University education of
medicinal chemists: comparison of eight countries
C. Robin Ganellin,
Lester A. Mitscher, Bernd Clement, Toshi-Hiko Kobayashi, Emilio Kyburz,
Olivier Lafont, Annie Marcincal, Antonio Monge, Giorgio Tarzia, John
G. Topliss
Abstract - Medicinal chemists are mainly taught in faculties
or schools of pharmacy and are available for employment. Yet major pharmaceutical
research companies seek organic chemists, rather than medicinal chemists,
for new drug discovery. This apparent contradiction led the Medicinal
Chemistry Section of IUPAC to send a questionnaire regarding postgraduate
academic education for medicinal chemists to the faculties or schools
of pharmacy in eight countries, namely, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Spain, Switzerland, UK and US. The questionnaire aimed to elicit information
about postgraduate medicinal chemistry students, their courses and training,
and the occupations taken up after graduation. The replies representing
109 medicinal chemistry departments or sections have been analysed and
the results are presented to provide a data base on modern medicinal
chemistry curricula for comparative purposes. The information should
help guide discussion of the optimum paths to be followed by students
in preparation for their careers. The evidence suggests that academic
training of medicinal chemists equips them to enter a wide range of
occupations, many of which are in industry. ©
�ditions scientifiques et m�diciales Elsevier SAS.