Pharmacology and Toxicology

专业介绍

Pharmacology and Toxicology (PharmTox) is an undergraduate major offered by the School of Pharmacy, leading to a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology. This major covers two related biomedical sciences:

• Pharmacology: The study of drug actions, including their sites, properties, effects, and mechanisms.
• Toxicology: The study of harmful effects of chemicals on humans and animals, including exposure assessment, hazard identification, dose response, and risk characterization.

Both fields integrate various scientific disciplines and use advanced biotechnological methods to understand drug and toxicant actions at the molecular level. The curriculum is multidisciplinary, spanning several biomedical sciences. This major can prepare students for a variety of future careers and paths, including graduate school in the biomedical sciences, health professions like medical or dental school, or to work in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry. 

The PharmTox major is a limited enrollment, selective admission major. An application is required along with prerequisite courses – for details, see How to Get In. Pre-PharmTox students are usually enrolled in the College of Letters & Science or the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences during their first two years. Students should stay in contact with the PharmTox advisor to keep up with admission requirements and program updates. Once admitted, the core curriculum takes two years to complete (typically junior and senior years).

For those interested in becoming pharmacists, information about the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program is available here: https://pharmacy.wisc.edu/programs/pharmd/. The PharmD is required to take the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and become a registered and licensed pharmacist.