Jobs for Diploma in Pharmacy Graduates

Pharmaceutical technologists

The Diploma in Pharmacy trains pharmaceutical technologists, who dispense medicines, counsel patients, manage pharmacy stock and support pharmacists in hospitals and retail outlets. The course is typically three years and is offered by Kenya Medical Training College and other accredited colleges. Pharm techs are among the most frequently advertised health roles in Kenya, especially in retail chains and private hospitals.

Enrolment with the regulator

Pharmaceutical technologists must be enrolled with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) and hold a current annual licence. Graduates complete the internship and examination steps the board requires before enrolment; follow PPB's current rules, as they have been tightened in recent years. The board inspects pharmacies regularly, and employers will not hire unlicensed staff for dispensing roles.

Jobs to apply for

• Pharmaceutical technologist in retail pharmacy chains and independent chemists
• Hospital pharmacy technologist in county, private and mission hospitals
• Stores and supply roles in health programmes and distributors
• Medical representative and sales roles with pharmaceutical companies

Entry requirements

KMTC and other public places are applied for through KUCCPS, usually with a KCSE mean grade of C (plain) and specified grades in Chemistry, Biology and English or Kiswahili. Check the cluster requirements for the year you apply.

What employers expect

Retail pharmacies look for confident customer service, accurate dispensing, and the ability to manage stock, expiry dates and a point-of-sale system. Hospitals expect familiarity with the essential medicines list and with inpatient dispensing. Shift work, including weekends, is normal. Many employers ask for a PPB licence, academic certificates, a certificate of good conduct and references; keep them up to date.

Progression

With experience, pharm techs can become pharmacy in-charges in hospitals or branch managers in retail chains. Some pharmaceutical technologists later study for a Bachelor of Pharmacy, which opens pharmacist registration, while others move into sales management or supply chain roles in the pharmaceutical industry.