Career in Chemical Warfare?

[AllDayShay]

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Hi folks,

I am a forum noob so if I am posting in the wrong place, kindly escort me to where I should be.

I am a 3rd year pharmacy/2nd year MBA student and am on a quest to find an occupation that melds my military background (US Army infantry) with the pharmaceutical field. I am interested in chemical warfare and have firsthand experience from deployments overseas. What opportunities are there for me to leverage both of these skills? Thank you for your help!!!

 

[RedPill1785]

You should become a chemist if you're interested in chemical warfare I would think....

What is a pharmacist/MBA going to do about nukes?

 

[dorian baltar]

Looking into chemical warfare seems like a good choice for you. There are probably lots of opportunities for developing drugs for resistance to various agents.

What is a pharmacist/MBA going to do about nukes?

Nothing, but OP is looking at chemical warfare, so how is that relevant?

 

[Sparda29]

There was a bioterrorism elective at my school. I thought I was actually going to learn how to make these agents and deploying them and countering them, but it was all just like a history of bioterrorism.

 

[StellargalS]

I have seen position descriptions w/ the feds that fit ur interests. You will find an in let via disaster planning in the public health arena. But I suspect the MPH will better leverage you. A business focused generalist lacks credible exp for entry based on what I have seen. You could shoot for some sort of internship to meet the rather diverse exp requirements that the Pharm D fails to meet. Be creative. Again,it seems to me these ops are limited to students or post docs (PHD not Pharm D).

 

[StellargalS]

There was a bioterrorism elective at my school. I thought I was actually going to learn how to make these agents and deploying them and countering them, but it was all just like a history of bioterrorism.

Precious admission.

 

[Hello2000]

Did you not take the pharmacists oath that you would help anyone rich or poor, friend or foe?

Maybe go to Iran, you may get a job there.

I don't think chemical warfare has anything to do with pharmacy in any way.

 

[blueheron]

Get a chem degree. They will try to recruit you (personal experience) along with many others. Ha just look on USA jobs Aberdeen Proving Grounds. I think they go more toward the chemistry side than pharmaceutical for chemical weapons. They already know what toxins are lethal. They need to know how long they can be in a water supply without degrading, whether it can be removed once you are done with that area etc.

 

[AllDayShay]

Classes of chemical weapons include nerve agents, vesicants (blister agents), choking agents, incapacitating agents, riot control agents, blood agents, and toxic industrial chemicals.

I should have included biological warfare as well. I am not interested in earning a chemistry degree. I am looking to leverage my degrees and military background as is (find my niche). I am not so naive as to think an MBA is perfectly suited for the jobs I am looking at, but it certainly can't hurt. Some of you have questioned the expertise a pharmacist would have in this area... Disease states, pathophysiology, and drug therapy to prevent/counter/cure these things are certainly relevant. Chemists understand reactions, not necessarily the implications for the human body.

Sooo, bare with me. I'm just spit balling and I figured this would be the best place to do it. Thank you to those who provided me with potential avenues. I will look into them and report back.

 

[BeLikeBueller]

Well, looks like the pharmacy forum just made the watch-list of every security agency in the Western world...

To the fine folks over at the NSA, DOD, and Homeland Security...

 

[StellargalS]

Did you not take the pharmacists oath that you would help anyone rich or poor, friend or foe?

Maybe go to Iran, you may get a job there.

I don't think chemical warfare has anything to do with pharmacy in any way.

He didn't say he wanted to blow people up. Hello, poison control. 🤢

Cripes. Lord forbid anyone try to create new jobs ops for the pharmacist.

 

[BeLikeBueller]

But seriously though - it sounds like the guy has good intentions:

drug therapy to prevent/counter/cure these things are certainly relevant

It's definitely not a traditional career path though, I'll give you that. You might want to try doing a little research on career paths w/ the DOD, or talking to a recruiter of some sort (I don't know if DOD has any type of recruiting...?), since I'm pretty sure that's where funding for any type of research along these lines would be coming from.

 

[type b pharmD]

Hi folks,

I am a forum noob so if I am posting in the wrong place, kindly escort me to where I should be.

I am a 3rd year pharmacy/2nd year MBA student and am on a quest to find an occupation that melds my military background (US Army infantry) with the pharmaceutical field. I am interested in chemical warfare and have firsthand experience from deployments overseas. What opportunities are there for me to leverage both of these skills? Thank you for your help!!!

Not sure but a pharmacist buddy of mine is a military reserve member and their position is bio/chem preparedness. As a pharmacist, I would imagine you'd be in a good position to assist with antidotes etc.

 

[AllDayShay]

Not sure but a pharmacist buddy of mine is a military reserve member and their position is bio/chem preparedness. As a pharmacist, I would imagine you'd be in a good position to assist with antidotes etc.

For sake of anonymity, are his initials
PA?

 

[type b pharmD]

For sake of anonymity, are his initials
PA?

No, they're female. Cool thing is I think she has either o-3 or o-4 rank , and they fly her around the country to go to meetings .. job is mostly dealing with how to organize distribution and dispensing of antidotes/prophylaxis .. not a typical military job!