Careers in pharmacology and toxicology

Graduates of pharmacology and toxicology enjoy a range of career options. You can be employed as a scientist in research programs in Universities and Research Institutes, and/or take a teaching position in a tertiary institution. You can find employment in a hospital setting, for example, as a clinical pharmacologist involved in clinical trials, or you can work for various government bodies that are responsible for the regulation of therapeutic goods and other chemical and biological agents. Many graduates find work in the pharmaceutical industry, where they are involved in basic research, drug development or sales and marketing. Some graduates also branch out into the areas of medical information and publishing of scientific journals and books.

Because drugs and other biologically active chemicals have had and will continue to have, a profound impact on the quality of life of the population, there will always be a demand for pharmacologists and toxicologists. Exciting developments related to the sequencing of the human genome have highlighted the vast number of potential new drug targets that can be exploited for the alleviation of various diseases. In addition, there is always room for improvement of existing drug therapies.