industrial pharmacy anyone?

[moy_05]

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Hi guys, I just wanted to know more about this aspect of pharmacy, I am a chem. engineering major , and I plan to apply to Pharmacy school. However, I do not see such residencies for this field. Are additional training necessary to jump in to this specialty? Correct me if im wrong, but this is where they develop/create drugs right?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

You'll want tio persue a PhD in medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutics. If you have a B.S. in a bio or chem major, you can usually apply straight to the program and skip the PharmD thing.
Here is WVU's program

 

[kwizard]

Hi guys, I just wanted to know more about this aspect of pharmacy, I am a chem. engineering major , and I plan to apply to Pharmacy school. However, I do not see such residencies for this field. Are additional training necessary to jump in to this specialty? Correct me if im wrong, but this is where they develop/create drugs right?

The best way to get into industry would be either a PhD program (if you really want to excell in the drug development phase) or do a fellowship possibly in drug developement/kinetics etc. Univ of KY has a lot of templates as do many schools having a more clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Program which tends to incorporate more of your pharmacy training and provide you with venues to apply in a research capacity. After completing such training PhD or fellowship or PhD/fellowship (possibly concurrently if you can secure funding) you can then either ride it out in academia for a minute or go straight to industry. Both can be kind of "cut throat" as all careers can be but drug development and/or pre-clinical trial data is a big money business so people want to see production for the investment. Given that many industrial companies are kind of growing tired of investing in drugs w/o guaranteed benefits and/or "me, too" drugs (i.e. the next statin, the next SSRI and/or the next beta-lactam). So much of the rare types of drugs (no guaranteed profit margin like oncology stuff, traumatic brain injury, etc) tend to fall on the university medical centers to create (or at least help w/ development) and/or research in clinical trials.

Since you are in Pre-pharm I would research some PharmD./PhD programs to minimize time spent in school. Given your background try to figure out which field of research suits you best and which pharmacy schools have active and progressive programs (visit websites and depts). Residencies are typically for those who want to go into clinical practice. Fellowships are often for those w/ previous clinical training, but who also want to further research capacity w/ independent training w/ fellowship training. There are also fellowships you can do straight out of school w/ no clinical training (typically in outcomes training in pharmaceutical industry). There are even a few of pharmacists who have developed effective research careers w/ just residency training (however they are rare and it typically takes several yrs in academia/academic medical center to develop this capacity).

I hope this helps.

 

[kwizard]

You'll want tio persue a PhD in medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutics. If you have a B.S. in a bio or chem major, you can usually apply straight to the program and skip the PharmD thing.
Here is WVU's program

Not that this isn't as good an option, but I'd probably stick w/ PharmD/PhD as it will typically make you more competitive in academia/industry. Secondly, if all else fails and you need to supplement your income, you have the PharmD to fall back on to make some money practicing pharmacy at an above avg salary. Many PhD people you see teaching pharmaceutical sciences/medicinal chemistry in pharmacy school now a days are PhDs w/ RPh. They typically don't list the RPh when presenting/lecturing b/c it was a BS degree at the time they received it and/or they don't practice anymore. However, for fiscal purposes I'd favor being able to practice pharmacy as a back up as PhD alone just doesn't typically pay that well.

 

[eddavatar]

Not that this isn't as good an option, but I'd probably stick w/ PharmD/PhD as it will typically make you more competitive in academia/industry. Secondly, if all else fails and you need to supplement your income, you have the PharmD to fall back on to make some money practicing pharmacy at an above avg salary. Many PhD people you see teaching pharmaceutical sciences/medicinal chemistry in pharmacy school now a days are PhDs w/ RPh. They typically don't list the RPh when presenting/lecturing b/c it was a BS degree at the time they received it and/or they don't practice anymore. However, for fiscal purposes I'd favor being able to practice pharmacy as a back up as PhD alone just doesn't typically pay that well.

You couldnt have summed it up better than what was in my mind. I'm also going for a PharmD/PhD just to get a better background, a more competitive resume, and more options.

But moy, if you think you want to work in the industry for sure, just doing a PhD would save you 4 years and definitely a lot of money. Folks at my lab are always lamenting that I should have just gone for the PhD.

 

[sdn1977]

The previous posters gave GREAT summaries of how to get into drug development. You'll also find that most clinical trials (some Phase II & all Phase III) must have an MD - so many of the researchers are MD/PhD & the PharmD/PhD is often low on the research scale. I agree....the PhD is the way to go to really get funding so you can do the trials.

That said...I've two classmates who are currently VP's in large drug companies. They liason between the scientific/drug development folks & the "others" - marketing, drug information & support services, post approval & post marketing survelliance, & whatever its called when they have to come up with the generic & brand names (etymology???). They went directly from pharmacy school after a stint in academia (teaching clinical), however, I think nowadays it takes an additional MBA.

 

[sdn1977]

Oh...should have added...it is usually a Pharm.D. or equiv. who is in charge of the regulatory dept of drug companies - the ones who have to make sure everything is a go with the FDA & international regulatory agencies to get a drug approved. A friend of mine who has a BS in pharmacy has this position for an allergen extract company. Previously, she was in regulatory affairs for Abbott.

 

[moy_05]

Great stuff guys, ill definitely ponder on the PhD only stuff since i am more interested in the drug developing part..