Pharmacologists

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 other substances; and identify dangerous substances and harmful levels of controlled chemicals. There are currently 130,700 medical scientists, including pharmacologists, in the United States.

Salary Range

$100,000+

Minimum Education Level

Doctorate

Certification/License

Recommended

Outlook

Faster than the Average

Personality Traits

Conventional

Problem-Solving

Technical

Career Ladder

Research Director of Pharmacology

Senior Pharmacologist

Pharmacologist