The most direct way to become a pharmacologist is by studying for a pharmacology degree.

You could also complete a postgraduate course in pharmacology, if you've done a degree in a related subject, like:

• biochemistry
• physiology
• microbiology
• biomedical science

Some courses include a year working in industry, which will give you an advantage when you start applying for work. You can also get experience by working as a lab assistant or through work shadowing.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
• 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

You could apply to do a Clinical Pharmacology Scientist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship takes around two and half years and is a mix of work-based training and study.

To apply, you'll need:

• to be working in a clinical research role
• a degree in medicine, biomedical science or pharmacy

You'll need:

• science skills
• knowledge of biology
• knowledge of chemistry
• complex problem-solving skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• thinking and reasoning skills
• maths knowledge
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

As a pharmacologist, you would:

• test combinations of chemicals and drugs to see what they do
• design and carry out experiments and clinical trials
• collect and analyse data
• assess the safety of products and calculate dosage levels
• write reports and publish research findings
• work with other clinical scientists to develop new products and manufacturing processes

You could work in a laboratory.

You may need to wear protective clothing.