What is the difference between D. Pharm and Pharm D. courses?

Pharm D signifies that the aspirants have acquired the Doctorate Degree of Pharmacy where as D. Pharm stands for Diploma in Pharmacy.
Eligibility criteria for D. Pharm -
The aspirants must have passed 10 th Board from a recognised institution and can pursue the Diploma consisting of two years duration.
Eligibility criteria for Pharm D -
Pharm D course is a six year programme including fibre years of education and one year internship. The following are the eligibility requirements for completion of Pharm D degree-
1) Candidates must have passed 10 +2 level of education from many recognised Board. They should have gone through Physics, Chemistry as their science subjects with either Mathematics or Biology as additional subjects.
The aspirants must have completed 17 years of age in the year of admission.
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Candidates having Diploma in Pharmacy are also eligible they fulfil other conditions.
2) For the aspirants having acquired three year B. Pharmacy course are also eligible for Pharm D course with the completion of two year studies apart from additional one year for internship of the institution where they are interested for their higher studies but they need to have passed the written and oral tests set by the institution.
Pharm D are experts in understanding the effects of meditations and as such they have greater roles in influencing both the patients and physicians in suggesting the exact dosage of the medicines being prescribed by the doctors.
The following are the responsibilities of the Pharma Experts ( Pharm D holder)
1) Once the prescription is made by the doctor/ physician, Pharm D has the right to alter the doses which he thinks appropriate.
2) He can assess the possible drug reactions and can take safe measures of administering medicines.
3) He can inform the patients regarding the possible side effects of the medicines if other medications are being consumed by the patients simultaneously.
4) The expert can provide information on general health topic.
5) He can perform administrative tasks such as filling up insurance forms, supervision of internship and maintenance of relevant records.

1. D-Pharm: It is a diploma course and the duration of this course is 2 years. The student will be taught all core concepts of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences. All students who completed their 10th class or equivalent can opt for this course. The admissions to this course will be on the basis of the rank obtained in the entrance test conducted by the state government. It is not a degree course. Candidates who completed this course can join B. Pharm laterally in the 2nd year of B.Pharm. The admission will be based on the rank obtained in the entrance test only.
2. Pharm-D: This is a 6-year course after intermediate or equivalent. This course will give you a detailed study of pharmaceutical industry concepts. More thrust will be on patient care. It is equivalent to MBBS and you can add 'Dr.' before your name once you complete Pharm-D.
A candidate will be taught about drug prescription, mechanism of action, adverse reaction monitoring, and patient counselling. Drug therapy will be taught in detail. In many countries, these candidates are legally allowed to prescribe medicine to patients. But in India, they are not allowed.
The eligibility for joining this course is a pass in 10 + 2 or equivalent with MPC or BPC. The admission will be based on the rank obtained in the entrance test.

The names though apparently looking similar and confusing are distinctly two separate levels in the subject of Pharmacy.

D Pharm or Diploma in Pharmacy is a diploma level course like any other similar diploma courses. It is a two year Diploma course taken up by students who have passed the 12 th class. A student who has passed 12th with Physics ,Chemistry & Maths/Biology with second class or more can apply for D.Pharm course. D Pharm can also be a gateway for upgrading by lateral entry to B Pharm or Pharm D course.

Pharm D or Doctor of Pharmacy is an integrated professional Degree(Post Graduate Degree) course of six years duration. Like many other professional courses Pham D can be applied by students who have passed 12th with Science subjects with 50% or more. This a good option for those who want to be in medical related field ,but have missed MBBS or other popular alternate medical course. Clinical Pharmacy is a developing sector and hence has scope in this field. As more and more multinational big corporate companies are now entering the field this course will have its attraction. Teaching in the same field is also an opportunity. Pharm D is an approved qualification to be a registered Pharmacist. As there are more and more restrictions and regulations, Pharm D is now commonly taken as the minimum requirement for this. Pharm D has more to do in direct health care where as D Pharm is not a direct health care opportunity. As more and more health issues and more and more new drugs and medicines are coming, he Pharmacy Doctors service is needed more in direct health care sector.
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D.Pharma stands for Diploma in Pharmacy. The duration of this course is two years. It is not a degree course. Candidate should have passed 12th with Physics Chemistry& Maths/Biology with second class or more are eligible to apply for a D.Pharm course. For this course, the candidate will be selected based on the marks obtained in the entrance test.
Whereas Pharm D is Doctor of Pharmacy. This is a professional degree in the pharmacy stream. It is 6 year of course with one year of internship. Those student who has passed class 12th with a minimum of 50% marks are eligible to apply. Moreover, PharmD can also be pursued by B Pharm graduates by seeking admissions to lateral entry courses i.e. Pharm D. After getting a degree, the candidate can start practicing in the health sector. In this field, candidates get knowledge regarding drug prescription, mechanism of action, adverse reaction monitoring, and patient counseling. Drug therapy is also taught in this course.