Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Clinical) Jobs
Clinical Pharmacologists study the effects of drugs and medicines in humans. They work in the laboratory and in clinical practice. They also work in academia, research, industry, government, and in drug regulation. They create guidelines and develop policies, assess clinical trials, and conduct laboratory research in genetics, biomarkers and metabolism. They consult with medical specialists, emergency medical staff and GPs to help manage patients with medication-related problems or specific medication needs, including multimorbidity, adherence issues, polypharmacy and medication intolerance. They evaluate new drug applications and extensions, including their efficacy, safety, and quality. They perform complex medication reviews, provide advice on rational and prescribing, and provide tailored advice on prescribing for special patient groups - including older people, children, pregnant and nursing mothers, and patients with renal or hepatic disease. They sit on hospital, state and drug regulation committees, teach clinical pharmacology at universities and teaching hospitals, and undertake drug-related research and pharmacovigilance, including investigation of adverse effects or cost-effectiveness. Clinical Pharmacologists integrate pharmacology practice and knowledge with other disciplines and play an important role liaising between laboratory scientists and clinicians. They are mindful of the influence of bias and market pressures on drug development and access. Clinical Pharmacologists usually develop a particular therapeutic area of expertise such as hypertension, cardiometabolic disease, airways disease, toxicology or oncology. To work in this field, doctors complete foundation and core training, followed by Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Training, which takes an indicative 4-years to complete, is combined with General Internal Medicine training, and leads to a dual CCT and specialty registration with the GMC.