Pharmacologists

Although the U.S. Department of Labor does not provide information on pharmacologists, it does recognize the related position of medical scientists (scientists involved with researching the causes of diseases and finding treatments for these diseases). The department predicts that employment for medical scientists will grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2033. Those with the most advanced and updated education will have the best prospects in future expanding and specialized job markets.

Areas in which growth is expected include health care, education, and research. Expanding health care needs and services should result in employment opportunities for pharmacologists in drug companies, hospitals, and medical and pharmacy schools. Pharmacological research done by government agencies will also continue, but it may be affected by budget and staffing cuts by the Trump administration.

Teaching opportunities should be plentiful, as universities and colleges will need qualified pharmacologists to train future students.

The growing elderly population will require pharmacologists to conduct more drug research and development. Pharmacology is also crucial in the development of drugs to battle existing diseases and medical conditions such as AIDS, muscular dystrophy, and cancer, and to facilitate the success of organ transplants.

Further study into drug addiction, gene therapy, and the effect of chemical substances on the environment, including their relationship to cancer and congenital disorders, will also provide research opportunities for qualified pharmacologists. The increasing interest in more nontraditional medical treatments will also open doors to pharmacologists in such subspecialties as herbal pharmacology, which focuses on the medicinal values of plants.