Pharmacology as a main choice

Hey guys,

I'm currently studying for my AS levels and teachers (+parents) are putting huge amounts of pressure on me to quickly choose what kind of career path I want to pursue. I would like to ask you guys what kind of career pharmacology would set you up for. I've been doing lots of research and would be interested in pharmacy or pharmacology (Oooh, as a side note, if I did a pharmacy degree, would it be possible to get a R&D job at a pharmaceutical company? Or perhaps a management/financial job, that is, something unrelated to my degree.. I have heard that some positions employ you not depending on what degree you have....?)

I have two main ideas for what I want to do. One would be financial, another "science-y". I'm leaning towards science-y at the moment as I don't think I would quite cut it in business (Though much as it does appeal to me). I'm kind of keeping it at the back of my mind atm.

So whilst I'm currently leaning towards pharmacology, my parents are constantly nagging and saying why don't you do dentistry, do medicine, do something that is in high demand. Do something so that you can still get a job during "credit crrrrrunch".

Would it be worth it for me to try for dentistry/medicine (Let's pretend my grades are good enough) and keep pharmacology as a back up? Or perhaps just commit myself to pharmacology and regret it in 5 years when I can't get a job (maybe)? :confused:

Decisions decisions, i need advice. (I have tried teachers, they do not help. Trust me, I've tried.)

Reply 1

Aliaaa

u could always do pharmacy, and then work in the cosmetic industry, u don't necessarily have to work as a community pharmacist. It's something I'm thinking about.
BUT the main thing is is tht u have to be passionate about it, you have to want it.

Reply 2

chiuhappy

well... believe me, i've been and loads of ppl as well, through ur stage.
so first of all, don't panic. and don't let the others affect ur choices.
here are some personal advice.
first of all, stuff that u learnt in a degree must be sth u reli like.
coz they're reli hard (big gap from A-level, esp. when u're at 2nd yr) and requires loads of enthusiasm and high workload.
so think seriously.
based on wt u've told, i think pharmacy would be much better than pharmacology.
as u haven't decided wt u wanna do, pharmacy sector is quite big for u to choose.
if u work in an industry, u can choose to work in R&D.
or if u want to touch a little business, then u can go for a marketing sector of pharmaceutics or even management.
so basically even if u choose pharmacy, doesn't mean it's unrelated to other things.
i've an option module abt the economics in pharmaceutics, which is quite interesting.
after u've finished a degree and registered, then u can choose whether u wanna continue to study for a deeper pharmacology in PhD or work in industry.
So i do think pharmacy kind of gives quite large flexibility to choose.
hope it helps.
good luck =)

Reply 3

petzneo

Tbh if you like the clinical side of medicine and dentistry but you want to do a lot more chemistry based work..pharmacy is for you. And your parents should be happy with it..because it has a high employment rate, at my university its 100%. Why not do some work experience and see if you like it?

Although if you have top grades, and really do want to go into industry ( but decide that pharmacy is not for you) ..consider either apply for pharmacology at Cambridge or possibly Bath - when I went to the bath open day, I believe they said that the pharmacology degree is a masters and the course is very competitive to get into. But the problem with pharmacology, is that it doesn't have as high of an employment rate as pharmacy does.

Also if you do like management and business, pharmacists are classed as managers, and you can go into business through owning and running pharmacy shops..I believe that we also do a couple of modules on business within the pharmacy degree as well.

If you decide that pharmacy and pharmacology are not for you, I would personally think that your best bet is dentistry. But be warned you have to have real commitment for all these degrees, they are tough and competition for most of them is high, so I agree...listen to what your parents say, but make your own decisions in life, you'll hate it if you end up spending 4/5 years on a degree which you truely don't want to do.

Good luck and PM if you need to ask any questions.