Combining organic chemistry, pharmacology and biology

Why Choose the MSc in Medicinal Chemistry?

I had always been interested in pharmaceuticals. Therefore, I was looking for a master’s programme in organic chemistry with focus on drug research after I had finished my bachelor’s degree in chemistry. I found this programme in Copenhagen which met my expectations. The whole application procedure was nice and I felt very welcome so it was easy to make up my mind.

I had also hoped to find a better education. In Germany, we have mostly ‘teacher-centred instruction’ where only the lecturer is talking. In Denmark it is different. You have ‘student-centred instruction’ with a lot of group work. My expectations were met and I am glad I came here.

Medicinal Chemistry - a Mix of Organic Chemistry and Pharmacology

For me, one of the particularly good things about the programme is the combination of organic chemistry, pharmacology and biology. I did not want to be ‘only’ a chemist and not ‘only’ a biologist or pharmacologist. 


Job Opportunities

Since my programme is rather small and new, I think that might be a unique selling point. I hope that the combination of organic chemistry, pharmacology and biology allows me to find a job as a medicinal chemist.

Studying at the MSc in Medicinal Chemistry

A big difference to my BSc is that we have fever classes. In the beginning it actually feels like you have a lot of time off. Therefore it was a bit difficult to get used to self-studies, but it is good that you actually have time to dig into a topic. 

I also like the group work. In many ways, this is what actually made the progress in my studies. First of all, the group work keeps you studying during the course, so that in the end you do not have to start from scratch with the preparation of the exams. Secondly, as the group members were from different countries and had various scientific backgrounds, the group discussions did not only broaden my academic views, but also my world view. And I do not want to miss that in my life.

A Typical Day?

I think it is difficult to describe a typical day because as a student you might have a day without classes and then you might stay at home and study. Or you might go to meet your group mates to do the group work. And then you might have another day where you have courses from 8 a.m. til 5 p.m. But now that I started my thesis, I am in the lab every day.

Study Environment and Extra-curricular Activities 

The study environment is very good. There are a lot of study rooms and we have a nice library. The teachers are nice. You can ask them whatever you want. 

We also have social activities. We do a lot of things after school, like meeting for a coffee, exploring the city, hanging out, doing sports or going out. 

In the beginning, we had some introduction days with a lot of social activities where we also met the students of the MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences, the other international programme at PharmaSchool. It is nice to know a lot of people when you walk around campus.