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ABPI Website
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Careers in the pharmaceutical industry
- School & college studies
School & college studies
Most people know what doctors, nurses, dentists and vets do. But many people are not sure what a research chemist does, or what a pharmacologist is.
If you enjoy learning about science a career in the pharmaceutical industry may be for you. There are also lots of jobs for non-scientists, so even if you don’t want to study science, there’s likely to be a job in the industry for you.
Explore the range of jobs available under Working in the industry.
At school you have many choices to make about which subjects to study. Normally people choose the subjects that they like and are good at. Although this is a good way to help you pick, it’s important to think carefully about your choices and what effect these may have on what you can do in the future.
The more you know about your options, the better your decisions are likely to be. To help you we’ve identified a few important things to consider when you’re selecting subjects to study at school and college.
My choices at 14...
Even if science isn’t your favourite subject or you find science hard, try not to be afraid of a challenge. Studying and doing well in science will keep many options open to you in the future.
My choices at 16...
At 16 you are faced with some big decisions that can make a real difference to the university and career options open to you in the future.
My choices at 18...
Choosing whether to go to university and what to study are hard decisions to make. But perhaps full-time university study is not for you.
Last reviewed date: 14 July 2026
Next review date: 14 July 2029