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Clinical pharmacology

Training in CPT is defined in the specialty training curriculum, and is usually combined with training as a general physician.

The required competencies build on core training including acute medicine level one, achieved in specialty training years one and two. Core training and acute medicine competences build on foundation training. Key aspects include training in undertaking and interpreting clinical investigations including clinical trials; optimising the therapeutic use of drugs; detection and analysis of adverse drug effects; contribution to medicines evaluation; and management of poisoning. Trainees will usually develop a clinical specialty interest (for example, cardiovascular risk management, toxicology).

Individuals interested in an academic career should consider applying for an academic clinical fellowship (ACF), particularly one that provides exposure to CPT. Some such trainees will use their academic time to prepare an application for funding for a research fellowship (for example, from MRC, Wellcome, BHF) leading to a PhD and subsequently apply for an academic clinical lecturer appointment. This will provide a well defined academic career path. CPT provides one of the few academic disciplines that combines naturally with retaining a wide generalist interest in therapeutics across the span of general medicine.

Careers outside academia or the NHS can also be intellectually stimulating and rewarding and the pharmaceutical industry and the drug regulatory bodies have a particular interest in recruiting trained clinical pharmacologists.

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