Function

• Pharmacologists study how drugs and chemicals interact and relate to biological systems, such as the human body. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics says pharmacologists are involved in a wide variety of fields, from nursing and dentistry to pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Pharmacologists' jobs may include studying the effects of pesticides or developing new medications.
  
  

Types

• There are many types of pharmacologists. Clinical pharmacologists deal with how drugs interact with diseases, other medications and the human genome. Veterinary pharmacologists study drugs and their relation to animals. Behavior pharmacology examines how drugs affect human behavior. Neuropharmacology deals with the nervous system, and molecular pharmacology studies how drugs affect cells.
  
  

Education

• Requirements for pharmacologists include an advanced degree, typically a PhD, from a graduate school of biomedical science, a medical school, a veterinary medicine school or a pharmacy school. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics recommends that undergraduate students major in pharmacy, chemistry or a biological science if a pharmacology program isn't available at their college or university.
  
  

Salary

• The salary for pharmacologists typically increases with experience. Entry level workers in 2010 can expect to make between $30,000 and $97,000 annually, according to PayScale.com. After five years as a pharmacologist, salaries reach $71,500 to $95,000. Pharmacologists who have been in the field for 20-plus years make as much as $155,000 a year, according to 2010 statistics.
  
  

Considerations

• Pharmacologists work in government, academic and industrial settings, according to ASPET. The wide range of job opportunities means that you can find a pharmacology job to suit your personal goals and sensibilities. Whether you do research for a university or hold an administrative job for a government institution, as a pharmacologist you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with other scientists in the pursuit of new discoveries and developments.