How to become a Bio or Pharmacy Informatician

The pharmacy model is rapidly changing with the introduction of information technology in the field, many pharmacy informatician serve on multidisciplinary teams who are indulged in planning, documentation, designing, maintenance and execution of pharmacy information solution and new healthcare-related technologies such as medication administration using barcodes and computerized medication entry procedures. Pharmacy informatician usually strives to increase the safety of the medication, reduce the cost and involve themselves in boosting the efficiency of medications. Pharmacy informatician is involved in reducing medical errors by implementation and development of new procedures, this is done by improving systems and finding new methods for better use of medications.

A Pharmacy informatician performs the following task: 

• Pharmacy informatician is involved in data, information and knowledge management – managing medication-related information, also promoting and integration of information exchange.
• Pharmacy informatician delivers knowledge and information – delivering medication knowledge throughout the clinical life cycle, also measuring the usage of knowledge.
• They develop a point of business and analytical solution for improvement in decision making.
• They apply clinical experience with research and theoretical principles to improve clinical practice and usability.
• Provide and manage new medication information to the pharmacy system
• They provide information on drug interaction, usage, dosage, side-effects and proper medication storage.
• They also maintain records of pharmacy files, registrations of poison, drugs and radioactive nuclei.
• They serve as medical team consultant or serve as a specific therapist such as Oncologist.
• They are involved in planning, maintaining and implementing procedures such as packing, mixing and labelling pharmaceuticals.
• They ensure quality security and proper disposal of chemicals.
• Prepare a sterile solution for surgical procedures, emergency room and patient home.

Pharmacy informatician handles the major task of improving services provided by the healthcare industry. Data is an important resource in this field, so the aspiring candidates should have important skills and abilities such as dedication, focus, attention, creative mind, problem-solving abilities, quick thinker, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to communicate the information effectively.

In order to enrol into a Bachelor’s program at an esteemed university, aspirants are expected to clear the  Medical Entrance Exams (NEET or All India Pre Medical Test - AIPMT) or Engineering Entrance Exam (JEE main and subsequently, the JEE Advance exam) which makes the aspirant eligible to apply anywhere in India. These are very difficult and challenging exams to crack that requires hard work as well as rigorous and consistent preparation. Some states have their own entrance exams that are admissible in their respective universities. Many educational institutes conduct their own entrance tests.

Aspirants may also opt for the following careers related to bioinformatics:  

• Pharmaceutics
• Pharmaceutical analyst
• Pharmacologist
• Pharmaceutical biotechnologist
• Industrial pharmacist
• Pharmacognosy
• Pharmaceutical chemist
• Pharmaceutical quality assurance officer