Pharmacologist

Pharmacologists study the action of drugs and their effects on the body. They use their knowledge of biology and chemistry to discover and develop new medicines and to test their safety. They develop new medicines through a long process of experiments and analysis.

Work activities

Pharmacologists discover and develop new medicines, using their knowledge of the body, how drugs work and how to turn these drugs into effective treatments. They can begin by studying the actions and spread of the disease or condition they want to treat or control. Then, they study the actions of biologically active compounds on the body and assess how the body reacts to them. They need to study how a drug acts to produce wanted and unwanted effects, as well as how the body removes the drug. This helps the pharmacologist to work out how often the dose must be repeated, for example, once every four hours.

Pharmacologists play a vital role in trying to develop medicines that treat or control diseases and conditions such as cancer, malaria, stroke, heart disease, HIV and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as symptoms such as pain. On average, it takes about 12 years to develop a new medicine, from the filing of a patent to the drug’s launch and full availability in hospital and community pharmacies. Pharmacologists may be involved at any stage of the process, from research through to testing, and then producing the medical information needed to guide users of the new medicine. They usually work as part of a team. They work alongside other researchers who have studied how the body works, such as physiologists, biochemists, toxicologists and pharmacists.

Pharmacologists continue to discover new medicinal uses for things that we’ve known about for a long time. For example, the bark of the willow tree is the source of aspirin, while sponges and corals in the sea contain potentially useful compounds. The more modern way to discover a drug is to design, develop and test chemicals in the laboratory.

Pharmacologists can use the latest technologies to research new drugs. For example, they use computers to simulate or model the actions of compounds on the body, seeing if they work in theory, before testing them on tissues taken from animals or on cell cultures. Modern knowledge of genetics and biochemistry has also had a huge impact on research. Pharmacologists usually begin to test the effects of a compound by using cells and animal or human tissues in laboratory experiments (“in vitro” testing) and then live animals (“in vivo”). Clinical trials on human volunteers usually follow. These enable pharmacologists to see the effects of the medicine in humans and to work out how best to administer the drug (for example, as a tablet, injection or inhaler), as well as to look at the side-effects.

Next, pharmacologists carefully study the medicine in patients with the disease, confirming exactly how the drug works, finding the right dosage and assessing safety. After this, the complex process of registering the drug with regulatory authorities begins. Pharmacologists provide lots of information and data to back up their case for developing the drug. They produce papers to obtain approval from the regulatory authorities. They might also publish papers in scientific journals and go to meetings around the world to present the results of their work. As well as working in research and development, pharmacologists provide advice and information to doctors and other health professionals. Some pharmacologists have sales and marketing roles. Apart from pharmaceutical companies, there are pharmacologists who carry out research in government departments and research institutions, and who teach and do research work in universities. Clinical pharmacologists study the safety and effectiveness of new drugs in hospitals and medical research centres. Safety pharmacologists test the potential side-effects of new compounds. They design and carry out tests to see whether new compounds could produce very serious effects such as cancer.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a pharmacologist, you’ll need:

An enquiring and analytical mind.
To be accurate and methodical when doing experiments.
Strong problem-solving skills, and creativity.
The ability to use and interpret Statistics and mathematical models.
Communication skills, for example, to write reports and work in teams.
IT skills and the ability to use a variety of technical equipment.
Teamwork skills.
The process of developing a new drug may involve tests on animals, so you need to be prepared to be involved in this.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries for pharmacologists vary. The pay rates given are approximate. Pharmacologists earn in the range of £25,000, rising to £50,000 with experience. Higher salaries are available depending on employer, role and responsibilities.

Pharmacologists usually work 38-40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Part-time opportunities are also available.

Employers are firms in the pharmaceutical industry. Other employers include universities, hospitals, research organisations such as the Medical Research Council, and government departments.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in science magazines such as New Scientist (which also posts jobs on its website), on specialist job boards, for example, for the pharmaceutical industry, and in national/local newspapers. They are also advertised on the Government’s Find a Job website.

Entry routes and training

You’ll usually need a degree in pharmacology to become a pharmacologist. Pharmacology is widely available as a single honours degree. It’s also often combined with subjects such as physiology, chemistry, biochemistry and immunology. It can also be possible to enter after having studied a related subject such as medicine, biomedical sciences, pharmacy, veterinary medicine or biology, although some employers may want you to have a specialist postgraduate qualification in pharmacology. Some universities offer courses with a foundation year. This is an extra year for students who don’t have the specified science A-levels for entry. Sandwich courses are available, allowing you to spend a period in an industrial placement. A small number of universities offer integrated science degrees (ISciences), aiming to give graduates interdisciplinary skills and knowledge through a problem-based approach. A postgraduate qualification, such as an MSc or PhD, might enhance your career prospects, and will usually be essential for getting into research posts in higher education. Increasingly, you’ll need a postgraduate qualification to enter a higher-level post in pharmacology.

Alternatively, you could complete a level 7 (degree) apprenticeship in the role of clinical pharmacology scientist. You’ll work towards a degree, on block or day release, while training on the job.

You’ll usually have on-the-job training in laboratory techniques and specialist equipment. You might also go on short courses or take part in workshops provided by organisations such as the British Pharmacological Society.

You could progress into a supervisory or management post or specialise in a particular area such as regulatory affairs, clinical trials, sales and marketing.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree in pharmacology, the usual minimum requirement is:

Three A-levels. You’ll usually need chemistry and/or biology.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths.

Alternatives to separate GCSEs in biology and chemistry are:

Science and additional science, or
Science and additional applied science.

Alternatives to A-levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals.
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check prospectuses carefully.

To do a degree apprenticeship, you’ll need at least two relevant A-levels plus GCSEs in English and maths.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have developed laboratory skills during industrial work placements.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter a degree course, you might be able to start one after completing an Access course, for example, Access to Science. You don’t usually need any qualifications to enter an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider. Part-time postgraduate MSc courses in pharmacology are available, these can be studied by full or part time/flexible attendance.

Sponsorship for higher education study is sometimes available from the larger pharmaceutical companies. Funding for postgraduate study and research is available, through universities, from the Medical Research Council (MRC), pharmaceutical companies and charities.

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