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How much chemistry is involved in this degree?

Is it the same with A level Chemistry?
Original post by 06sulraj
Is it the same with A level Chemistry?


Yup, the chemistry won't be any more difficult than A level Chemistry, but it will be all be applied to drugs - you'll be learning a lot about functional groups, especially ionisable functional groups, a bit about stereochemistry and its importance in drug-target interactions, pharmacophores, factors that affect a drug's pharmacokinetics, e.g. absorption across a membrane (Lipinski's rule of 5), distribution (more lipophilic and acidic drugs will be bound to plasma albumin more extensively, which could lead to pharmacokinetic interactions with highly protein-bound drugs, e.g. warfarin), metabolism, e.g. the ethinyl group on ethinyloestradiol resists oxidation by CYP450 enzymes, so it is clinically used at much lower doses than oestradiol (20-30 mcg/day vs 2 mg/day), and excretion, e.g. aspirin toxicity can be treated with forced alkaline diuresis as it is an acidic drug.

So essentially, you'll be applying your knowledge of chemistry to drugs, but the level of chemistry will not be any more difficult than A level Chemistry.
Original post by thegodofgod
Yup, the chemistry won't be any more difficult than A level Chemistry, but it will be all be applied to drugs - you'll be learning a lot about functional groups, especially ionisable functional groups, a bit about stereochemistry and its importance in drug-target interactions, pharmacophores, factors that affect a drug's pharmacokinetics, e.g. absorption across a membrane (Lipinski's rule of 5), distribution (more lipophilic and acidic drugs will be bound to plasma albumin more extensively, which could lead to pharmacokinetic interactions with highly protein-bound drugs, e.g. warfarin), metabolism, e.g. the ethinyl group on ethinyloestradiol resists oxidation by CYP450 enzymes, so it is clinically used at much lower doses than oestradiol (20-30 mcg/day vs 2 mg/day), and excretion, e.g. aspirin toxicity can be treated with forced alkaline diuresis as it is an acidic drug.

So essentially, you'll be applying your knowledge of chemistry to drugs, but the level of chemistry will not be any more difficult than A level Chemistry.


Thanks! Is drugs all that you learn? What about the body systems?
Original post by 06sulraj
Thanks! Is drugs all that you learn? What about the body systems?


Yup, of course we do cover anatomy (not much at all to be honest), physiology, pathophysiology, etc., but obviously not as much as medics would. I think the focus of pharmacy is more on pharmacology, drug delivery and formulation.

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