my family has both M.B.B.S & B.A.M.S and I am pursuing B-pharma so I am eligible to write this answer.
In India
M.B.B.S is more respectful than B-PHARMA/PHARMACY but both professions have their own importance with pros and cons.
  • At last, I mention 2 areas/job prospects of pharmacy which are more money-making and respectful than others.
1.ENTRANCE-
  • To get in M.B.B.S you have to qualify n.e.e.t exam in which approx 17 lac students appear for 60k seats. out of which nearly 50% of seats are private.
  • For government B-pharma entrance exam conducted by respective universities but competition is less or admission is purely based on 12th marks in few reputed universities like Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR)
  • in private universities, the tuition fee of m.b.b.s is almost 10–15 lac/year
  • while in private B-pharma maximum tuition fee is 2.5–3 lac/year (maximum).
  • entering in M.B.B.S either in government or private is very difficult as compared to other's degrees, this makes the biggest hurdle and M.B.B.S difficult from others.
2.COURSE DURATION AND SUBJECTS-
  • The duration of the M.B.B.S course is 5.5 years (4.5 years+1 year compulsory internship) while B-pharma duration is 4 years.
  • 5.5 years and 4 years can we compare? rather than ask for the same duration course M.B.B.S v/s PHARMA-D v/s M.PHARMA.
  • M.B.B.S students study about the diagnosis of disease and other techniques like radiology, invasive technique for surgery. they read about surgery also which totally absent in pharmacy.
  • B-pharma student study about industrial pharmacy, pharmacy management and development of drug and formulation of drugs and dosage form in pharmaceutics, which M.B.B.S don’t.
  • the only 2 subjects I feel common/same in both are Biochemistry and Pharmacology, books prescribed are also the same.
3.JOB PROSPECTS AND WORKING AREA-
  1. M.B.B.S is a 5.5-year degree which more oriented towards clinical and therapeutic aspects. you can directly treat patients and earn a lot of money and respect, which takes time.
  2. while B-pharma is a 4-year degree more oriented towards industry approach less clinical/therapeutic approach .however you can work in the clinical field also and can enter in the research and development sector after M-pharma.
Government job-there are lots of government opportunities in M.B.B.S you can directly join as a junior resident. become a lecturer or work in a government hospital as duty medical officer with no entrance exam, even few hospitals provide starting pay of 60k/month .which B-Pharma lack
B-pharma also has government job opportunities but less and beside you have to prepare for the exam like drug inspector/pharmacist/UPSC exams.
  • However, the Drug inspector is a reputed and lucrative job with respect and money.
in the private sector, there are lots of job options for B-pharma like Production/QA & QC/Pharmaceutical Marketing/Pharmacovigilance/Clinical Trials……….according to your skill and grades. pharma is one of the emerging sectors in the upcoming time.
  • if you are intelligent or love to gain knowledge go for research and development (R&D) sector .which has a very good salary and respect in the pharmacy field. you can work as J.R.F across various government and private institutes and in the pharmaceutical companies.
  • many pharmacy students don’t know about various career prospects so they end up with low pay jobs in production/marketing etc
image source- Google.
Both m.b.b.s (medicine) and b-pharma(pharmacy) are an important pillar of the health sector working to improve human health .one by diagnosing then treating disease and other by developing drugs/medicine for human better health.
  • if you are able to grind yourself for 5.5 years and interested to serve health sector. interested in diagnosis and disease curing and human body go for M.B.B.S
  • if your chemistry basics are good and interested in drug formulation and all about drugs, How Drug synthesized, their structure and how drug work on the human body, pharmacy is a good option for you.
the two areas/job prospects mention below make the pharmacy field different from others in money-making and respect.
  1. if you are AMBITIOUS, HAVE SUPPORT AND MONEY you can open you own SMALL SCALE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY it takes lot effort and time but imagine the money you generate, you will stand apart from any other not only from M.B.B.S
  2. Drug Discovery and Drug Development are some of the important research process which is directly serving humanity and human health. Developing a new drug/molecule is a very long, expensive, complex process and a pharmacist knows more about the drug than anyone else. you can enter in research after completing masters or become part of various research going on this. imagine the respect you gain if you are part of a new drug /molecule discovery.
  3. Image credit-How are drugs designed and developed?
    WITH GROWING POPULATION AND UPCOMING HEALTH CHALLENGES PHARMACY IS HAVING LOTS OF SCOPE.
    Remember you can become successful and earn money in any field, the only thing required is
    • Hard work with consistence
    • knowledge
    • your interest
    • skills
    Thanks for reading-Adipta Pandey