Pharmacologist (Medicine Man) is a person who undertakes scientific investigation and analysis of drugs, chemicals and other substances to discover how they affect biological systems and to assess how they can be used safely. There are several career paths available for pharmacologist such as clinical pharmacologists who focus on the effects of medications for treating disease. Toxicologists are such pharmacists who study the effects of various drugs, and combinations of drugs and other substances on humans. It is a specialised area of study which accommodates degrees in diverse disciplines, including medicine (MD) in Pharmacology, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, microbiology, virology, and certain basic up to the PhD level.
Pharmacologist Eligibility
Educational Qualification
The educational requirement for pharmacologists is first B.Pharm. and then M.Pharma. degree in pharmacology. Pharmacology coursework is similar to other science/medicine tracks in that it entails a great deal of Biology, Chemistry, Maths and other sciences.
Pharmacologist Required Skills
- They should have skills like designing experiments, devising and testing hypotheses, analysing and interpreting data (often using sophisticated computer applications), and laboratory and staff management.
- They should have a logical and inquisitive mind; excellent written and oral communication skills and good team working abilities.
- They should have an understanding of medications, their sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses.
- They also possess oral and written communication skills; an ability to design, retrieve, handle and interpret complex data; critical analytical and problem-solving abilities and good organisational skills.
- Pharmacologists also have the ability to work without supervision and use your own initiative; decision-making skills; the ability to manage time; knowledge of safety and teamwork.
- They should also be able to designing, planning and conducting controlled experiments to improve understanding of a compound's activity.
How to become a Pharmacologist?
For becoming a pharmacologist, one should have a degree of first B.Pharm. and then M.Pharma in a relevant scientific discipline like Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical / biochemical Sciences, Microbiology and chemistry. There is also an M.D. and MBBS route to it as given below:
Step 1
Interested candidate has to appear in an entrance test conducted by the various state and Independent bodies like NEET taken by the Central board to admit candidates in various medical institutions attached with it according to the rank of the candidate in the entrance exam.
Separate tests are conducted by some of the highly rated medical institutions like AIIMS, PGI, GMCH etc.
These exams are generally held in the month of May-June and consist of Objective type questions on the subject of English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology through a number of questions and pattern may vary from test to test.
The results of these exams are generally out by June/July.
Step 2
After completing their B.Pharma. or four and half years of (MBBS) Degree course in which one has to study (subjects which include anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, dermatology, obstetrics and gynaecology, forensic medicine and toxicology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, anesthesiology, community medicine, medicine, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, psychiatry and surgery). One has to go for specialization i.e. one has to join either M.Pharma. or MD in the specific filed.
For joining two years of M.Phrama. or MD course one has to compete in an entrance examination taken by some Medical Institutes of repute.
Step 3
After completing M.Pharma. or MD and registering with the concerned medical association one can either go for some research work in the related field or State-run hospitals.
Institutes Offering Courses for Pharmacologist
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSR), Delhi
- L.M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad
- Jamia Hamdard, Delhi
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
- Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh
Pharmacologist Job Description
Pharmacologists work as part of a scientific research team that is responsible for screening compounds, drug development and undertaking controlled experiments and clinical trials in laboratories. Specifically, they study how drugs are broken down, absorbed, and spread throughout the body or organism, in addition to the effects of the drug.
Pharmacologist Career Prospects
The scope of this field is immense, as pharmacologists are important members of drug discovery teams in search of newer molecules in the pharmaceutical industry. There are many career scopes for them; the typical employers of pharmacologists are like pharmaceutical companies, universities, the National Health Service, the Medical Research Council, other governmental research establishments.
- They can work on the industry / commercial side of the field, for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
- Applicants can also work for a university in teaching or research; can work in labs, such as a research lab or crime lab.
- Pharmacologists can also work in the dental and veterinary fields, in addition to the medical field.
- They have also good scopes in areas such as clinical trials, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, patenting, sales and marketing, IT, finance and scientific writing.
Pharmacologist Salary
After completing M.Sc. or M.Pharm. They can earn Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh per annum. As they gain experience, they can expect a package of Rs. 6 lakh per annum. There is also a senior research fellowship which is awarded after M.Sc. / M.Pharm. with one year experience and a research publication. Doctoral fellowship of Rs. 24,000 per month to them by CISR, ICMR and UGC.
