Pharmaceutical medicine is the medical scientific discipline concerned with the discovery, development, evaluation, registration, monitoring and medical aspects of marketing of medicines for the benefit of patients and the health of the community. Pharmaceutical medicine has been recognised formally in the UK as a full specialty for physicians since 2002, but the roles of doctors in the research, development and maintenance of modern medicines has evolved over at least 50 years alongside the specialty itself. In the UK today, over 1200 pharmaceutical physicians work in pharmaceutical medicine. Developing new medicines and making them available for patients is an international endeavour, and pharmaceutical medicine is an international medical discipline, with growing recognition including formal listing as a specialty. Pharmaceutical physicians work within the strict pharmaceutical legal and regulatory framework, and additionally within ethical and professional codes of medical governance.
Careers in pharmaceutical medicine encompass three main groups of physicians: those working in pharmaceutical companies, those working in independent research organisations dedicated to the development of new medicines and those with appointments within medicines regulatory agencies.
Since 2002 between 150-200 physicians are undertaking specialty training at any one time and by 2007 over 60 had gained a CCT and been entered on the GMC’s specialist medical register. It is expected that this will continue and that the majority of physicians joining pharmaceutical medicine will undertake specialty training.
To enter specialty training a registered doctor must have completed four years of postgraduate clinical training in approved posts*, including achievement of Foundation competencies, and show evidence of experience of acute and continuing clinical management and care, including wide experience of prescribing and monitoring the effects of medicines. A doctor must show evidence of the capacity to apply sound clinical knowledge and judgement and ability to prioritise clinical need, working to maximise safety of patients whilst minimising the risk of harm. The doctor must be employed in a UK-based position in pharmaceutical medicine and hold Associate (Trainee) membership of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians.
*to enter the UK CCT programme these must be UK-based approved clinical training posts. Doctors with non-UK clinical training may enter the specialty by fulfilling the requirements of Article 14 of The General and Specialist Medical Practice (Education, Training and Qualifications) Order 2003.)
The doctor may also demonstrate understanding of the importance and basic principles of scientific research, clinical research, evidence-based medical practice and basic research methodologies, and may have evidence of relevant academic and research achievements, for example, degrees, prizes, awards, distinctions, publications and/or presentations.
Pharmaceutical medicine specialty training (PMST) is a workplace-centred competency-based programme (ST1-ST4). It encompasses seven fields of practice in pharmaceutical medicine: medicines regulation, human pharmacology, statistics & data management, clinical development, healthcare marketplace, drug safety surveillance and a generic module which includes interpersonal and management skills and the domains of Good Pharmaceutical Medical Practice. The acquisition of practical competencies is accompanied by the specialty knowledge base, and passing the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine examination.
Each pharmaceutical physician enrolled in PMST undertakes a personalised programme of training, involving acquisition of the specialty knowledge base and all of the practical competencies of the PMST curriculum, with a minimum of three practical modules including the generic module through in-work experience, coupled with course-based or other learning modalities for the remainder. Each programme covers an indicative 4-year period and flexible training provisions must meet the full-time equivalence of this. Registrars have a workplace-based Educational Supervisor and the programme is overseen by a Senior Specialty Adviser appointed by the Royal Colleges of Physicians. Acquisition of knowledge and competencies in the programme, and an evaluation of achievement and progress takes place within a framework of workplace- and course-based assessments, appraisal and regular review.
Completion of specialty training results in accreditation as a pharmaceutical physician, who is equipped with specialist knowledge and comprehensive competencies to practise pharmaceutical medicine to the highest ethical and professional standards, for the benefit and safety of patients and the public, in the development and maintenance of medicines.
For further information on Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training, please contact the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (tel; +44 (0) 207 224 0343), www.fpm.org.uk.
Updated Feb 07