Most students do not choose pharmacy, thinking they will struggle later. When someone enrolls in a BPharm program, the idea is simple. Professional degree. Stable future. Respectable work.
What nobody really explains is what happens after college ends.
The first job usually comes with excitement. The second month brings reality. Long shifts. Standing all day. Salaries that feel out of sync with the effort involved. Somewhere in between, motivation starts slipping. Not because pharmacy is a bad profession, but because the system around it feels limiting.
This is where many pharmacists pause and think, sometimes silently: Did I miss something?
For some, that pause turns into acceptance. For others, it becomes a turning point.
Saudi Arabia has entered into that conversation for Indian pharmacists. In this blog, we are reflecting on the journey of Mohammed Shoaib. He is a BPharm graduate from India who recently cleared the SPLE exam, and he explains to us about his inspiring journey.
How can an Indian B.Pharm student get into the Saudi Pharmacy system?
Shoaib’s background is familiar. He completed his Bachelor of Pharmacy in India and started working in hospital and retail pharmacy environments. The work was demanding. The pay was modest. Twelve-hour shifts were normal. Growth felt distant.
Still, he had clarity on one thing. He did not want to abandon pharmacy. He wanted to practise it properly.
The idea of working in the Gulf was not new to him. It existed even during his student days. What stopped him initially was the same thing that stops many others. Confusion. Too much information. Too many people are offering shortcuts. Too many opinions.
Instead of rushing, he focused on what was actually required.
He completed two years of relevant experience. He initiated DataFlow verification early, knowing that paperwork delays cause more failures than exams do.
At one point, he moved into pharmaceutical sales. The salary improved. Financial pressure reduced. But something else became clear. The respect and professional satisfaction he associated with pharmacy were missing. That phase helped him decide what mattered more.
That clarity changed how he approached the licensure exam.
How to prepare for the Saudi Licensure Examination for Pharmacy Technicians (SPLE)?
One thing that comes up repeatedly among candidates is the belief that MCQs are enough. They are not.
SPLE is not an exam you clear by pattern recognition alone. It expects you to understand what you are doing. Calculations matter. Application matters. Time management matters. The exam runs for three hours. There are 150 questions. Two sections. No margin for guessing your way through.
Shoaib’s preparation was slow at first. Concepts before questions. Topics before speed. He tested himself after completing each section, not to score high, but to see where he stood. Mistakes were common. Panic was not. That difference matters more than people realise.
Is the SPLE exam tough for Indian Pharmacists?
Many Indian pharmacists believe SPLE is “too tough”. That belief usually comes from someone who prepared incorrectly or inconsistently.
The exam is challenging, yes. But with the right preparation resources and strategy, one can clear it in first attempt.
Pharmacists who understand their subjects, practise calculations properly, and follow a structured syllabus stand a fair chance. Those who jump between resources usually struggle.
Shoaib cleared the exam not because he was exceptional, but because he was patient.
Why choose Saudi Arabia to work as a pharmacy technician?
What changes after moving to Saudi Arabia is not just salary. It is perception.
Pharmacists are treated as professionals. Roles are defined. Responsibilities are clear. Work environments are structured. For many Indian pharmacy technician, this is the first time their training feels fully utilised.
Going abroad is not easy. Anyone who says otherwise is oversimplifying it. Exams, documentation, relocation, and adjustment are all non-effortless.
But staying stuck is also not easy. It just feels familiar. That is the difference.
Have you cleared SPLE already? Congratulations! Look for potential job opportunities globally on healthcare-based job portals like Jobslly.
To Conclude with…
Shoaib’s journey shows that international opportunities are not about luck. They are about preparation and timing. Saudi Arabia is not an escape route. It is a system that rewards readiness.
For BPharm graduates in India who feel uncertain about their future, the degree is not the problem. The limitation is often exposure.
Pharmacy has global relevance. It simply requires the right pathway. When experience, preparation, and guidance align, outcomes change. Not overnight. But permanently.
