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qualifications?

R

russj

Greenlighter
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
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8
Hi everyone this is my first post on bluelight and I have a question to ask everyone.
After completing treatment in rehab for drug dependency (research chems and street drugs) I now have the opportunity to retrain into a new career. I previously worked in IT which was part of the reason I devekoped a habit. I now have insights into drug addiction. I have 2.1 bsc degree in psychology and I would like to know if anyone has any advice on a course of study that could build on this and my rehab experience. I am especially interested in how the brain is affected by drugs, specifically from a biochemical perspective. What do I need to study to learn more about brain receptors, dopamine, serotonin etc and the chemicals that interact with these? A degree in chemistry might be an option but are there any that deal specifically with brain chemistry and the effects of recreational and prescribed drugs?
Many thanks in advance,
Russ
 
The degrees that really delve into that sort of thing are all graduate degrees. Psychopharmacology would be the main one. A bachelor's degree in chemistry or biochemistry would probably be the most appropriate pre-requisite for graduate work in psychopharmacology.
 
it sounds like pharmacology or rather psychopharmacology is what you are interested in studying. A Bsc in Psychology leaves you a bit lacking, however, in being able to jump right into pharmacology or even biochemistry. A problem you may be frustrated with is as stated above, graduate level studies is where you will really delve full force into the nitty gritty of the subjects you are interested in. Unfortunately you can't just start graduate studies in pharmacology or biochemistry from scratch. You may have to go back and fulfill the requirements of a Bsc in Chemistry, Biochemistry or Neuroscience before you can start graduate studies.

I don't mean to deter you rather to lead you towards the correct path. You will really need a solid foundation in chem and bio before jumping into psychopharmacology. That's not to say there's nothing to be learned at your current level, there are probably plenty of books out there that are written as introductions to many of the topics you are interested in.

I recommend spending some time getting to know your local library - specifically your local university library; you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on books. There's plenty to read for free.
 
1) download frostwire
2) torrent: Rang and Dale; Pharmacology, Campbell Reese; Biology, Solomon; Organic Chemistry, and Silberberg; Chemistry.
2.5) acquire a pound of Adderall
3) study the living hell out of them
4) see if you can do a BSc in biology, biochem, or chem get at least a 3.2 gpa
5) apply for grad studies
6) ????
7) get published and become a legitimate researcher also... PROFIT
 
The other way to approach it would be from the psychology end - you should be able to get onto a masters course in neuropsychology / cognitive neuroscience. Or even just do a masters in psychology department with neuroscience emphasis.
 
I agree with the above post; the most logical step would be to apply for graduate school to obtain a masters in psychology (emphasis on neuroscience as suggested), followed by post-graduate study in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in susbtance abuse disorders.

I think it may be fruitless to go back and develop the required mastery and educational requirements to even be considered in graduate and doctoral programs in MCB, and psychopharm, etc.

Since you do hold a bachelors you could in theory take entrance exams such as the MCAT, but you'd need to break a 40 to even be considered in given lack of 'hard-science' undergrad studies and that 2.1gpa (perhaps acceptable to a foreign school, with a name like 'The Royal Medical University of Antigua', etc). These schools may prepare you to eventually sit for the US boards, but it would take some time to become an establisted psychiatrist with board-certified specialties in addiction medicine. The MCAT appears to vary greatly in subjective difficulty, and will likely be troublesome with those not comfortable with standardized testing. The chemistry section is rather simple; the most difficult question I can recall concerned some sort of ganglioside formation constraint (a biochem question actually).

However, compared to graduate program entrance exams, the MCAT is admittedly, a challenging exam. However, in respect to psychopharm/medicinal chemistry at a graduate/post/doctoral level, the expected proficiency in o-chem/biochem/MCB etc, is often far greater than that expected of a physician, as your dermatologist has limited use for encyclopedic knowledge of baeyer-villiger oxidations, etc. A clinical psychologist with specialty in addiction disorders will be expected to know even less in this regard.

Thus; graduate school for a masters in psychology, followed by either academic study to obtain a doctorate, would be the logical choice in this case.

Note. This was dictated and not reviewed.
 
Impressive, I figured there was no way it could be that good! Then it's been more than 10 years since I played with it.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Just wantef to clarify im in the uk so my 2.1 degree is an "upper second class" degree here. I think a masters in cognitive neuroscience is the way to go. Looking forward to it!
 
Try for a B.Chir/M.B.B.S./M.D./D.O. and take it from a medical/physician's angle.

IMHO, the MCAT is fairly easy and if you do not mind a lower tier "foreign" school, you can quite probably get accepted to one.
 
russj said:
Thanks for the feedback guys. Just wantef to clarify im in the uk so my 2.1 degree is an "upper second class" degree here. I think a masters in cognitive neuroscience is the way to go. Looking forward to it!
Click to expand...

If you in the UK this is definitely the way to go. Lots of places offer there - UCL, Kings, Goldsmiths, Sussex, Birkbeck, Nottingham, Durham... all with slightly different flavours of course. And you should have no problem getting on with a 2.1 in psych!
 
Learn it all by yourself first, which is pretty much what you do in most college science classes anyway. Buy or download a general college level biology textbook, a general chemistry textbook, an organic chemistry textbook, a neuroscience textbook, a pharmacology textbook, and maybe an easy-ish biochemistry textbook. My preference is the McMurry Organic Chemistry text and any thorough Biology text not by Campbell. Neuroscience by M. Bear is a good intro to the subject.

Learn your stuff, get your classes out of the way, and in a few years you could be in a pharmacology or neuroscience PHd program.

However, degrees in Biology but especially Pharmacology are really chem heavy. Really look into what is required in a chemistry class. I love biology but dislike most chemistry, so it was a pain for me. You may not want to spend 3 years doing general, organic, and advanced chem. Taking these classes was kind of a shock to my system after my first degree, which was in the arts.

I'm Currently a NeuroBio grad student. Also, I am speaking knowing only the American system
 
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