What program should I do? PharmD, Medicinal Chemistry, or duel Biochemistry/Chemistry?

[Gabby Yam]

I just finished my freshman year in the pharmaceutical sciences (pre-pharm) program and I am now questioning what I want to major in. I am really into chemistry and successfully completed Ochem this year and I am also involved in chemistry research in an analytical lab. I'm planning to take Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry next year.

The school I go to has a really good college of pharmacy with a 0-6 PharmD program. Basically I am stuck choosing between these majors: Pharmacy (PharmD program), Medicinal Chemistry (BSPS), and duel major Chemistry/Biochemistry (B.S. in both chemistry and biochemistry). I can really see myself doing any of these programs and really need some help deciding.

Some Questions:
How are job prospects for the field?
How is the salary for the field?
Do you personally have experience with the program and what did you think?
Also, any other things you think would be helpful for me.

I think that if I had to choose what I wanted to do right now, I would say that drug development sounds cool. But again, that's not my final decision.

Here are some of the pros/cons of each:

PharmD:
pros:
-6 years long to earn a doctorate
-high average starting salary
-I'm already ahead of the coursework (completed Ochem)
cons:
-I'm not sure a PharmD is what I'd need to develop drugs- I think I'd need a Ph.D.
-I've been hearing job prospects are going down because of an over-supply of pharmacists

Medicinal Chemistry
pros:
-I know this would definitely train me to develop drugs
-From the ACS website, It lists Medicinal Chemistry as a very high-paying job ($119,000 median). I also think it's what I'm interested in
cons:
-I would want to get a Ph.D. in it, which is 5 more years.
-The ACS website says career prospects are mixed

Biochemistry/Chemistry
pros:
-I'm really into chemistry and think I would excel
-I think duel majoring would be impressive. I should also be able to minor in Biology
-I think that majoring in both chemistry and biochemistry would give me more career options
-I would still be able to get a job in medicinal chemistry
cons:
-Again, I would want to get a Ph.D. in it, which is 5 more years
-I have easy access to a degree in medicinal chemistry- would that be better than a duel major? Again, I'm not completely positive that's what I want to do
-I would have to backtrack a bit. I would need to take a "bridge ochem lab" and take a few higher calculus courses (pre-pharm required calc for the life sciences). I will still be able to graduate on time however.

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[blueheron]

You seem pretty confident about the 5 years for a PhD. That is the minimum. Most likely it will be 5.5 and could be 6.5 with some groups.

I do like the sound of dueling majors though. I could see it being pretty entertaining.

 

[guernica10]

Gabby, don't forget about post doc work after finishing a PhD in Biochem or Med Chem.

 

[chemguy79]

I have to comment about having a high paying job as a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry because that median salary comes from having multiple years of experience in the field. From personal experience, there isn't a chance in the world that a new Ph.D. graduate makes over 6 figures.

At my current company, which pays extremely well in the field of Biotechnology, a newly minted Ph.D. with a post-doc doesn't come close to 6 figures. Medicinal Chemistry is a wonderful area, but it has become interdisciplinary, requiring experience in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology.

 

[DruggieDoRight]

At one point in my relatively short career in the field of chemistry, I worked for a drug company. Let me tell you that the lower ranks are now filled with hirelings from the local talent agency. Many of the upper level people I've talked to have said do not go into the field because it still hasn't recovered from the blood bath half a decade ago. If you do still want to pursue this career, I can't recommend a good undergraduate research group enough. If you can find a way to get published doing ground breaking work you can for sure find a job in this industry. Another thing you will want to do is pick up a programming language or two. I think python is still very big in the chemistry field right now.

Also, for your perspective, Pfizer is still closing down many of the research facilities that develop new drugs.

 

[The Asklepian]

At one point in my relatively short career in the field of chemistry, I worked for a drug company. Let me tell you that the lower ranks are now filled with hirelings from the local talent agency. Many of the upper level people I've talked to have said do not go into the field because it still hasn't recovered from the blood bath half a decade ago. If you do still want to pursue this career, I can't recommend a good undergraduate research group enough. If you can find a way to get published doing ground breaking work you can for sure find a job in this industry. Another thing you will want to do is pick up a programming language or two. I think python is still very big in the chemistry field right now.

Also, for your perspective, Pfizer is still closing down many of the research facilities that develop new drugs.

Bloodbath? What happened?

 

[oldstock]

Bloodbath? What happened?

too many chemists ??

 

[DruggieDoRight]

Bloodbath? What happened?

As it turns out paying a whole bunch of PhDs and specialists to do research that will likely be profitable is a bad business model, and by a whole bunch, I mean flushing billions of dollars down the drain.