How do I become a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry?

[drblondiesoccer]

Hello friends, I'm new to this forum. I'm currently a rising junior in high school in NJ, and several family friends of mine work in the pharmaceutical industry. One is a research scientist at pfizer, another is a chemical engineer at Merck, all of them get paid well. Anyway, I love science and I think industry is right for me, creating drugs and battling diseases and all that. One question, how do I get there? I know there isn't one specific answer to that question, but I'm just looking for some good guidelines at least.

-What should I major in in college(or does it matter? must it only be a BS?) and where?
-What should I master in? Can I enter into one of those higher up research lab positions with only an MS?

-PhD?

I know someone who worked as a biologist at first(idk where) but then they came to pfizer and applied and started lower on the ladder and worked their way up...is that what most people do? Start off somewhere else and then enter into industry later in their career?

I know it's a lot of questions, but this forum is definitely where they should be asked.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[romaniangirl]

A direct route to synthesizing new drugs is a BS in Chemistry and a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry. If not med Chem, then a PhD in Organic Chemistry also works. Essentially there are many majors and PhDs that can lead to a job in the pharma industry but this is the most direct route.