The types of jobs available in pharmacogenetics are very specialized and mostly related to research and clinical pharmacology. Pharmacogeneticists have duties that overlap with pharmacogenomicists, and the two fields study the same effects that human DNA has on drug treatments. People with certain genes respond differently to drugs than people with other genes, and depending on a person’s DNA, that person may be more or less likely to develop a disease later in life. Pharmacogeneticists research how all the genes in a human cell work together to metabolize pharmaceuticals. The field has been around for more than 50 years, but modern advances in DNA research have accelerated the progress made in pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics.
Pharmacogeneticists research ways to make drug treatments more effective for diseases that affect people later in life. Current drug treatments are often ineffective, and doctors believe that studying DNA will allow pharmacogeneticists to customize drugs for patients based on their genetics. Since genomics became a medical discipline in its own right during the twentieth century, pharmacogenetics has linked drug treatment effectiveness with genetics and has begun cracking the problem of treating age-related illnesses such as cancer and diabetes.
How to Become a Pharmacogeneticist
A pharmacogeneticist usually needs at least a master’s degree in pharmacogenetics as well as a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science or a related field. Master’s programs can last one to two years and include additional areas of research, such as stratified medicine or clinical pharmacology. Demand for this area of biomedical science is expected to increase at about the same rate as average for all occupations. Most of the increase in job opportunities are attributed to the aging U.S. population and the growing pharmaceutical market.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacogenetics careers usually require a Ph.D. or professional degree, although the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists website states that jobs are available for people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As with other highly technical professions, a higher level of education leads to increased opportunities, salary and responsibility. Since this field is relatively new, the process of entering the field can vary for different people, and a degree in a related subject such as genetics or pharmaceutics may be enough to start a career.
Pharmacogeneticists and Pharmacogenomics Salary
Medical scientists earned a median annual salary of $76,980 in 2012, with the top-earning 10 percent making at least $146,650. Specialists working in the pharmaceutical industry earned salaries at the top of the range for medical scientists, with a median salary of $92,940. Pharmacogeneticists with Ph.D. credentials earn the most; these professionals often have backgrounds in mathematics or statistics, rather than medical science, which enables them to systematically approach the extremely complex problems facing pharmacogeneticists. Relatively few colleges offer degrees specifically in pharmacogenetics, so career paths in this field can take many shapes.
Related Resource: Toxicologist
Pharmacogeneticists frequently make important new discoveries, but since this field of research is so new, these discoveries usually lead to the realization that the problem they’re dealing with is much more complicated than previously thought. Relatively few barriers stand in the way of starting a career in pharmacogenetics, and anyone with enough interest in human genetics and pharmaceutical research can find employment. If you have the analytical skills needed to solve complex genetic puzzles, keep learning about the education requirements and types of jobs available in pharmacogenetics.