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MEGA - Courses and Careers related to Drugs

For Pharmacology PhD programs in the US I can tell you that intro level statistics and calculus are really all that most program require. More advanced courses will help set you apart and give you that extra leg up, but aren't absolutely necessary. Many universities also offer special advanced level mathematics courses for science graduates that can give you more practical training once you're already in grad school.

Pharmacology is a really broad field though. If you're really interested in computational pharmacology or other applications where you have massive unwieldy data sets the expectations might be higher.
 
Hey, Acanthus. Welcome to bl!

I'll tell you that sekio was right when he said that the more math you take, the better. However, I don't think you'll take every math they offer, so for specifics, talk to an academic advisor. It's their job to ensure you take the correct classes to get the degree you want, so don't be shy!

You mentioned not knowing whether to take statistics. Take it. Everyone, regardless of major, should be required to take that course. Statistics are so far-reaching, they're everywhere around us. So much data is thrown at us, and we should know how to make sense of it all instead of taking it as gospel. The news, commercials, print media all want our dollars (or whatever currency) and we should be careful in how we allocate our funds. "Is this product really effective this percentage of the time? What size was the survey? WHO was surveyed? Were they compensated?" Taking statistics makes you think differently.
 
Oh ok cool, thanks for the answers.

I did talk to a course advisor but she wasn't a pharmacologist or from that department so I wasn't confident in her opinion. She said not to worry at all about statistics at the moment since that's what is usually taught intensively during postgrad. She just said I should work very hard on my calculus since that is what I'll be expected to be able to apply from second year chemistry onwards.

So yea I decided to do the analysis of change (higher calculus), techniques for modelling (advanced), multivariable calculus, and differential equations with modelling. Hopefully that will get the ball of spinning.

PS: I forgot to say to Seiko, I already have the commerce degree, haha. I have noticed that you can make a fortune in pharmaceuticals; my uncle was head of AstraZeneca and retired before 40. BUT despite that allure I want to resign myself mainly to the lab.
 
endotropic said:
For Pharmacology PhD programs in the US I can tell you that intro level statistics and calculus are really all that most program require.
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And usually all that're applied in practice, right?

Acanthus said:
So yea I decided to do the analysis of change (higher calculus), techniques for modelling (advanced), multivariable calculus, and differential equations with modelling. Hopefully that will get the ball of spinning.
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You'll be in fine shape.

ebola
 
just take whatever the prerequisites for the program are. pharmacology involves a minimal amount of math unless you're doing computational stuff, and even then its pretty hand-wavy.
 
Acanthus said:
I did talk to a course advisor but she wasn't a pharmacologist or from that department
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Great. You've made progress and are well on your way.

Now call the proper department and ask to speak with one of their advisors. Each department is required to have at least one prof on staff who serves as undergraduate advisor. They want you to be a student because your presence in their classes justifies their existence. All this shit is on the school's website, dude. Google it and get to work.

Roger&Me said:
just take whatever the prerequisites for the program are.
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This ^ is precisely what you should ask the pharmocology dept's undergrad advisor when you get him or her on the phone or email.
 
Do not wait until post grad to take stats, you WILL regret that. Take that from someone with two MAs in related fields. I made the mistake of avoiding stats in college. I don't see how anything aside from some mid level calc and high level stats will apply.
 
To become a research chemist you would most likely need a PhD in Chemistry, you can do this by first doing a chemistry tagged undergrad degree, getting good enough marks to do an honours year, then getting good enough marks in your honours year to land a PhD project. You would then get a job as a research assistant, then work your way up =)
 
I have been a pharmaceutical sales rep for over 16 years.

The interview process depends of each company but this is what you can expect:

1- A phone Screening (or two)
2- face to face interviews (from 2 to 5). I was once in a process of 8 interviews.
3- Must be able to pass a background check and drug test.

The process tends to be very intense, so I recommend you to prepare for it. It is not like getting just another job.

You can check this resources that can provide you with more info:



You may also check: http://www.howtogetintopharmaceutic...-get-into-pharmaceutical-sales-interview-tips

Hope it helps
 
Yes, that would be very appreciated. i am also having to write a paper in this field, i am very interested. thank you.
 
OP were you in Hip Forums around 2011 under a similar username?

oh and head over to NPD you'll find people involved in similar academic things there...
 
Jobs in PsychoPharmacology....

Hey,

I am really interested in psychopharmacology and the design of new illicit drugs, I was wondering what is the best route into it?

I have a BSc in BioChem and a MSc in Advanced Chemical Science

Was thinking of doing a PhD but my area has been restricted due to the Psychoactive Substance Bill
 
become a psychiatrist. Doing a PhD is stupid these days. you'll end up stuck in post docs working 7 days a week 14 hours a day making under 40 K for 5-15 years after your PhD. Then if you slaved super hard and were lucky at a science...you may get an academic position...good luck getting any funding for researching hallucinogenic drugs though....theres a reason you can only count the amount of academic researchers on one hand doing this type of work now days....while every university has many researchers doing cancer or materials science etc.

if you think going to industry is a better option...you will be doing something that has nothing to do with recreational drugs or psychopharm....and will be getting laid off every 3-5 years until you are 45 then nobody will hire you ever again.

go read some of the science blogs if you want to see how fucked and bitter all scientists are about their careers....make sure you read the ones where they don't ban people for saying something negative about science

science is a really shitty field to go into anymore...its interesting in theory, but so is art or music...its not practical if you want to have a decent life.

shooting for your dreams isn't all its cracked up to be. be pragmatic about what you put your energy into in that it will have a high likelihood of producing a good life for you and somewhat satisfy your personal interests but not fully. I would love to go fishing and trip everyday as my job


treat recreational drugs as a passion or hobby. You can learn a shitload about them this way. I tried what you are suggesting and had to go into a total different area of specialty because it was a dead end. I still learn a lot about rec drugs in my own spare time though. Also, if you tell 98% of people (professors, colleauges) in science that you have this interest they will blacklist you and think you are a loser stoner. Most people in science aren't exactly "hip" if you get me
 
LucidSDreamr said:
you'll end up stuck in post docs working 7 days a week 14 hours a day making under 40 K for 5-15 years after your PhD.
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IME this is mostly/generally the case. Being interested in psychoactive substances =/= (does not equal) a career in such.

Seriously. Either you get hip to these RC companies (that may sell toxic shit) that are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and pharmacology, or....you find another profession.

Sorry, but true. There is a one in a million (or billion) chance you get what you want to do in psychopharmacology.
 
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