Why do chemists work in the pharmaceutical area?

Question

There already are pharmacists doing the job, why do they need chemists for?

In the future I might work in that area, I heard it's the highest paying one.

Answer 1

CHEMISTS study the composition, structure, and properties of substances and

the interactions between them.  They search for new information about

materials and look for ways to put this knowledge to practical use.  They

apply scientific principles and techniques using specialized instruments to

measure, identify, and evaluate changes in matter.

Chemists are grouped into four main specialties:

Organic Chemists work with carbon and its compounds, most of which are

substances originally derived from animals and plants.  These Chemists are

responsible for developing many commercial products, including drugs,

plastics, and fertilizers.

Inorganic Chemists work with compounds of non-carbon structure, including

most of the metals and minerals.  In the electronics industry, they work on

ways to build solid state electronic components.

Physical Chemists concentrate on the study of quantitative relationships

between the chemical and physical properties of substances.  These

Chemists are helping to develop new energy sources.

Analytical Chemists examine the content of substances (qualitative

analysis) and measure the amount of each component present (quantitative

analysis).  Analytical Chemists also identify the presence of chemical

pollutants in air, water, and soil.

Most Chemists are involved in either Research and development (R&D) or

production.  In basic Research, Chemists seek new scientific knowledge of

chemical properties or theories.  Chemists working in applied Research use

their knowledge to improve and create new products.  In production,

Chemists prepare compounds in the form and amount required for commercial

use.

More than 60 percent of Chemists work for manufacturers.  The majority of

these work in chemical manufacturing.  Chemists also work in industries

such as plastics, biotechnology, food, electronics, pharmaceuticals,

paints, detergents, and cosmetics.

Academic institutions are the second largest employer of Chemists.  

Teaching is the most important function, but in most four year colleges,

Research is also a high priority.

Career opportunities are also found in federal, State and local

government.  Positions include forensic Chemists who work for law

enforcement agencies analyzing blood, saliva, fabric, soil, and other

substances; water quality Chemists who analyze treated and untreated

domestic water supplies; and agricultural Chemists who study the chemical

interaction of soils, fertilizers, insects, and animals.

Still other Chemists work outside the chemical industry in positions such

as sales, patent law, computer programming, investment banking, writing,

purchasing, and technical library work.  

Answer 2

Boiling down the stuff copied and pasted from http://www.calmis.cahwnet.gov/file/occgu... ...

Chemists study the way chemicals are made and the way they behave.  Pharmaceutical compounds are usually chemicals.  (Sometimes they're made biologically, like DNA or proteins.  Chemists get into that, too.)

So chemists are the ones who do much of the work that leads to new drugs, as well as new ways to provide them to patients.

Chemical engineers are chemists who figure out how to make the drug chemicals efficiently and in large quantity.

Pharmacologists study the way that drugs interact with the body:  They figure out the proper dose (how much chemical is needed to treat a disease), they look for side effects and drug interactions.

Pharmacists sell drugs to patients based on instructions from doctors.  (They often need training in chemistry and pharmacology, so that they can be smart about the drugs they're selling and make sure that the patients have the info they need to take the drugs properly.)

So it's a bit like asking why we need farmers, when grocers are the ones who sell the food... :)

Bonus career advice:  Don't choose it just because it pays well now.  In the future, it may not.  Pick something you're good at, and which you enjoy doing - and then look for ways to be "successful" at it (including lots of money, if that's your thing).