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Pharmacologist

Research new drugs and medicines, and make sure they are used safely.

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£519

Entry level

£1,058

Experienced

Monthly

£2,250

Entry level

£4,583

Experienced

Yearly

£27,000

Entry level

£55,000

Experienced

11,500

people are currently employed

High growth

700 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would do research to discover and develop new drugs and medicines, and to make sure they are used safely.

You’d study the effects of drugs and other chemical substances on cells, animals, humans and the environment. You would work in a research team with scientists and other staff.

You might specialise in:

  • Clinical pharmacology, looking at the effects of medicine on people in clinical trials

  • Neuropharmacology, examining the effects of drugs on the nervous system

You would:

  • Design, set up and carry out experiments

  • Analyse data using complex equipment and measuring systems

  • Test drugs on cells in labs and through clinical trials on humans

  • Write reports and make recommendations based on the results of experiments and research

  • Use the results of research to develop new products and manufacturing processes

  • Study the unwanted or harmful effects of drugs

  • Test the safety of manufactured products

Some of your duties may involve animal research.

You would share the results of your work with colleagues, for example by presenting at meetings and conferences, and publishing reports.

You might also supervise support staff and manage and co-ordinate projects.

Hours

As a full-time pharmacologist, you will usually work 37 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. You will occasionally be involved in experiments or clinical trials that mean working longer hours.

Environment

If you are based in a university or work as a researcher in industry, you will regularly work extra hours. You will wear protective clothing to prevent cross contamination. A lot of your time will be spent in a laboratory.

Travel

You may need to travel if you are carrying out fieldwork or attending scientific meetings and conferences.

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Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • understanding
  • taking responsibility
  • implementing ideas
  • attention to detail
  • social conscience
  • problem solving
  • verbal communication
  • listening
  • supporting

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

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Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Biology

  • Chemistry

  • Human Biology

  • Mathematics

  • Physics

  • Applications of Mathematics

You would need a degree (SCQF level 9/10) in pharmacology. Other degrees such as biological sciences, biomedical science, immunology, medicinal chemistry or pharmacy might also be accepted by some employers. 

Most undergraduate courses ask for at least four Highers at B or above (SCQF level 6) some universities may require AABB (first sitting) for entry.

The University of Dundee offers a BSc Life Sciences course with only requires two Highers at B including Biology or Chemistry and one other subject; this course has been developed for those with high academic potential who experienced disadvantage.

Many people who do this job also have postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Science (MSc) (SCQF level 11) or a doctoral degree (SCQF level 12) in a relevant subject. 

There would also be a chance that you could work towards this position from related positions such as a Laboratory technician although this would be much less common. 

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