The Practice and Practitioners of Pharmaceutical Medicine

Pharmaceutical medicine is unquestionably a young medical specialty. The first university chair in pharmaceutical medicine is less than 10 years old, and there are no great buildings or institutions dedicated to it, unlike venerable medical specialties such as chest medicine, neurology, physiology, pharmacology and so on. Possibly because of its youth, this is a specialty that can be misunderstood by those outside it. Even among practitioners of pharmaceutical medicine, there can be surprise when they consider their own diversity. 

It is therefore not surprising that the diverse and overlapping discipline of pharmaceutical medicine is populated by practitioners with varied educational backgrounds. There can be no doubt that clinical experience is always a good prelude to a career in pharmaceutical medicine. But dental surgeons, medical practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists and many other members of the allied health professions have all found satisfying careers in this specialty. 

Principles and Practice of Pharmaceutical Medicine, 2nd Edition Edited by L. D. Edwards, A. J. Fletcher, A. W. Fox and P. D. Stonier 2007 John Wiley Sons, Ltd ISBN 978-0-470-09313-9 

Conversance with, if not advanced capability in, these specialties should therefore be an early goal of any career in pharmaceutical medicine. Those who remain in the industry thereafter usually value their initial generalist experience. But eventually, for most practitioners, the opportunity will exist either to remain as a generalist in pharmaceutical medicine or to sub-specialize within one or more areas in the list shown above. 

perhaps the greatest difference between this specialty and all other specialties is the value placed on versatility, adaptability, communication skills and teamwork. Physicians and pharmacists must learn that in pharmaceutical medicine, they are unlikely to be as predominant as decision makers as they were in clinical practice. Those who can become an expert in some subject and be respected for it by people both inside and outside the company, even though they may never have heard of that particular disease or drug before three months ago, will do well if they can match such knowledge with superior inter-personal skills. Knowing when to lead, when to follow and when to get out of the way, rather than presuming a leadership role in all situations, will always be valued in this specialty. 

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