2nd batch of BCP, Navigo Analytix healthcare data analytics course from Jan 10

By EH News Bureau On Dec 26, 2020

Open for pharmacy students, working healthcare professionals; 40 per cent of demand for data scientists will be from healthcare industry

After the successful completion of its first batch, Bombay College of Pharmacy (BCP) will start the second batch of its online ‘Data Analytics in Healthcare’ course for working healthcare professionals and pharmacy students from January 10, 2021. The curriculum of the three month, eight hours a week (96 hours) certificate course is designed by pharma analytics firm Navigo Analytix.

Even though four lakh pharmacists graduate every year in India, pharma and healthcare organisations in India scouting for data scientists are unable to get candidates with relevant domain knowledge. Recruiters are reportedly not satisfied with the available candidates who mostly are IT professionals, without domain expertise in pharma and healthcare.

As per a statement from BCP, the ‘Data Analytics in Healthcare’ course enables the pharmacy fraternity to easily understand statistics, build algorithms and modelling using Artificial Intelligence with machine learning, learn programming languages such as Python (used by 85 per cent data scientists, the world over), master visualisation with tools like Tableau and Power Bi. The course is certified by BCP, an autonomous institution, and Navigo Analytix. The fees charged for the course are Rs 25,000 for full-time students (pharmacy, engineering, life sciences, and allied branches) and Rs 34,000 for working professionals.

According to Dr. Krishnapriya Mohanraj, I/c Principal, BCP, the valedictory function of the first batch of students was on December 20 and a few of the students have already got successful placements in the healthcare industry.

“Limited awareness of data science as a futuristic career and limited availability of good courses on healthcare data analytics in the country have kept pharmacists at bay from this interesting career option. Harvard Business Review mentions the job of data scientist as the most exciting one in the 21st century. Equipping a pharmacist with the knowledge of data analytics is highly crucial for the quality of data research outcomes for the pharma and healthcare industry in the country. Right now, the available data analysts are IT professionals with no pharma background. Therefore, combining two different skill sets – pharmacy domain knowledge and data analytics acumen with technical know-how is crucial. As there is a very limited supply of data scientists, it is also the most lucrative of the professions for pharmacists now and going forward,” said Ashish Babtiwale, MD, Navigo Analytix.

According to Harvard Business Review, organisations are integrating data and analytics into routine business operations and strategic decision-making. There is going to be a demand for more than 70,000 data scientists in India in the next 12 months, second highest after the US. Analytics Insight has forecast that by 2025, there will be 137,630 data science job openings in India, rising from 62,793 jobs in 2020. Analytics Insight has also projected 72,337 data science job openings in India, next year. 40 per cent of this demand is projected to be from the healthcare industry.

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