Pharmacology : Your skills

A degree in pharmacology provides a solid grounding in scientific knowledge. This degree provides an understanding of medications, their sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses. The degree also explores drug interactions in biological systems, the formulation and operation of clinical trials as well as drug regulation and the marketing of pharmaceuticals. In addition to scientific knowledge, this course of study also helps students acquire valuable transferable skills such as:

• oral and written communication skills;
• an ability to design, retrieve, handle and interpret complex data;
• critical analytical and problem-solving abilities;
• good organisational skills;
• the ability to work without supervision and use your own initiative;
• decision-making skills;
• the ability to manage time;
• knowledge of safety;
• teamwork.

IT skills, such as the use of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and presentation packages, are developed during this degree course and are a good starting point for any type of employment.

Studying pharmacology also helps you to develop qualities that are sought by employers. These include:

• self-motivation;
• self-discipline;
• adaptability;
• professional responsibility;
• self-criticism;
• the ability to identify any needs for self-development.

The advice from practitioners is that any extracurricular activities that widen your overall skill set beyond technical skills (for example, voluntary work, part-time jobs and industrial placements) enhance employability.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.