Why study Pharmacology?

Pharmacology is an interdisciplinary field that explores many aspects of drug discovery, development and preclinical drug safety. It integrates knowledge from multiple scientific disciplines including chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology, providing a significant positive impact on human health. The scientific knowledge gained through pharmacologic studies provides a foundation for a number of medical treatments.

The discipline of pharmacology is distinct from the profession of pharmacy which addresses more of the formulation and dispensing of drugs for human use. Pharmacologists, however, focus on how drugs (both chemical and biologic molecules) interact with biological systems. Our bodies have the incredible ability to respond to chemical and biological molecules but at the same time these molecules have the incredible ability of influencing our biological responses. It is through the study of pharmacology we are able to identify novel molecular targets, develop unique chemical and biological molecules, and explore their preclinical impact.

Demand for Pharmacologists

A worldwide demand for pharmacologists This link opens in a new window. has been increasing in recent years. Graduates with MS degrees in Pharmacology are the major future workforce in the preclinical and clinical drug safety arena. Many graduates are employed in various aspects of medical research in an academic or industry setting, while other graduates continue to pursue additional educational training by entering medical school or PhD programs.

MS in Pharmacology program

Our MS in Pharmacology program provides students with the unique opportunity to explore various aspects of preclinical and clinical pharmacology by 1) participating in research experiences with expert UC and Cincinnati Children's faculty, 2) interacting with invited speakers from industry (Battelle, Charles River, Eli Lilly, Labcorp Drug Development, Medpace, US WorldMeds). Since our program takes only 10 months to complete, it is an ideal gap year experience and many of our students successfully continue their education with acceptance to either medical or graduate programs.

Our students gain:

• research experience through rotations with expert UC or Cincinnati Children's researchers
• the ability to design preclinical/nonclinical studies, and analyze and interpret complex data sets
• the ability to effectively communicate complex scientific concepts
• leadership skills and the ability to work as a team
• an educational foundation in Pharmacology to continue in their desired career path (MD, PhD, Industry)