Does Medicinal chemistry have good job prospects?

I have been considering doing Medicinal chemistry at Uni but i read on TSR that the pharmaceutical industry isn't looking good right now so will doing this degree mean lack of job security etc? I am really interested in this degree but the problem is what happens after I graduate?!!!

UCL Keele and Surrey are the three Unis I am considering applying to so far anymore suggestions? Also what's the percentage of chemistry, maths and biology involved in med chemistry? thanks

I can't speak as a medicinal chemist personally, but the admissions tutor for the MPharm course at the University of Brighton (Dr Matt Ingram) is a medicinal chemist. In my first year of the MPharm course, he gave us quite a few (about 15) lectures on basic chemistry (mainly stereochemistry), as well as UV and IR spectroscopy. I have also heard that he does quite a bit on drug discovery too in the second and third years of MPharm. So, based on that, I can tell you that it will most certainly involve a lot of chemistry. Not too sure about biology or maths, but since it is MEDICINAL chemistry, I presume that there may be some aspects of physiology and pharmacology involved.

After you do a medicinal chemistry undergraduate degree, it is not necessary that you have to become a medicinal chemist; there are many other routes you could go into, including further study (Master's or PhD), which do not necessarily have to be based on the same subject area.

I think the main job sectors would be the pharmaceutical industry, followed by academia (higher education). You could also do a PGCE afterwards and become a secondary school science / chemistry teacher.

I've been considering Medicinal Chemistry also. I think the problem is that it's perhaps too specific, which is why I'm leaning more towards Pharmaceutical Science. In terms of the job industry, you'll find that most unis offering pharmaceutical degrees are based up north, because that's where most of the industry is based. I live in London and don't really want ro relocate, so I think in London it'll be difficult to find a job, unless you do a sandwich course, in which case you might be able to go back to the place you worked at after you graduate.

the best way to go then would be doing pure chemistry first? and then maybe specialise in the third year or something as by that time everyone probably knows what career they want.

I've heard that pure chemistry is really difficult and entails a lot of repetitive lab work (even though this is the part I enjoy most) especially in the first year, but I think it would be better than studying something more specific and then changing my mind later. Thanks for this!