What is the difference between pharmacy and pharmacology?

image of a pharmacologist examining chemical samples in a lab.

Pharmacology and pharmacy sound similar and even have some important similarities but they are distinctly different. Understanding the difference would help you know what you are getting into either as an aspiring student or someone planning your career.

To be clear, while both pharmacy and pharmacology both deal with the study of drugs, pharmacists have expertise on all aspects of drugs from production to dispensing drugs to patients while pharmacology is more concerned with research that can lead to the production of drugs, and understanding the impact of those drugs on patients. While pharmacists are legally authorised to dispense drugs, pharmacologists aren’t.

In this article, I will delve into the details of these differences with more focus on pharmacology. If this is something you would like to understand properly, then this article is for you.

About Pharmacology

Pharmacology is an aspect of medicine that is concerned with how drugs work. It is not a common job title in Nigeria but their work involves research into drugs.

Pharmacologists help in the discovery of new medicine by conducting research into the impact of drugs on patients. Pharmacologists explore concepts like drug interaction, drug composition, toxicology and chemical biology

Is it the same as pharmacy?

The short answer is no. Pharmacology is quite different from Pharmacy. I will clarify their professional differences in a table below.

S/NPharmacistPharmacologist
1Legally authorised to dispense drugs to patientsThey are not legally authorised to dispense drugs to patients
2Their careers are patient-focused and so their training has components that prepare them to interact with patients.Their careers are more research-focused, preparing them for careers that involve working in laboratories
3Pharmacy is usually offered as a undergraduate degree in Nigerian several universitiesPharmacology is usually offered as a Postgraduate degree in Nigerian universities
4A pharmacist has to complete a five year degree programme in Nigeria to be qualified.Pharmacologists may hold a degree in Biochemistry, pharmacology or related field to qualify.

Is pharmacology a branch of pharmacy?

No, pharmacology and pharmacy are distinctly different and while both involve the study of drugs, the way this knowledge is used is different. It is easy to mix the two up and some scholars even believe that pharmacology is actually a branch of pharmacy but it is a distinct profession of its own.

Role of pharmacologists

So, what do pharmacologists do on a daily basis? Pharmacologists should be prepared to carry out the following roles;

  • Planning and directing clinical trials.
  • Keeping abreast with drug-related regulatory guidelines in the country.
  • Working with researchers, lab attendants to conduct research.
  • Carefully recording results from research.
  • Working with complex equipment like computer systems and laboratory equipment.
  • Sharing results of research work with their organisations
  • Making recommendations based on research findings

Where can a pharmacologist work?

Pharmacologists can work in any of the following types of organisations.

  • Drug manufacturing
  • Universities
  • Research Institutes
  • Government agencies
  • Magazines or blogs
  • Non governmental organisations (NGOs)

How much do pharmacologists earn in Nigeria?

‘Pharmacologist’ is not a common job title in Nigeria. You can expect to earn an average of N140,000 per month as an entry level employee.

If you want to start a career as a pharmacologist, you should know that there are not many pharmacologist roles here in Nigeria so you should also be prepared to look for opportunities abroad.

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