Dr. Madhuri Uttam Shelar- Chondhe is the HOD of Alard College of Pharmacy. She is a Pharmacy professional who holds a M.Pharm and a PhD degree. With over five years of experience, Dr. Shelar has worked primarily in quality assurance techniques.

For her contributions and dedication to the field, Dr. Madhuri received the IASTAM Baidyanath Award for best validation / clinical research of classical product and the Rula Award for Best Scientist in Natural Product Research in 2019. She is also in charge of several committees such as M.Pharm QAT, Examination Section, (D.Pharm), Earn & Learn, Student Core Committee. Besides her regular duties, she has guided over 16 research students, published 12 papers and attended over 15 workshops and conferences.

Alard College of Pharmacy

What are the best practices in the course you’re offering?

Our course consists of studying different herbal drugs and the extraction and isolation of different ingredients. This course will be very helpful if you want to work in the research field, particularly in the medical IT, pharmacy, and medical vigilance industries. The pharma course is a specialization in D Pharm. Students can take this course in B. Pharm. in the second and third years.

What are the career options and which industry students are able to join after pursuing this course?

Students who choose this course have the option to work in many fields, like IT, Pharmacy, and Medical companies. Compared to other fields like engineering, and commerce, competition in Pharmacy is less intense. The students who complete our courses will get plenty of job opportunities and should find sustainable work in the industry. Additionally, students working in the pharma industry can experience a rapid pace of growth if they do their work with complete dedication.

Do you have any extra-curricular activities to enhance the skills of the students?

There are many extra-curricular activities in the department, like drawing competitions, different pharma events, and NSS events. We have annual cultural events and a sports day for which we motivate students to participate in events and earn experience. The Indian Pharmaceutical Association conducts competitions all-round the year. We aspire for our students to participate in national events.

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How do you inculcate Industry experience to students?

We work with companies such as New Life Pharmaceuticals and Glen Mark Pharmaceuticals to conduct guest lectures, webinars, and seminars where students can learn about the latest trends and working practices in the industries they will be attending. The college has tie-ups with many pharma industries so that students can visit industries, complete internships, and understand what it is like to work in the industry. The students can choose a live project in the industry, which helps them learn new skills and adapt to the industry's demands before they start working.

What are the different projects the students work on during the curriculum?

The students have to do many projects during the academic year. They need to complete assignments or projects in each subject to practice what they learned. Additionally, in the seventh and eighth semesters, students have to work on a final project under the guidance of the faculty. They have to apply all the knowledge they learn from different subjects during their course. This is a research project in which students have to research a topic, make a thesis, and work on different hypotheses.

How is placement assistance given in this course and what are the fields students can join?

The students go through discussion sessions with the teachers to help them decide which field they want to work in. The college provides many opportunities to the students for placements. We provide 100% assistance to students to help them prepare for the placement through resume-building sessions and mock interviews. Our students can work in core pharma, medical coding, and in marketing.

How do you train faculty to deliver this program to the students?

We run a faculty development program at our college, through which teachers are sent to development programs to learn new skills and knowledge about changing educational trends. There are various webinars and seminars held throughout the year for the faculty as well. Teachers are encouraged to enrol on online courses such as Swayam and take part in regular visits to the university where faculties for different programs or seminars.

What are the benefits of pursuing this course?

Students who want to work in the pharma industry can choose this course to gain comprehensive knowledge of the industry. The curriculum is designed in such a manner as to cover all fields in pharma. The students choosing this course will work primarily in the medical industry, but there are many other opportunities as well. Our pharma students have high growth potential within India and internationally as well.

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What are the challenges that you faced while inculcating this program or curriculum?

The major challenge we faced while handling this course was that students came from different backgrounds. Their skill sets are different from each other. We had to bring all the students at the same pace. Also, the teaching time for the course is limited. We have to work quickly to complete the syllabus effectively in a given time span. Moreover, we also have to work with each individual student for their overall development, which is time-consuming and a challenge for us.

What valuable advice would you like the students to have a prosperous career ahead?

I advise students to have a proper discussion before choosing which field they want to work in. Get feedback from your teachers and alumni to know what skills you should possess and what it is like to work in your desired job profile. You should work hard to achieve success. Concentrate on developing the right skills, which will help you achieve growth in the industry later.