in the overall improvement of health status. This fact has driven all health professionals to the common goal of disease prevention and health promotion. In developed countries the clinical direction of Pharmacy has deemphasized the manipulative product oriented and distributive skills and focused more, on the public health awareness. Today, the pharmacists’ attention is directed towards the patient, his environment, and his state of general well-being. Pharmacy has achieved many successes in the past few years, it has undergone a transformation whereby both practice and teaching of the subject has been placed on more quantitative, rational and scientific bases, so much so that the Drug Oriented Pharmacy has now attired itself to Patient Oriented Pharmacy in most of the Western World.

In United States, the Pharmacy professional is highly patient oriented, they have much more opportunities in hospital and community environment. Same trend is being followed in Middle East market, whereas locally in Pakistan, 75% opportunities are in Industrial sector. Although in Pakistan, this sector is also now reaching a level of saturation, which will result in diversion to other branches like marketing, hospital and community. Accordingly we will have to prepare our graduates for the changing trends, especially if they aim to work globally. This has become possible by reviewing our Pharmacy syllabi and changing the same to meet the local and global needs and requirements.

The Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi after a long and thorough discussion as well as practical work, converted the curriculum proposed by PCP (based on annual examination system) into semester examination system. There are 200 credit hours spread over 5 years. The Faculty has also designed one year deficiency courses of 2 semester duration for those holding 4 years B.Pharm degree in order to upgrade to Pharm-D (5 years program) if they so desire. These courses have been approved by the Board of Studies of each department as well as by the Board of Faculty.

SYSTEM OF EXAMINATION AND GRADING

1.Terminal Examination

The examination held at the end of semester after the completion of a course shall be known as Terminal Examination. It will carry 100 marks. This examination is a passing head i.e., a student must for each course obtain a minimum of 50 marks in this examination.

2.Grading System

Grades given to a student in each course shall be of two types:

a. Numerical Grade (NG)

Assessment of performance on the basis of marks out of 100 fixed for a course of 3 or 4 credit hours unit is NG.

b. Alphabetical Grade (AG)

Equivalent of numerical grades in terms of alphabets shall be termed as alphabetical grades. (Each letter carries a value in terms of numerical points).

c. Grading

d. Incomplete Grade

For incomplete courses no point shall be given.

e. Grade Point Ratio (GPR)

Points obtained in each course shall be multiplied by the number of Credit Hours specified for that course, and then a grade point ratio (GPR) shall be calculated. For example, the result of a 1st year student in a semester may be as follows:

i. Cumulative Grade Point Ratio (CGPR)

This is obtained by adding all the Grade Points of the courses during 5 years study period and dividing the total by the total number of credit hours.

3.Requirement for the Award of Pharm-D. Degree

a. A student must have passed all prescribed courses.

b. A student must have obtained a minimum CGPR 2.45

4.Rules Concerning the Promotion and Repetition of Course

A student would be promoted to next higher class upon clearing 80% of courses. In case of any misinterpretation and discrepancy Deans' Committee would be the final authority in deciding any representation.

(Approved by the Academic Council on 17-3-1999, vide Resolution No.1).

5.Attendance

Attendance in each subject is compulsory for all students and no student shall be eligible to appear at any University examination unless he has attended 75 per cent attendance in the course.

i. The attendance of students admitted in the Faculty will be counted from the 1st day of semester and not from the date of admission.

ii. Students called for national duty such as participation in Olympics, National Games, Inter-varsities, and going to perform Haj would be given exemption in attendance for the actual period of national duty/Haj. These cases would be decided individually.

iii. If a student is unable to attend classes continuously for 15 days or more without informing the Dean/Chairperson of the Department (in writing) his/her admission will also stand cancelled. In case of illness or other similar situation, application along with a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner duly verified by the Senior Medical Officer of the University must be submitted within two days after the incident.

iv. Original attendance register is to be submitted to the Dean/ Chairperson for record and future reference.

6.Maximum Duration for Completion of Degree

i. Degree enrollment of the Pharm-D. will remain valid for two more years after the expiry of the required duration for the completion of the Pharm-D. degree (i.e. 5 years).

ii. However a student unable to complete his/her degree requirement within the validity of his/her enrollment, will have to re-validate/extend his/her enrollment for not more than 2 years by paying a prescribed fee with the permission of Dean.

7.Cancellation of Admission/Readmission

i. If a student admitted in Pharm-D. 1st year class for the first time fails to attend the class for the first 15 days his/her admission shall stand cancelled.

ii. If a student absents himself/herself for 15 consecutive days during the semester without any information, his/her admission shall also be cancelled. Re-admission would be granted in the same semester by the Dean if he/she can complete his/her attendance requirement.

iii. If a student is unable to continue his/her studies during his/her studies, his/her admission will be treated as cancelled. He/she may however be re-admitted after the payment of prescribed fee in the same semester where he/she had left. Permission would be granted by Dean.

iv. He/she may be allowed 3 chances to pass/get promoted in the next higher class if he/she has completed the attendance requirements.

8.Unfair Means

All the cases of unfairmeans will be forwarded to the Committee appointed for the purpose and the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulationsof the University.

9.Interpretation of Semester Rules

The decision of the Deans' Committee would be final for the interpretation of semester rules. In case of any appeal Deans' Committee would dispose it off on its merits.

• Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Department of Pharmaceutics
• Department of Pharmacognosy
• Department of Pharmacology
• Department of Pharmacy Practice

The Faculty of Pharmacy has well equipped laboratories in all the four departments, fully capable of catering the teaching and research needs of the various programs offered. Moreover, there is a good library of the faculty. Furthermore the Faculty has an Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences under its auspices so as to give more impetus to scientific and technological research and development.

Foreign Students

Faculty of Pharmacy admits 20 foreign students to Pharm-D. degree course every year. These admissions are not given directly but only after being duly processed by the concerned Embassies and the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Islamabad.

Extra Curricular Activities

Annual Tour

Students of B.Pharm./Pharm-D. final year tour the country as a part of their training to get acquainted with the various pharmaceutical industries as well as various Pharmacy Institutions (public sector) of the country, while the junior students visit the local industries. Expenses of both trips are borne by University of Karachi.

Student Activities 

Pharmacy students have been very active to organize functions which include promotion of academic and extra-curricular activities, the later include social and literary functions as well as assistance to students in their day-to-day problems. They also publish two or three magazines every year from their own resources, to which students contribute their writings and are supplemented by teachers.

Incentives and Assistance

President's Award

Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan gives this medal to the student who tops in over all performance during the 5 years Pharm-D. courses.

Research fellowships

University of Karachi, the Higher Education Commission and Pakistan Science Foundation grant fellowships for talented students enrolled for M.Phil and Ph.D. programs.

Fee Remissions

Over a hundred deserving undergraduate and postgraduate students are given full-fee remissions.

Duty Loan

These interest-free loans are granted by Banker's Equity of Pakistan to outstanding and deserving students. Moreover, Pakistan Fauji Foundation and other social and cultural organizations give financial assistance to needy students

Gold Medals

• Hakimsons Chemical Industries Gold Medal is awarded to a student, who performs best in the 4 year B.Pharm./5 years Pharm-D. degree courses.
• Al-Haj Ikram Siddiqui Gold Medal goes to the most outstanding M.Pharm. student of the faculty
• Prof. S.M.S. Zoha Gold Medal is awarded to a student who secured best CGPR in Pharmacy at the B.Pharm/Pharm-D examinations.
• Fauzia Rashid Gold Medal is received by a student who stood First at the B.Pharm/Pharm-D examinations.
• Amna Feroz Gold Medal goes to a student who stood First at the B.Pharm/Pharm-D examinations.

Professional Activities

Pakistan Pharmacy Council was established after the enactment of Pakistan Pharmacy Act in 1967. This Council, along with Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association, Pakistan Pharmacists Association and Pharamakarian (an alumni association of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Karachi), is playing a vital role in propagating and establishing professional traditions of pharmacy in the country.

Ph.D.

M.Phil.

 

The Faculty of Pharmacy has so far produced around 70 Ph.Ds and 175 M.Phils. Moreover around 1200 research papers have so far been published in reputed national and international journals by the faculty members. The Faculty takes keen interest in organizing lectures, seminars, conferences and workshops so as to share and update knowledge of the faculty members and students.    

To share the research conducted by the Faculty members the Faculty publishes a highly reputed journal entitled “Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences” recognized by the HEC in “W” category. Apart from this, an annual magazine namely “FARMACIA” is also being published which contains articles authored by the students on different topics. Besides, a newsletter “PHARMA TIMES”, covering different activities in the Faculty, is also brought out every semester by the students.   

The Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is published every three months by the Faculty of Pharmacy. The journal publishes original research articles that confirms to its scope and editorial standards that interest to practicing pharmaceutical scientists and other health care professionals. The journal publishes original research articles, review articles, short communication, and letters to the editor. All submitted papers are subject to an extensive review by the editorial board and by a panel of National/International referees available on line.

To minimize delay between manuscript, submission, decision and publication, authors are requested to follow “Instructions to Authors” found in the journal. Confirming to all the steps listed in that section will facilitate the processing of your manuscript by the Editorial Board. Paper presented in meetings and symposia may also be published provided that they have not been published in their respective proceedings and reference to them is made in such articles. Indexed in Chemical Abstracts, Index Medicus/MedLine/International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA). Publication of the Journal is partially supported in fund by Higher Education Commission and Pakistan Science Foundation.

Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Website

http://www.pjps.pk/

For further information please contact:

FACULTY OF PHARMACY

UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI, KARACHI-75270

Telephone: 9261300-06 Ext:2220

Email: deanpharm@uok.edu.pk