Immunological staining of a brain section

The structure of morphine with an opium poppy in the background

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department of Pharmacology

Graduate Program

Career Opportunities
Financial Assistance
Combined MD/PhD Program
NIDA Training Program

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Pharmacology have opportunities to pursue careers in academic departments, research institutes, industrial laboratories, or government agencies. Past graduates of Temple University School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology currently hold positions in academia, medicine, and industry--both in this country and abroad.

The Department of Pharmacology offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pharmacology. The graduate faculty has designed a well-balanced program that can be individually tailored to meet every student's interests and needs and fully prepare him or her for a career in academic, clinical or industrial pharmacology. In addition to completing the required course work which provides a solid foundation in pharmacology, the student has the opportunity to take specialized courses in the department as well as in other graduate departments and in the School of Medicine. We will consider students from any accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in any of the physical, biological, or behavioral sciences for training on a full-time basis. Students with a degree in social sciences will be considered provided they have a sufficient concentration of courses in the sciences to prepare them for graduate work in Pharmacology. A knowledge of organic and physical chemistry is required, as well as mathematics through calculus, and general biology and physics.

In a unique program leading to the PhD degree, the Department of Pharmacology also will consider students from any accredited college or university with a master’s degree for training on a part-time basis. Another requirement of this advanced student program is that the employers of the part-time students must support the program.

Candidates for admission are required to take the Graduate Record Examination, including an advanced test in biology or chemistry, and submit their scores with their application to:

Director of Graduate Studies

Department of Pharmacology

Temple University School of Medicine

3400 North Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA 19140

Applications may be made at any time but in order to qualify for financial aid, applications must be received on January 1 of the year of study. Under certain conditions, students may be given early acceptance without stipend.

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Financial Assistance

All students who apply for admission before January 1, if accepted, will be provided with some form of financial assistance on a competitive basis. All appointments are made for a 12-month period and include stipend plus medical insurance, tuition and fees. Fellowships and/or traineeships are available for students entering the MS Degree Program in Clinical Pharmacology and for second and subsequent year PhD students through University fellowships and a National Institutes of Health Training Grant in Drugs of Abuse and Neuropeptides. In addition, students are encouraged to seek pre-doctoral fellowships from external granting agencies such as the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, etc.

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Combined MD/PhD Program

The combined MD/PhD Program provides the opportunity for highly qualified students to obtain expertise in clinical medicine and to become broadly trained in modem basic science research. The program is comprehensive, demanding and challenging and attracts highly motivated individuals drawn to a research career in medicine. The successful candidate spends the first two years in the medical school curriculum and the next three years carrying out an original research project and completing course work and other requirements for the PhD degree under the guidance of a preceptor in the Department of Pharmacology. For the final two years, the student returns to medical school for clinical training. The specific details of the PhD portion of the program vary depending on the interests of the student.

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NIDA Training Program: Drugs of Abuse and Neuropeptides

The Department of Pharmacology is the recipient of a Training Grant (for both pre-and post-doctoral fellows) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This interdisciplinary program includes senior faculty from immunology, neurology, psychiatry and psychology. Trainees will become familiar with a complete range of techniques: biochemical, molecular, pharmacological, immunological and behavioral. Interested students should contact: