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Pharmacologists


Overview

Pharmacologists

Introduction

Pharmacologists play an important role in medicine and in science by studying the effects of drugs, chemicals, and other substances on humans, animals, and plants. These highly educated scientists conduct research on living tissues and organs to determine how drugs and other chemicals act at the cellular level. Their results help to discover how drugs and other chemicals should be most effectively used. The study of pharmacology is necessary to standardize drug dosages; analyze chemicals, food additives, poisons, insecticides, and o...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$160,600

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Employment Prospects

Excellent

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Minimum Education Level

Doctorate


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Experience

Internship


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

The average annual base salary for pharmaceutical scientists was $160,600 in 2018, according to a survey by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. Salaries ranged from less than $115,000 to $196,000 or more. Salaries vary by education level. Pharmacologists with a Ph.D. or Pharm.D. typically earn more than those with a master’s degree. Bonuses, especially for those in industry, ...

Work Environment

Pharmacologists work in academic settings or laboratories and generally work 40 hours a week, though they may sometimes be required to work extra hours to monitor experiments that need special attention. Most laboratories associated with academic or major research institutions are clean, well-lit, pleasant workplaces equipped with the sophisticated instruments necessary for modern research. Bec...

Outlook

Although the U.S. Department of Labor does not provide information on pharmacologists, it does recognize the related position of medical scientists (scientists involved with researching the causes of diseases and finding treatments for these diseases). The department predicts that employment for medical scientists will grow faster than the average for all careers through 2028. Those with the mo...