Your ultimate guide to study pharmacy in Turkey

Pharmacy is an incredibly important subject because it talks about making drugs that can make sick people get better. Students learn what these drugs are made up of and how to manufacture them.

Many students choose to study pharmacy in Turkey because there are many programs to choose from, both affordable and in English. Read on to learn essential facts about the topic!

Studying pharmacy in Turkey

If you want to study pharmacy in Turkey, you should know that pharmacy is a science subject that allows the student to discover the different stages of drug production, development, and distribution. They also learn how these drugs can affect people so that they can advise them about the best fit for them.

In Turkey, you can find many universities offering both bachelor’s and postgraduate courses for international students. These courses can either be in Turkish or English language, depending on the program of choice.

Read more about: How to begin studying in Turkey?

Why study pharmacy in Turkey?

So why should you study pharmacy in Turkey? Here are a few of the reasons you should keep in mind:

• Turkey has affordable study programs, an increasing number offered in English, both at the bachelor's and master's levels.
• There are many scholarships for students to choose from, offering coverage for tuition fees, accommodation, insurance and more…
• Turkish universities have highly advanced labs with advanced technological equipment.

Know more about: Advantage and disadvantage of Studying in Turkey

Courses of Pharmacy in Turkey

Studying pharmacy in Turkey means that you will study different subjects, both study and field courses. Some of the theoretical courses you might study are the following courses:

• Information technology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Basic pharmaceutical sciences
• History of pharmaceuticals
• Organic chemistry
• Pharmacy and basic medical sciences
• Pharmaceutical technologies
• Pharmaceutical raw materials
• Clinical biochemistry

In addition to theoretical courses, pharmacy students in Turkey also study practical field courses like the following subjects:

• First Aid
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacy Ethics and Deontology
• Food safety and analysis 

Duration of study Pharmacy in Turkey

Pharmacy courses in Turkey span a range of 2 to 5 years, depending on the program of choice. Bachelor of Pharmacy Students in Turkey typically study for five years.

However, if students aren't proficient in Turkish, they'll need to add a preparatory year before their studies to learn the Turkish language, named the language preparatory year. In this case, they'll take six years to acquire their degree.

Master's degrees in pharmacy, on the other hand, take around two years to be completed. However, remember that these programs aren't as widespread as the bachelor's programs in Turkey.

Skills required for Pharmacy in Turkey

Like in any other field, there are skills required for those who want to pursue pharmacy studies in Turkey. These skills, among others, ensure you can work well after graduation.

Attention to detail

Attention to detail is arguably the most important skill required, as there is no room for error in the pharmacy field. An error could mean the difference between life and death. Pharmacists must have high attention to detail and a level of accuracy when prescribing the right dose of medication or reading a doctor's handwriting.

They need also to give the patient exactly the right type of medicine and measure ingredients correctly. Mistakes could be catastrophic, so they have always to be cautious and pay attention.

Multitasking

Multitasking is also critical in the field, as pharmacists often carry out several duties at once. They need to do this accurately and in a timely manner. For example, pharmacists might need to serve several patients at once, restock several drugs at the same time or answer calls while updating records on their systems.

They also check medicine expiry dates while talking to and serving customers, among many other tasks that might need to be multitasked. 

Numerical skills

Pharmacists have to do many numerical tasks like calculating medicine doses, like how many pills are needed or how much of a liquid dose of medicine a baby needs.

They might also be required to compound medicines and create specialized solutions for certain cases. Therefore, being good with numbers is important to calculate everything correctly.

Interpersonal skills

Because pharmacists are sometimes the middleman between doctors and patients, they need to have good interpersonal and communication skills. Also, patients might be annoyed that they have to wait a bit to get their medicines, so pharmacists must have good interpersonal skills to keep the mood light and be diplomatic.

Fields of work for pharmacy in Turkey

Pharmacy study programs in Turkey are strong and can prepare students to work in any pharmacy sector after graduation. Depending on their desires, they can take on clinical or non-clinical roles.

Pharmacy graduates from Turkish universities can work in many work settings, including the following:

• Pharmacies
• Public and private hospitals
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Clinical laboratories
• Research and Development institutes 

Some popular job positions for graduates of pharmacy bachelor's and master's programs in Turkey might be:

• Medical representative
• Nuclear pharmacist
• Cosmetologist
• Clinical pharmacist
• Pharmaceutical Research Associate
• Pharmaceutical sales and marketing manager
• Pharmacy manager
• Biological scientist
• Pharmaceutical researcher

Pharmacy graduate salaries in Turkey

When it comes to the graduate salaries in Turkey, there's a wide range of impressive salaries offered. Pharmacists might get paid TRY 11,167 per month, while research analysts get paid on average TRY 8,750 monthly.

Pharmacy technicians may get salaries of around TRY 7,562 on a monthly basis, while pharmaceutical sales representatives might earn TRY 7,278 per month.

Famous Universities to study pharmacy in Turkey

There are numerous good pharmacy study programs you should consider if you want to study pharmacy in Turkey. Here are some of the most famous universities you can choose from!

University Name	Specialization	Degree Type	Language of Instruction	Tuition Fees
Medipol University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	English	$19,800
Medipol University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$10,080
El Biruni University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	English	$10,080
El Biruni University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$9,000
Istinye University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$10,260
Istinye University	Pharmacy	Bachelors of Pharmacy	English	$11,286
İstanbul Nişantaşı	Pharmacy Services	Vocational Degree	Turkish	$1,600
Kocaeli Sağlık ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	English	$6,500
Kocaeli Sağlık ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$6,500
Lokman Hekim University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$8,550
Lokman Hekim University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	English	$9,500
Fenerbahçe University	Pharmacy	Bachelor of Pharmacy	Turkish	$6,500
Yeditepe University	Pharmacy	Bachelors of Pharmacy	English	$19,980

Medipol University

Istanbil Medipol University has a bachelor’s in pharmacy program both in Turkish and in English. The school has three campuses and four research centers that house students from 114 nationalities. Hospitals associated with the university have a whopping 119 partnership agencies. In most programs, the school offers scholarships for students in the first three places academically. If you don’t receive a scholarship, you can expect to pay 19,800 dollars if you study in English and 10,080 dollars if you study in Turkish.

El Biruni University

El Biruni University located in the city center of Istanbul, is another top contender if you want to study pharmacy in Turkey. It offers a bachelor’s program in Turkish for 9000 dollars per program and the same program for 10,080 dollars if you want to study in English. The school has 26 study programs across the schools in six faculties.

Istinye University

Istinye University offers a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program in Turkish and in English. The school is a non-profit public university founded based on the experience of the MLP Care Group, Turkey’s leading healthcare group. The university currently has over 12,000 students studying there, so you’ll be in good company! If you want to study there, you’ll pay 10,260 dollars in tuition fees if you want to study in Turkish or 11,286 dollars if you want to study in English.

İstanbul Nişantaşı

İstanbul Nişantaşı school offers a vocational program in Pharmacy Services for students interested to study it. The school has 124 laboratories and the chance to study a double major or a minor with your major degree. It also offers an Erasmus partnership program with 85 different universities. If you want to study this vocational pharmacy degree, it will cost you 1600 dollars in tuition fees.

Kocaeli Sağlık ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi

Kocaeli Sağlık ve Teknoloji Üniversitesi offers a bachelor’s of pharmacy program in both the English and Turkish languages, depending on whichever you choose. The university is 40 minutes from Istanbul and 30 minutes from Sabiha airport, making it very convenient for international students who will fly back home often. Students who want to study in the program should ensure that they score over 60 percent on their high school diplomas. Regarding the fees, the bachelor’s in pharmacy has a pretty reasonable cost, costing students only 6500 dollars in tuition fees.

Lokman Hekim

Lokman Hekim University is another top university in Turkish that offers a bachelor’s in pharmacy in Turkish and in English. The school is an emerging university focusing on health subjects like pharmacy and was founded in Ankara, Turkey, in 2017. Tuition fees to study the bachelor’s of pharmacy program will cost you 8550 dollars if you study in Turkish and 9,500 dollars if you study in English.

Fenerbahçe University

Fenerbahçe University has a great bachelor’s in pharmacy study program in the Turkish language. The school is a private university in Istanbul founded in 2016 by the foundation of the Fenerbahçe Sports Club. To study a pharmacy bachelor’s degree at the school, you’ll need to pay 6500 dollars for the program.

Yeditepe University

Yeditepe University is a foundation university in Istanbul and claims to be the biggest foundation university of the 74 schools located there. The school was established in 1996 by the Istanbul Education and Culture Foundation. The school offers a pharmacy program in the English language, so it’s perfect for international students. To study the bachelor’s in pharmacy program, you’ll pay 19,980 dollars.

What are the requirements to study pharmacy in Turkey?

To be admitted to Turkish universities, you'll need to fulfill several criteria, though which ones strictly depend on the school and degree program of choice. Here are some of the most general requirements to study pharmacy in Turkey:

•  A document that proves they passed the Turkish Yös or American SAT tests.
•  High school transcript with a minimum grade of 75 percent passing in Public universities and 65 percent in Private universities (though this number might vary from one school to another).
•   Proof of Turkish language proficiency in the form of Tömer test results, or acceptance into a language preparatory year program if the program is in Turkish.
•   Proof of English language proficiency in the form of a TOEFL test score if the program is in English. 

Turkey has many interesting and strong pharmacy programs for those interested in the field. Students who choose to study pharmacy in Turkey can pick from several great university programs like the one offered at Lokman Hekim University and Istinye University, among others.

After graduation, they can work in many dynamic fields in numerous job roles like pharmacists, pharmaceutical research associates or sales representatives. They can even specialize in cosmetology and work in the cosmetics field. The options are truly endless for pharmacy graduates from Turkish universities. 

 Read also about: Application Requirements to Study in Turkey

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