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Introduction

Due to the importance of the science of pharmaceutical production and formulas and the expansion of public and private health sectors (hospitals, dispensaries, medical centers, and drug factories and stores) in the country, there is a large number of employment opportunities in pharmaceutical sectors. In this respect, official statistics issued by the relevant government bodies indicate an insufficiency of the national professionals specialized in technical pharmaceutical fields to cover the increasing needs for this specialization. The graduates of specialized colleges and institutes in the Kingdom fall short of meeting work market needs of this specialization. This is clearly proven by the fact that the majority of people working for the Ministry of Health are non-Saudis. The same applies to other governmental health sectors (National Guard Presidency, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, and others).

As to the private health sectors, the percentage of non-Saudi pharmaceutical technicians certainly exceeds that in the public health sectors by far. Apart from this, introducing such a diploma matches the state's objectives of absorbing high-school graduates in universities and providing them with suitable qualification for the specializations needed in the work market. An extra benefit is the Saudization of health jobs in the different public and private sectors.

Work domains 

The diploma is awarded after four academic semesters and a six month training period, during which students are trained to work in hospital pharmacies, private pharmacies, and drug factories and stores. Graduates who obtain the diploma work as pharmaceutical technicians in the field of pharmaceuticals and specific quality laboratories of pharmaceutical products. In addition, they learn marketing management and strategies and distribution in pharmacies and drugstores.