medical science liaison case study

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Promoting Best Practices for Medical Science Liaisons Position Statement from the APPA, IFAPP, MAPS and MSLS

Paul theron.

1 Head Medical Excellence APAC, Merck Healthcare Pty Ltd, 10 Mahratta Ave, Wahroonga, NSW 2076 Australia

Matthew Britland

2 Medical Director, Amgen, Macquarie Park, Australia

Donna Holder

3 Senior Director, Global MSL Excellence Oncology, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Basking Ridge, USA

Yasushi Ikeda

4 Vice President, Medical Science Liaison, Astellas Pharma Inc, Tokyo, Japan

Ralph F. Rewers

5 National MSL Director, US Medical Affairs, AbbVie, Chicago, USA

6 Regional Medical Head, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Novartis, Singapore, Singapore

This position paper is intended to provide recommendations that will help lay the foundation for best practices for medical science liaisons (MSLs) and their activities. Its objective is to outline the roles and responsibilities expected of an MSL and provide clarity on the juxtaposition of MSLs and Sales representatives (SRs) when it comes to scientific exchange versus promotional messaging. It is of utmost importance that industry integrity and ethical standards are assured during external stakeholder engagement as well as medical and scientific communications. This guidance, delivered through the lens of APPA, IFAPP, MAPS and the MSLS executive committees, has been prepared primarily as a supportive resource to assist the Medical Affairs teams in the industry to develop their own set of standard operating procedures (SOPs), codes of conduct and policies within the framework of relevant industry regulations. We acknowledge that whilst there are guidelines already available that provide excellent directive to the MSL function, this paper is a review and distillation of these existing recommendations combined with the perspectives of four peak professional bodies to offer a practically focused resource to help MSLs interact, collaborate and exchange scientific information appropriately with external experts when out in the field.

Introduction

The medical science liaison (MSL) is a key member of the Medical Affairs team, a department within the pharmaceutical organisation that is involved in the communication of accurate and unbiased scientific and medical information to healthcare professionals [ 1 , 2 ]. Such communications typically involve safety information or updates, published papers, independent medical education, as well as responses to requests for off-label information [ 2 ] .However, more recent times has seen an increased need for MSLs but an accompanying reduction in sales and marketing personnel [ 3 ]. Consequently, there has been an emergence of hybrid roles that combine medical affairs and sales roles and consequently ‘muddy the waters’ when it comes to separating scientific and commercial activities. A lack of a global perspective on the role of the MSL [ 4 – 6 ], combined with limited published literature by experts in Medical Affairs [ 1 , 7 ], as well as white papers developed by health consulting firms with a commercial interest [ 8 – 12 ], mean that there is no formal framework defining the roles and responsibilities of an MSL.

Recognising this gap, the executive committees of four peak body organisations representing Medical Affairs’ members: the Australian Pharmaceutical Medical and Scientific Professionals Association (APPA), the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine (IFAPP), the Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) and the Medical Science Liaison Society (MSLS), provide an unbiased, commercial-free narrative review and recommendations on key practices of an MSL. It is the hope of the authors that this paper will help to ensure the future integrity of the key Medical Affairs function.

Methodology

A literature review was conducted using PubMed where searches were performed using search string variations of the following keywords: (medical affairs*, medical science liaisons*, role*, responsibilities*, activities*). Google Scholar citation searches and manual searches of reference lists were also conducted to identify relevant publications, as well as general Google searches using the same search strings above. Searches were performed between May 2020 and July 2020 with only those retrieved records published in the last 5 years. The list of sources of information used by the authors is provided in the reference section.

Recommendations and key principles were developed by the author representatives of the peak bodies. APPA is the representative association for Medical Affairs in Australia and is dedicated to promoting excellence in pharmaceutical medicine through professional development, networking and advocacy ( http://appa.net.au ) ; IFAPP’s primary objective is to bring together physicians and scientists from the pharmaceutical industry and contract research organisations with colleagues working in research institutes, academia, medicines regulatory agencies and patient organisations, in order to stimulate the advancement of knowledge in Pharmaceutical Medicine globally ( https://ifapp.org/ );

MAPS is the premier non-profit global Medical Affairs organisation FOR Medical Affairs professionals BY Medical Affairs professionals across all different levels of experience/specialty to engage, empower and educate. Together with over 3,000 Medical Affairs members from over 200 companies, MAPS is transforming the Medical Affairs profession to increase its value to patients, HCPs and other decision makers ( https://medicalaffairs.org ); and MSLS is the only non-profit organisation focused exclusively on the global MSL profession. The MSL Society serves as a voice for the global MSL profession and represents members in 83 countries. The organisation is dedicated to advancing the profession by helping MSLs and MSL leaders become more effective in their careers through focused training programs, global research and best practice sharing ( www.themsls.org ). Given the wide reach of each of these organisations, the authors had access to a large number of member insights, activities and perspectives.

What is the Role of the MSL?

The MSL has a key role in developing and delivering scientific communications to health professionals and other stakeholders that is factually accurate and compliant with industry standards.

The MSL role has existed for more than 50 years and continues to evolve in line with changing disease, treatment landscapes and healthcare trends. The ability to translate scientific research to clinical practice (i.e. from the bench to the bedside) remains a fundamental skill for all MSLs and is key to understanding, interpreting and discussing therapeutic advancements. MSLs represent the scientific face and force of the pharma industry, connecting companies with the medical community that include a range of stakeholders, such as key opinion leaders, clinical investigators and healthcare decision makers. Through the exchange of highly credible, unbiased, scientific and clinical information, MSLs can build and foster important scientific credibility with these external experts.

Another important and large part of the value proposition of the MSL is being able to bring relevant, timely and actionable insights to the company. Through such communication and collaboration, the ultimate objective is to help the right patients gain access to the right medicines.

To this point, MSLs are well positioned to inform on the safe and appropriate use of therapeutics. Over time, MSLs have needed to become increasingly versatile given the emergence of new and broader groups of stakeholders, a shift to a more patient-centric model of care where the focus is less about the drug and more about the patient journey and technological advances in diagnostics, devices and treatments. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, MSLs need to keep abreast of advancements and understand how they may impact clinical practice and patient outcomes.

It is important to acknowledge that variations exist in the MSL role including the name of the role. This is illustrated within the MSL Society guidelines, which outlines more than 30 titles (Table ​ (Table1). 1 ). Therefore, it is necessary for the company to clearly define and communicate the MSL’s roles and responsibilities.

Alternative titles for an MSL (note this is not an exclusive list)

Reproduced with the permission from the MSLS

What Are the Responsibilities of MSLs?

MSLs are responsible for scientific exchange of data, supporting evidence generation and gathering actionable insights from the field.

Scientific Exchange

MSLs play a role in the exchange of unbiased scientific information when delivering presentations and education relating to the disease, unmet needs, treatment landscape, therapy areas and clinical evidence. They also engage and liaise with experts on the generation of scientific data. MSLs can proactively seek an introductory meeting with an external expert for the purpose of determining unmet medical needs and assessing the opinion leader’s criteria for and interest in scientific engagement. Subsequent or follow-up meetings, however, also need a purpose and a clear objective, requiring the MSL to clarify the scientific need for the exchange with the HCP.

Evidence Generation

Evidence generation activities include company-sponsored studies, investigator-initiated trials, real-world evidence studies and clinical audits. To facilitate these, MSLs require appropriate training in good clinical practice and an understanding of the appropriate clinical trial standard operating procedures (SOPs) and protocols. Of note, health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) studies represent a developing intersection between medical affairs, market access and commercial teams.

Gathering Insights

MSLs are well positioned to gather insights from the field that can be used to inform internal clinical development, marketing and market access in developing their strategies. These insights may be based on expert opinion, observations of barriers in the patient journey or questions that emerge in scientific exchange. Insights may also be gained from advisory board meetings.

If during interactions with external experts, concerns about the safety of the product are raised, or adverse events in patients treated with the product are mentioned, irrespective of whether the event was considered to be drug-related or not, the MSL should submit the information as per the company’s pharmacovigilance policy on adverse event reporting.

Key Principles

• MSLs alongside the wider Medical Affairs team should identify experts according to their medical expertise and academic reputation within the field of specialty; quality of publications; positions in peak bodies/societies/association; relevance of their level of clinical expertise, participation in treatment guideline bodies, as well as participation in research including clinical trials
• Selection of experts should not be based on their potential to prescribe or number of patients they see
• MSLs should develop and maintain strong and constructive relationships, at the same time respecting the independence of the key external experts
• MSLs may share insights from the field with medical and appropriate members of marketing teams to assist with the development of research strategies, medical communications, medical plans, brand plans, launch plans and materials
• MSLs play a key role throughout the lifecycle of a product: clinical development, pre-launch, launch and post-launch
• Scientific exchange should never contain false or misleading information, or omit or select information which by default could lead to misleading the stakeholder
• MSLs should not provide patient specific treatment advice or discuss specific patients
• MSLs should report adverse events raised during external stakeholder interaction within 24 h

What Are the Core Skills Required by MSLs?

Core requirements of an MSL are to hold an advanced degree, demonstrate scientific and technical expertise, be excellent communicators and have strong interpersonal skills.

Given the primary role in building and fostering peer-to-peer credibility with key external stakeholders, a strong scientific and medical grounding, as well as excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential. MSLs also need to have sound business acumen and leadership qualities. Typical academic qualifications for MSLs include medical, pharmacy and scientific PhD degrees.

Whilst these criteria remain the foundation for MSLs, additional skillsets are also important. These include value skills, reflected in the ability to engage external partnerships, for example, integrated delivery networks and payors, understand outcome-based agreements, as well as develop medical strategies that support drug access objectives. Being able to gather, assimilate and interpret information appropriately and feeding that through to the relevant internal teams is also a key competency of an MSL, as is having excellent data analytical skills. Digital competency is becoming increasingly important to allow for easier access to difficult to reach stakeholders and provides the MSL a means to engage with experts virtually if their area of coverage is wide.

• MSLs have a responsibility to support non-promotional activities in the field that encourage the safe and appropriate use of medicines
• Companies should upskill the MSLs with the necessary knowledge about the therapeutic area, the disease and its management
• The MSL is a Medical Affairs professional that acts as an important bridge between the company and the healthcare ecosystem by identifying clinical unmet needs, educating on the mode of action of new compounds as well as their efficacy and safety data whilst helping to identify appropriate patient profiles that might benefit from the new medicine. These discussions with key stakeholders should be conducted in a non-promotional, highly scientific and unbiased manner
• Combining professional qualifications with appropriate training will equip MSLs to convey medical and scientific principles accurately without bias and with transparency
• MSLs should have a strong understanding of the relevant industry codes including any country-specific and local policies relating to interactions with healthcare providers
• Companies should ensure the availability of internal training programs covering therapeutic and pipeline portfolios, healthcare system processes, reimbursement models, medical compliance and core skills (e.g. medical writing; critiquing scientific publications) to allow the MSLs to conduct their role effectively

What is Meant by Non-promotional Activities and Interactions?

Non-promotional activities and interactions are those that have no commercial- or sale-based objectives.

A key differentiator between MSLs and SRs, both customer-facing roles, is that MSLs are only permitted to interact with external experts in a non-promotional context. This means that MSL activities should not be driven by prescription or sales targets, which represent benchmark metrics for SRs, but rather by indicators that demonstrate the need for scientific engagement as well as dissemination of data. At times, these two functions have become blurred. MSLs should not be perceived as product advocates but rather as scientific experts in their therapeutic field. Indeed, MSLs are a valuable internal resource for scientific training of sales and marketing teams, but appropriate steps need to be undertaken to ensure appropriate separation between commercial and Medical Affairs departments so as to avoid influence or the appearance of influence across the groups.

• MSLs need to maintain independence from sales and promotional-based activities
• MSLs are well positioned to gather insights from the field that can be used to help internal stakeholders to shape their strategies for improving patient outcomes
• MSLs and SRs typically only see healthcare professionals together for introductory visits. If during the meeting, conversations progress in a more commercial way, the MSL normally leaves the meeting. Conversely, if the conversation involves off-label discussions, it is appropriate for the sales colleague to leave the meeting
• Companies need to set clear guidance on the boundaries of commercial team participation in meetings with external experts, as well as their purpose at such meetings
• MSLs are permitted to share the list and schedule of opinion leader/external expert visits with commercial colleagues
• MSLs should not have sales targets as key performance indicators
• It is very strongly recommended that the MSL function reports into Medical Affairs to maintain their autonomy and demonstrate that theirs is primarily a non-promotional role and hence they may engage in appropriate, even off-label, scientific exchange
• MSLs should not engage in promotional messaging or participate in promotional discussions

What Are the Common Compliance Concerns and How to Avoid Them?

Unsolicited vs solicited requests and off-label discussions.

Overall, MSLs largely interact with medical and scientific experts, and HCPs in a planned manner within the framework of an ‘Expert Engagement Plan’. Whilst HCPs can prescribe drugs outside their intended use, it is illegal for any associate of the pharma industry to promote products for off-label use.

Examples of these proactive engagements include changes to the prescribing or product label; safety signals or concerns related to the therapeutic product; introductory meetings and insight gathering, as indicated earlier, in the form of advisory boards, working group meetings or roundtable discussions, as well as for non-product scientific education activities. Proactive engagements should never be for the purpose of providing off-label information.

MSLs may also respond to HCPs reactively. They respond to bona fide unsolicited requests for off-label information with a focused response that is objective, balanced, accurate and substantiated and supported by scientific evidence.

Joint Meetings with Sales Representatives

Joint visits with commercial colleagues are for the purposes of introductions. Commercial discussions and scientific exchange need to occur outside of joint interactions. The best practice would be to divide the meeting. This means the MSL and the SR should be visiting the HCP with different agendas and objectives.

• An external stakeholder can request off-label information either directly from the MSL or through the medical information process
• Such requests need to be documented in an appropriate way

The role of the MSL is pivotal to the communication, collaboration and exchange of scientific information with both internal and external stakeholders. MSLs represent the scientific face and force of the pharma industry, connecting companies with the medical community that include a range of stakeholders. Through the exchange of highly credible, unbiased, scientific and clinical information, MSLs can build and foster important scientific credibility with these external experts thus bringing relevant, timely and actionable insights to the company. They can also support clinicians by discussing the latest scientific breakthroughs. In order to build credibility with healthcare professionals, MSLs need to maintain independence from sales and promotional-based activities.

As illustrated in current times of social distancing and the disrupted access to face-to-face interactions with peers, digital channels have become critical tools to achieve and maintain engagement and relationships. This technological shift may mark a more permanent approach to how MSLs perform their role in the future, although it remains to be seen how much of the traditional ‘meeting-in-person’ will be replaced with virtual meetings, which is likely to vary between different companies. Regardless, the need for MSLs to be technologically savvy will become increasingly important to allow for versatility and to accommodate the preference of the experts following their own experience of communicating through digital platforms. The best practices outlined in this paper are embedded in principles that are applicable to both.

Acknowledgments

This position paper was developed with editorial assistance provided by Dr Beejal Vyas-Price (Scientific Director, Commune Digital) through joint funding from APPA and MAPS.

Abbreviations

Declarations

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Read This Before Your Next MSL Interview

William Soliman

Jun 30, 2020

6 minutes read

Surprised that people are still interviewing for Medical Science Liaison (MSL) positions in the midst of a global pandemic? There are still lots of positions out there and if you’re reading this article, you probably know how competitive it is to get that next MSL dream job.

I receive lots of messages daily on LinkedIn asking me for career advice in pharma so I thought I would share with you what we have seen actually works. I mean, literally works. Based on actual data from my company, the  Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA) , has collected from hiring managers and MSLs. So rather than waste time & money on MSL conferences, read this article (it’s free) where I share secrets that most insiders don’t want you to know…but then apply it to the actual interview  (otherwise it’s like planning to work out and then not actually exercising).  I promise it will increase your chances of landing you the role.

5 Concrete Things you Should Absolutely do before  Every MSL interview.

Ask this question when you start (but not in a confrontational way). “ I’m excited to be here. I’m curious what was it about my background that made you agree to bring me in for the interview?” Studies have shown that this question statistically significantly increases your chances of actually getting the job. I won’t get into the psychology behind it. If you really want to know, private message me and I can share the study.

Practice the “ Tell me about yourself”  response out loud several times. This is probably the most important question for  2 reasons . One, it’s your first impression. Two, we know from data that people tend to make judgements about you in the first  7 seconds . This question is NOT intended for you to share your work history. It’s your chance to sell them on why they should pick  YOU.

Research the company . Yeah, I know that you’re probably thinking, ‘duh’ of course. But I’m not talking about going to the company’s website and looking at the mission & vision statement. I’m talking deep research. Here’s what we know works. Again, based on data. Once you’re at the company’s site, click on the ‘investors tab.’ Usually, the company will have press releases and investor webcasts posted on their site; usually for equity research analysts, investors, etc.. Click on the webcasts and listen to them. Listen to what leadership focuses on, how they pronounce the drug’s name (yes I’m serious) and pay attention to what questions are asked of them at the end. Chances are that you can steal those questions and use them yourself in your own interview. Next, look at the company’s pipeline, of course, then google publications associated with that drug. Once you’ve done that, look up the authors from those publications. Those will most likely be the key opinion leaders (KOLs) (Nowadays, pharma calls them External Experts (EEs) or Key thought Leaders (KTLs). Find them online, usually on YouTube or they may have authored guidelines for that particular therapeutic area. Read those guidelines, listen to what they have to say. Now you’ll know the issues for that product, the disease state better, and you’ll know who the KOLs are and you can then name drop during the interview. Hiring managers like that.

Presentations.  I would say 99% of MSL interviews require you to present (typically using ppt). You’ll either be asked to present a topic of your choice or you’ll be given a clinical paper they’ve published recently about the product and be asked to present it to the interviewers (usually in a group setting). If you did what I said in #3, you’ll be in great shape. Your ppt needs to be polished so look at how KOLs present. If you’re going to do it, go big or go home right? Use their style, template and sometimes you may get lucky and can even download the ppt itself and tweak it. Just be sure to practice out loud. You will be sure to wow them. Trust me it works. I’ve been told half a dozen times after I’ve presented that, “ I was probably the most effective presenter they’ve seen interview. ” Not bragging- just sharing it because I want people to say the same about you.

Money. Don’t bring up money unless you’re asked. Don’t bring up vacations unless you’re asked. Don’t bring up work-life balance. Just keeping it real here. Hiring managers don’t want people that are overly concerned with vacations and work-life balance. They want motivated, hard workers, who are hungry to help the team succeed. It’s that simple.

If you’ve read this and are wondering how to even get the interview, then you’ll want to consider becoming a Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist. Ninety percent of physician thought leaders prefer a BCMAS candidate when looking to fill open roles. To check out the type of course work that you’ll need for this certification,  sign up for a free demonstration course here.

There you have it. No need to buy books about breaking into the MSL role or attend MSL conferences. What about networking you ask? Stay tuned for my next article(s).

About William Soliman, Ph.D., BCMAS

Dr. Soliman is considered a pharma futurist. He is regularly featured on Fox Business News, Al Jazeera, Forbes, and other media outlets on topics & issues related to the pharma/biotech industry. Dr. Soliman has 20+ years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and is currently the Chairman, CEO of the ACMA.

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How can we improve the efficiency of the Medical Science Liaison function?

In the last few years, MSLs (Medical Science Liaison), the privileged medical and scientific contacts of healthcare professionals, have been influenced by a number of changes in the environment in which they operate: tighter regulatory constraints linked to interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals, a move towards more digital communication, new expectations on the role of doctors in an ecosystem where access to information is increasingly simple and rapid, and more. These recent changes have forced MSLs to adapt to new practices that have gradually shifted their tasks further away from their traditional core business. Today, this raises the question of the efficiency challenges associated with the evolution of this profession, to enable MSLs to continue to fulfill their fundamental role in providing medical information to healthcare professionals and improving patient care. In this article, Alcimed details these challenges and explores possible improvements to help meet them.

What are the challenges for Medical Science Liaison today?

Current developments in customer engagement models to maintain access to healthcare professionals (HCP), and regain impact, make the challenges of efficiency and transformation of the MSL business all the more critical:

The tightening of the regulatory framework

The tightening of the regulatory framework governing interactions with HCPs has led to a significant increase in MSLs’ administrative workload. Indeed, administrative tasks such as justifying the participation of HCPs in events (collection of Authorizations for Cumulative Activity, etc.) and monitoring the associated validation process are now partly carried out by MSLs. These actions, which have little added value for HCPs, are taking on an increasingly important role in the MSL’s day-to-day work, sometimes to the detriment of his or her core business: medical exchanges with HCPs.

Defining the roles and responsibilities of Medical Science Liaison and medical representatives

The current evolution of the medical delegates’ role towards a more partnership-based approach makes it more complex to define the respective roles and responsibilities of delegates and MSLs in certain areas of their work (e.g. improving care pathways , etc.). This transformation reinforces the need for laboratory field teams to coordinate their interactions with HCPs, so that they can provide them with maximum value.

Digital communication with healthcare professionals

The health crisis has also prompted MSLs to rethink the way they communicate with healthcare professionals, notably through videoconferencing and webinars. To ensure the continuity of interactions, MSLs have had to adapt quickly and rely on these new channels, without however having all the keys to integrate these new tools efficiently into their practices. In fact, this requires a prior understanding of how to bring value via digital interaction, and of how their organization can be adapted to meet the expectations and possibilities of HCPs (prerequisites, logistical organization, follow-up to be put in place, etc.).

Monitoring interactions with healthcare professionals

In a context of limited access to HCPs, tracking the history of interactions with each HCP is all the more crucial in order to provide even better responses to their needs.  It has therefore become essential for everyone who comes into contact with the HCPs, including the MSLs, to be able to relay information from their interactions to guarantee this follow-up. This is generally done via software tools, which must be systematically filled in after each interaction, representing an additional burden on top of the MSL’s usual tasks.

The posture to adopt as expert and partner

Finally, in a context where access to HCPs is increasingly restricted and competitive, engagement models are more focused on the value brought by laboratory teams to HCPs. These changes will strengthen MSL’s involvement as a key expert and partner for HCPs on medical and scientific topics in complex local projects, involving various HCPs and other internal stakeholders in a project mode.

Learn more about how our team can support you in your projects related to customer engagement   >

3 solutions to improve Medical Science Liaison efficiency

In order to adapt to these new challenges, 3 solutions can be envisaged:

Solution n°1: clarify governance and internal coordination processes

First and foremost, it is important to clarify everyone’s roles and responsibilities within pharmaceutical companies, by setting up new work processes between the various field teams, as well as between the field and head office. This can also involve working more closely with medical representatives, to clearly establish each person’s position.

Solution n°2: delegate and/or optimize the management of administrative tasks

Reducing the administrative workload of MSLs is also key to refocusing them on their core business: medical and scientific exchange with healthcare professionals. To achieve this, various solutions can be considered: delegating the workload internally or externally, introducing new tools or improving existing ones, but also optimizing internal processes. For example, it might be appropriate to delegate the recovery of authorizations to combine activities to other internal functions, to relieve the MSLs, or to develop/optimize tools to facilitate the feedback of information from the field.

Solution n°3: support the Medical Science Liaison in upgrading their skills

Finally, to equip MSLs for new challenges and changes, we need to develop their skills in the use of digital tools, as well as training them in new methodologies (project management, insight gathering and analysis, etc.) in line with their changing responsibilities and the expectations of HCPs.

With the changes in their environment, MSLs are no longer efficiently fulfilling their role as medical and scientific guarantors in the field for HCPs. It therefore seems necessary to initiate a process of reflection on the evolution of the MSL profession. To this end, it may be appropriate to draw inspiration from other players in order to devise new initiatives, optimize tools and also reflect on new processes, methods and ways of working, with the ultimate aim of enhancing the scientific expertise of MSLs and refocusing them on their core activity: disseminating medical and scientific information to HCPs. If you’d like to find out more, and discover how our team can support you in this process, please don’t hesitate to contact us .

About the authors, 

Coline, Consultant in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in France

Céline, Project Manager in Alcimed’s Healthcare team in France

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Medical Science Liaisons in Real-World Evidence Studies: Experience of AstraZeneca Russia

Affiliations.

• 1 1 Takeda Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Moscow, Russia.
• 2 2 AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LLC, Moscow, Russia.
• PMID: 29714612
• DOI: 10.1177/2168479017717571

There is no doubt that real-world evidence studies have the potential to improve and accelerate the development and delivery of safe and cost-effective innovative medicines to patients as well as influence the way we approach health and health care. Real-world evidence studies are a great challenge in terms of development and conduct, so there should be a good collaboration between the study team and clinical sites at all times, resulting eventually in timely and efficient enrollment. Engaging the sites and key external experts as early as possible during feasibility and routine visits, as well as highlighting the science rationale behind AstraZeneca's portfolio at investigator meetings and during medical science liaison (MSL) interactions, can create a positive impact on physician perception of a particular study and prioritization of patient recruitment in such studies. Therefore, we would like to underline the important role of MSLs in the risk-based monitoring setting of real-world evidence studies, with special attention to the studies with complicated patient profiles, tough timelines, and/or seasonal factors. This approach will be used further for other real world evidence projects of AstraZeneca Russia MC to ensure timelines and budget deliverables are met for the generation of high-quality evidence and eventually better health care for all of us.

Keywords: communication; enrollment rate; medical science liaison; non-interventional studies; real-world evidence.

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• Proposal of Standard for Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Profession in Japan: A Viewpoint from the Japanese Association of Pharmaceutical Medicine (JAPhMed). Tomiyasu M, Hayashi K, Moritsugu Y, Miyachi N, Iwamoto K, Nitta M, Mori M, Iwasaki K. Tomiyasu M, et al. Pharmaceut Med. 2020 Oct;34(5):315-326. doi: 10.1007/s40290-020-00355-8. Pharmaceut Med. 2020. PMID: 33030675
• Promoting Best Practices for Medical Science Liaisons Position Statement from the APPA, IFAPP, MAPS and MSLS. Theron P, Britland M, Holder D, Ikeda Y, Rewers RF, Tiku A. Theron P, et al. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2021 Nov;55(6):1139-1144. doi: 10.1007/s43441-021-00310-y. Epub 2021 Jul 8. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2021. PMID: 34236693 Free PMC article. Review.
• The global portfolio of new antimalarial medicines under development. Olliaro P, Wells TN. Olliaro P, et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Jun;85(6):584-95. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2009.51. Epub 2009 Apr 29. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2009. PMID: 19404247 Review.
• The Medical Science Liaison Role in Spain: Opinion of the Commercial Department Personnel. García García C, Riosalido Montero M, Sastre V, González Del Castillo A, Matesanz Marín A. García García C, et al. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2023 Sep;57(5):1030-1039. doi: 10.1007/s43441-023-00533-1. Epub 2023 Jun 7. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2023. PMID: 37286925 Free PMC article.
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• Medical Affairs in Pharmaceutical Companies and Related Pharmaceutical Regulations in Japan. Maeda H. Maeda H. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Aug 9;8:672095. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.672095. eCollection 2021. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021. PMID: 34434941 Free PMC article.
• The Medical Science Liaison Role in Spain: A Survey About the Opinion of HealthCare Professionals. González Del Castillo A, García C, Matesanz-Marín A, Gómez-Sánchez MJ, Sastre V. González Del Castillo A, et al. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2022 Jan;56(1):96-103. doi: 10.1007/s43441-021-00333-5. Epub 2021 Aug 20. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2022. PMID: 34417761 Free PMC article.
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Medical Science Liaisons in Real-World Evidence Studies: Experience of AstraZeneca Russia

• Global Perspectives: Original Research
• Published: 30 December 2018
• Volume 52 , pages 57–61, ( 2018 )

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• Nikolay Suvorov PhD, MD 1 ,
• Vera Karaseva PhD, MD 2 ,
• Ekaterina Stukalina PhD, MD 2 ,
• Elkhan Sanay PhD, MD 2 ,
• Vera Petrakovskaya PhD, MD 2 &
• Vladimir Bulatov PhD, MD 2  

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There is no doubt that real-world evidence studies have the potential to improve and accelerate the development and delivery of safe and cost-effective innovative medicines to patients as well as influence the way we approach health and health care. Real-world evidence studies are a great challenge in terms of development and conduct, so there should be a good collaboration between the study team and clinical sites at all times, resulting eventually in timely and efficient enrollment. Engaging the sites and key external experts as early as possible during feasibility and routine visits, as well as highlighting the science rationale behind AstraZeneca’s portfolio at investigator meetings and during medical science liaison (MSL) interactions, can create a positive impact on physician perception of a particular study and prioritization of patient recruitment in such studies. Therefore, we would like to underline the important role of MSLs in the risk-based monitoring setting of real-world evidence studies, with special attention to the studies with complicated patient profiles, tough timelines, and/or seasonal factors. This approach will be used further for other real world evidence projects of AstraZeneca Russia MC to ensure timelines and budget deliverables are met for the generation of high-quality evidence and eventually better health care for all of us.

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Suvorov, N., Karaseva, V., Stukalina, E. et al. Medical Science Liaisons in Real-World Evidence Studies: Experience of AstraZeneca Russia. Ther Innov Regul Sci 52 , 57–61 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1177/2168479017717571

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Received : 24 November 2016

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Published : 30 December 2018

Issue Date : January 2018

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1177/2168479017717571

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What’s a Medical Science Liaison and how do I become one?

By uczjsdd, on 12 November 2018

What are you up to now?

I’m a Medical Science Liaison at Incyte, so I build and maintain relationships with key healthcare professionals in my therapy area, which is oncology.

Walk us through your journey from PhD to your current role.

At first I loved my PhD. But after 18 months, I became disillusioned with the fact that you can be plugging away at things for a really long time and they can still not work. I also saw colleagues who were really good scientists getting knocked back for grants, and that seemed an incredibly hard path to follow without much gain. So I started to think academia wasn’t for me, but I had no idea what else was out there. I finished my PhD without a plan, and it was 2008 so the recession had hit. I decided to just try to get any job in any office, but I couldn’t get anything because there were no jobs going. It was quite a weird time for me.

I ended up getting a job temping in an office for an organisation called the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), who regulates certain healthcare professionals such as paramedics and physiotherapists. I started off answering phones, but because I got on well with them and they could see that I was ready for more, I secured a higher level permanent role in the Education team. I was visiting universities that offered relevant healthcare courses and ensuring they were good enough to produce a professional in that field.

After a year I wanted a new challenge, so I took a job at the charity Breast Cancer Now. The job required a PhD, as I was evaluating science to help inform everything the charity said and did, including commenting to the media, giving health information to the public, or putting together political campaigns. It was very varied, I did a lot of work with the media, I met patients, and I went to events at the House of Commons for policy work. But after a few years there I wanted to try a new environment, and I focused on pharma. I’d been working alongside the pharmaceutical industry for a while, and I’d always been interested in drug access. Plus, to be frank, I was at a stage where I was interested in earning a higher salary than charities can pay, so that was factor.

I was drawn to MSL roles as they would use my PhD, are very science-focused, and need someone personable who likes being out and about talking to doctors. So I applied for lots of MSL roles within Contract Research Organisations and Pharmaceutical companies, but I kept getting turned down because I didn’t have experience as an MSL or within pharma. In the meantime I went to a meeting with the ABPI, the body that represents the UK pharma industry. There I met a woman who worked at Lilly who was running a corporate affairs project in the cancer team, which seemed like much the kind of work I had been involved with at the charity – working with different groups involved in cancer-related policy. She mentioned there would be roles coming up in her team soon and asked for my CV, and they took me on as an Oncology Public Affairs Manager. I loved that job, I worked with different charities and the ABPI, with NHS England and the Department of Health, trying to find sustainable ways to fund cancer services and medicines. I’m pretty political anyway, so I really enjoyed the role, however, policy work can be frustrating, as ultimately the government doesn’t have to listen to the campaigning of charities and companies, and can make decisions based on other political factors.

After three years I felt it was time to have a different kind of conversation, so when my Medical Director offered me the opportunity to move into the MSL role at Lilly, I took it. The MSL role is far more about scientific conversations; talking about the data behind drugs, the benefit drugs provide versus the risks; talking about research that’s needed and how doctors and researchers can help with that, and how you can offer your drugs to fund their research projects. I did that role for about a year, at which point some restructuring changes at Lilly prompted me to find a new opportunity, and led me to my current MSL role at Incyte.

What does a normal working day look like for you?

One of the good things about the MSL role is there is no normal day. Today I’m in the office organising an Investigator Meeting for a clinical study Incyte are sponsoring.  We’re hoping to have 50 or 60 investigators there so together we can share and discuss data from our study so far. Yesterday I went to a one-day conference in central London about graft-versus-host disease. Last Wednesday I was visiting a hospital in Cardiff, talking to a team working on one of our clinical studies. Last Thursday I was at another study site in Cambridge. Next week I’m going to a large cancer conference in Munich, and in preparation I’m reaching out to investigators on our clinical studies to see if they’ll be there so we can catch up. Last week I organised for one of the doctors we work with to speak at a range of hospitals in Dublin, which benefits the hospitals to hear from an expert speaker, and benefits him and us in sourcing potential collaborators for his research. Tomorrow I have a meeting at another hospital to propose an add-on to a study an investigator is already doing. So there’s always different conversations you’re having. I also need to keep on top of the literature, and there is support for that internally.

What are the best bits?

For me it’s that I’m always on the go, often out and about chatting to people. And because Incyte is a small company I get lots of opportunities to travel, so I’m abroad at least once a month. That wouldn’t necessarily happen in a large company as they have more employees doing similar jobs. I’m also constantly learning, and I’m doing a job that helps cancer patients get access to medicines.

What are the downsides?

The amount of travel would put some people off, although I personally enjoy it. Another difficult aspect is doctors are very busy people, and sometimes we need data and updates but we can’t get in touch with them. It’s not nice to feel you’re bothering people who are doing such an important job, and sometimes no matter how much you chase you just can’t get what you need, and that’s tough. There is also a lot of compliance in pharmaceutical companies, as we’re a heavily regulated industry. That’s obviously for a good reason, but it can take a while to get used to, especially if someone comes in straight from academia.

Is a PhD Essential for your role?

It depends on the company, but you usually either need a PhD or to be a doctor or nurse, because you’re talking about science at a high level with key consultants, often leaders in their fields. In terms of skills, the PhD teaches you how to manage projects, understand data, and critique studies, which are all skills I use as an MSL.

What’s the progression like?

I’m not a very good person to ask, because I’ve never planned far ahead, but rather taken opportunities as they come! But in general, some people love the role of MSL and will stay with it. Or, depending on how the particular company is structured, someone could become a Senior Medical Science Liaison, and even a Medical Director. Or people might choose to move around. One of the good things about the pharmaceutical industry is once you’re in, they provide opportunities for trying different roles, and my movement from corporate affairs to the medical team is an example of that. For me, long-term I think I’d like to try something a little more strategic, something where I may be on the road a little less eventually.

What tips would you give to researchers who want to become MSLs?

If you’re sure an MSL role is for you, then probably relax out of that! The way I got into this, along with every other MSL I’ve met (bearing in mind they’re all in the oncology therapy area), is by transitioning from a different role within pharma. Most companies want to know their MSLs understand their company and the pharma industry. Now I’m an MSL with experience, I get emails about new MSL roles almost every day – so there are a lot out there, but you just need your break to get in. If you’re sure you’d like to be an MSL, obviously still try for the MSL role, but you might want to widen the net a bit too, and focus on getting into pharma first.

In terms of getting into pharma, I had a bit of luck, but I also put myself in positions where I could capitalise on that luck. For example, I went to a pharma networking event, and within my charity I was pushing for more pharma-related work. So I’d advise doing the same. There’s an MSL conference that a lot of aspiring MSLs attend, as getting to know current MSLs can be very helpful, so you might like to attend that. You should also recognise how important relationship-building qualities are to the role. If you can work in roles within academia, the NHS, or charities where you are building relationships with doctors, you can use that evidence to sell yourself for MSL roles.

Finally, if you’re a PhD or post-doc and you’re reading this because you’re considering MSL roles and your wider options, then rest assured you’re going to be ok! I left academia not knowing what I wanted to do, and without even knowing what an MSL was, so you’re doing the right things – well done!

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Tags: Careers case study , Health Sector , life science , life science careers , Medical Science Liaison , MSL , science careers

5 Responses to “What’s a Medical Science Liaison and how do I become one?”

Hi there, Loved reading this. Very inspirational. Thank you.

I really like your blog presentation. It is informative too, at the same time.Thanks for nice information. Cancer Market

it is very informative and inspirational for the beginners.

Thank you so much for providing insight into a role I’ve always wanted but didn’t know was out there for me.

I just stumbled upon this and it was very informative. I enjoyed reading it, thank you.

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Medical science liaison guidelines.

Pharmaceutical and life science companies have always carefully strategized how to disseminate high-level information to industry stakeholders. Now, there’s a growing demand for professional communicators who can convey complex scientific topics in a manner both engaging and digestible.

Relaying details about an ever-changing biopharmaceutical product portfolio isn’t a straightforward task. It can’t be done by just anyone. Instead, it takes a particular type of professional to successfully bridge the scientific and medical communication gap.

Enter the medical science liaison – therapeutic specialists and expert communicators who play an increasingly integral role on any medical affairs team.

But this is a relatively obscure yet distinguished professional path. For that reason, we’ve compiled guidelines that cover the roles, responsibilities, and best practices for would-be medical science liaisons.

What is a medical science liaison?

So, what is a medical science liaison ? The role of a medical science liaison (MSL), sometimes referred to as a field medical director, was first envisioned and then trademarked by Upjohn Pharmaceuticals as: “Educational services – namely, initiation of drug studies in the laboratory and clinical settings and development of workshop symposia and seminars for physicians, medical societies, specialty organizations, academicians, in concert, concerned with drug-related medical topics.”

In other words, MSL professionals were scientifically trained field staff with the requisite knowledge and proven ability to engage and build relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs). Over the years, the role has evolved, becoming increasingly more pivotal to an organization’s ability to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

According to Dr. Samuel Dyer, CEO of the Medical Science Liaison Society, the medical science liaison role is the best-kept secret in the life sciences industry. It’s not just the impressive average salary – just north of $160,000; they also get to be on the cutting edge of scientific innovation. And, best of all, MSLs can see the direct impact those medical advancements have on patient care. Per Dr. Dyer:

“MSLs are instrumental in the overall success of an organization and serve as a strategic resource in the lifecycle of a product. Medical Science Liaisons cultivate and maintain relationships with physicians, also known as Key Opinion, at clinics and research institutions.”

While the importance of MSLs is increasing, the community remains relatively small, particularly compared to other professions within the pharmaceutical and life science sector. As a result, there’s a significant opportunity for the right type of person.

What does the MSL role entail?

An MSL typically reports to the medical affairs department within a pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, or medical diagnostic company.

At their essence, MSLs are gifted communicators and relationship cultivators. They maintain peer-to-peer relationships with top KOLs at major clinics and academic institutions. But the role goes far beyond that of an intermediary. According to the Medical Science Liaison Society, typical responsibilities include :

Engaging external stakeholders – While the methods of engagement depend on the specific MSL role, common activities include:

• Creating KOL engagement plans
• Collating data and actionable insights
• Identifying clinical investigators
• Relaying medical/scientific information
• Introducing internal and external stakeholders
• Attending medical conferences or medical congress
• Supporting external stakeholder research activities
• Replying to medical information requests

Collaborating with internal stakeholders – MSLs aid internal stakeholders with three essential tasks:

• Providing training
• Supporting clinical research teams
• Acting as subject matter expert (SME) for internal cross-functional teams

Maintaining MSL expertise – Seeing as the scientific and medical fields are constantly in flux, MSLs must stay up-to-date with the most recent discoveries, updates, and pharmacoeconomics; otherwise, they run the risk of becoming obsolete.

While these general responsibilities are universal, the specific activities for a given MSL position depend on several factors, including the type of pharmaceutical company, its location and therapeutic focus, and the specific phase of the product’s life cycle. That said, common MSL activities include:

• Attending medical conferences
• KOL relationship management
• KOL and healthcare professional education
• Providing scientific presentations
• Gathering data and insights
• Training and supporting sales forces
• Supporting advisory boards
• Developing tools
• Reviewing medical materials
• Coordinating company-sponsored research and/or trials

Who are medical science liaisons?

Not just anyone can become a medical science liaison and it’s important to note the medical science liaison challenges that come with the territory.

You must have the requisite skills, education, and advanced scientific training to join this illustrious field of medical professionals. As a result, a doctorate degree is the educational gold standard across the industry. The vast majority of MSLs boast either a Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD), a PhD, or a Master’s degree.

According to a 2020 MSL survey, 62% of MSL professionals are women and 38% men. Within the biopharma field, medical science liaisons typically concentrate on a specific therapeutic area, product, or diagnostic. Currently, the top seven therapeutic areas these professionals support in the U.S. are:

• Oncology – 31%
• Neurology/CNS/Neuroscience – 17%
• Rare diseases/orphan diseases – 11%
• Hematology – 10%
• Immunology – 9%
• Cardiovascular/thrombosis – 8%
• Diabetes/metabolic disorders – 6%

Guidelines for MSLs

In 2018, the Medical Science Liaison Society (MSLS) created the first set of medical science liaison guidelines for professionals within the field . While it covers an array of subjects, there are a few takeaways worth emphasizing. Its primary focus is on the proper and ethical way to engage KOLs:

1. Transparency and ethical communication matters

Medical science liaisons are not sales representatives.

Their primary role is to foster ethical, professional relationships with top KOLs with a professional mindset that prioritizes honesty, transparency, and integrity. They’re expected to facilitate up-to-date, accurate, and unbiased scientific information regarding a medical product or device and the therapeutic areas therein.

Because of this, anyone seeking to enter this field must have the requisite therapeutic, compliance, and core skills training. Additionally, they must be familiar with the company product and pipeline before ever facing externally. Best practices for the MSL onboarding period include training on relevant:

• Country medical laws and regulations
• Promotional codes
• Company standard operating procedures
• Coverage of healthcare systems and processes
• Proper etiquette (when working in operating theaters or clean rooms)

And because the medical field is constantly evolving, it’s crucial for MSLs to maintain MSL training and certified competency documentation.

2. Scientifically engage KOLs the right way Quite often, MSLs will be the first person KOLs reach out to for inquiries regarding a product or device. Throughout a drug’s or device’s lifecycle, the MSL acts as the point of contact and spearheads the pre-, mid-, and post-launch plans.

When it comes to mapping KOL outreach, MSLs should never participate in targeting activities with commercial objectives. Instead, their focus should be on communicating with medical professionals who are respected and considered thought leaders within their area of expertise.

Engagement may consist of several different stages, including:

Introductory meetings – MSLs should proactively conduct introductory meetings with KOLs as well as various other important healthcare professionals. During these initial interactions, there should be no inclusion of off-label scientific exchange or product promotions. Instead, it’s an opportunity to: Create an introduction and provide contact information Review their areas of expertise Discuss therapeutic responsibilities Determine the KOLs areas of professional and practice interest

Scientific exchange meetings – These types of meetings are meant to gather insights and conduct a scientific dialogue between MSLs and key stakeholders. One of the primary intentions of such meetings is to further improve the provision of medical care by KOLs.

Patient interaction – MSLs may also interact with patient advocacy groups to share relevant scientific information and gather relevant insights about the patients’ concerns and needs. Because modern patient consumers are increasingly turning to social media to obtain medical information, MSLs are encouraged to seek out and build connections with relevant medical influencers.

Medical information requests – If requested—whether by the HCP, the medical affairs department, or R&D—MSLs may provide information so long as it falls within the auspices of the approved label indication or off-label information. Once more, all scientific exchanges should be truthful, non-misleading, and provided with all relevant context.

3. Do not provide items of value When interacting with KOLs, medical science liaisons must be careful when it comes to gift-giving or activities that could be considered financially compromising. Per PhRMA Code, MSLs should not provide any item of value that could potentially interfere with a healthcare provider’s prescribing practices .

As PhRMA notes, this prohibition doesn’t just include obvious forms of direct compensation such as cash or cash equivalents:

“Providing items for healthcare professionals’ use that do not advance disease or treatment education — even if they are practice-related items of minimal value (such as pens, note pads, mugs, and similar “reminder” items with company or product logos) — may foster misperceptions that company interactions with healthcare professionals are not based on informing them about medical and scientific issues.”

One of the few exceptions to this rule is food (in some circumstances). If a presentation takes place during the HCP’s mealtime, MSLs may provide a modest meal as a business courtesy to a healthcare provider and their clinical staff who are also in attendance.

Empowering medical science liaisons

In a competitive marketplace that’s constantly in flux, medical science liaisons can help a medical affairs team cut through the noise to establish real and lasting connections between biopharma companies and HCPs.

And now, there are advanced tools like an insights management platform that can empower MSLs to foster dialog and professional relationships in entirely new ways. Specifically, to use asynchronous virtual engagement with rich capabilities that extend and enhance your relationships with KOLs, including:

• An invitation-only community environment
• Support for customer interactions
• The ability to conduct web conferences and webinars directly through the interface
• Support, coaching, templates, and tools
• Medical and legal compliance safeguards
• A holistic approach to insights gathering from expert selection to key takeaways

Interested in learning more about how you can empower your MSL leaders and medical affairs team? Request a demo and brief needs assessment with one of our experts.

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The Medical Science Liaison Presentation

• Tips & Tricks for Candidates
• January 4, 2022

Shine in Your Interview

During the face-to-face interview, a candidate for a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) position will be asked to give a presentation. The candidate may be asked to present material of their own, but most often, the candidate will be asked to give an MSL presentation based on a clinical paper provided by a hiring manager.

The MSL presentation serves multiple purposes:

• It allows the hiring manager and others in attendance to assess a candidate’s scientific knowledge. This includes evaluating a candidate’s ability to synthesize information and apply that information to the Company’s product(s).
• Beyond demonstrating what a candidate knows about the Company and its products, the presentation allows a candidate to demonstrate what he/she knows about a therapeutic area, a Company’s competitors, and the marketplace.
• The presentation also lets the audience know if a candidate is professional and relatable and how he/she performs under pressure, handles questions, and tends to their appearance.

The Company simulates a real-world experience, hence; the audience in a setting that is conducive to presenting material (e.g., conference room). If a candidate is free to present their own material, it’s recommended that the presentation is on a scientific/clinical topic that is relevant to the Company. If the candidate is given the topic and guidelines, it’s critical for the candidate to strictly adhere to what’s been provided.

Preparing for the MSL Presentation

• Periodically, a candidate is asked to give a presentation to one person (after the group presentation). This is to learn if you can handle impromptu requests.
• Practice, but do not memorize your slide deck. Be prepared to present your material out of sequence. Keep your presentation within the bounds given. Often, you’ll have 10 minutes to present and 5 minutes to answer questions.
• Have your presentation ready to digitally submit in a timely manner. The Company may ask for it before your arrival so they can set up the room. Make sure you’ve checked for spelling, grammar, typos, etc. before submitting the presentation. Have another person review your material before you hit “send.”
• Technology can fail. It’s advisable to print copies of your presentation. At a minimum, take 6 printed copies with you. If the audience is no more than 10, print 10 copies.
• You’ll want your presentation on your laptop and on a flash drive. Know how to hook up a projector. Additionally, take your own laser pointer.

Answering Questions During the MSL Presentation

• Members of the audience may interrupt you and ask questions during the presentation. Or someone may do something annoying like clicking their ballpoint pen. Remember, this is part of the “test.” Your audience wants to learn how you handle various situations.
• If you get a question for which you do not know the answer, it’s acceptable to say you do not have an answer, but that you will speak to the Medical Information Department or the Medical Director (others) to get the information. Promise delivery of the information within 24-48 hours. This will inform the inquisitor that you know how to navigate the Company to find answers.
• You may be asked a question in multiple ways. Be prepared to answer calmly. This process is often used to learn if you get frustrated.
• It’s okay for you ask questions of audience members.

Rocking the MSL Presentation

• Introduce yourself. Warm-up and engage the audience with a story that you can connect to the presentation material. If you know who is in the room, the introduction is a good time to acknowledge your audience (e.g., “It’s good to have legal, medical, and administration representatives in the audience today.”).
• Step your audience into each section of your presentation, for example: “For the next 5 minutes we will review…”
• Look at the audience, not at the screen. Have a few notecards, if you need prompts.
• Be humble, confident, and poised. This presentation can make or break you. This is not the time to be an egomaniac.
• Present facts, not conjecture. Your presentation must be evidence-based and fair and balanced. When you can relate information to safety and efficacy, do so.
• Engage your audience as much as possible. Figure out where you can have 2-3 interactions with the audience. It’s good to create a conversation.

Evaluating the MSL Presentation

Take some time after every presentation to review what you believe went well and what could be improved. If possible, ask the hiring manager/audience for their feedback. Also, let the recruiter you are working with know how the presentation went. The recruiter may have feedback from the hiring manager to provide you.

Good luck with your presentations. Remember practice makes perfect. Hopefully, these insights will help you knock the ball out of the park!

If you liked this article, you might also want to read Top 10 Job Search Tips for Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) .

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Medical Science Liasions (MSLs) .

Expertise and insights to deliver the right information to the right people at the right time to optimize patient care .

Increase awareness and KOL engagement through expert scientific dialogue .

Fostering trusted relationships through accelerated and tailored MSL solutions designed to convey timely scientific information and gather meaningful insights.

The world of field medical teams is changing. We are meeting the challenge and leading the way with the quality MSLs – field, virtual and hybrid – and MSL management necessary to engage and establish relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) throughout the globe.

Our goal is to shape an informed perspective on your company, product value and clinical science so you can focus on your strategic growth objectives.

Our expertise

Empowering scientific exchange with scalability, speed, and expert project management ., scale, speed & expertise, 360° project & performance management, enabling impactful scientific exchange.

Our MSLs are performance-driven and dedicated to providing clients with the expertise, tailored solutions, and quality insights they need to engage stakeholders globally.

Using our expertise in design and methodology, we have developed and deployed programs, small and large, that include strategy, KOL identification, MSL training, field execution, and data analytics across a wide range of therapeutic areas and geographies.

Our commitment to quality and compliance is executed via our technology-enabled infrastructure, systematic and rigorous approach to recruitment, training, performance management, and professional development leading to the demonstrated value of the MSL teams .  

We are a collaborative partner in engaging the scientific and medical communities to achieve your business objectives.

We enable quality interactions, build essential relationships, and provide actionable scientific insights to help improve patient care.

Trusted global partner & MSL service provider .

We recruit, train, and retain the talent you need, when you need it.

Our promise:

We have the therapeutic expertise , with more than 90% of our 120+ global MSLs holding an advanced scientific, or terminal degree.

We understand the soft skills needed to assist in communicating complex medical data in a conversational and engaging manner both in-person and virtually.

We have the global footprint with local expertise in 20+ MSL teams .

Extensive experience in all major therapeutic areas and clinical trial support.

Our MSL expertise .

Clinical trial medical science liaisons, emerging biopharma medical science liaisons, supplementary medical science liaisons, meet our field medical leadership team ., tiffanie stewart, phd, msl field director.

Tiffanie, with nearly 12 years in clinical research and medical affairs, excels in simplifying complex healthcare issues with data-driven solutions. Her expertise spans various therapeutic areas and industries, including FDA-regulated drugs and laboratory-developed tests. Leading MSL and Medical Affairs teams, she pioneers innovative solutions for enhanced MSL excellence at Inizio Engage, based in New Jersey.

Jeffery Vaughan, PharmD, Vice President, Global Medical Science Liaisons

Jeff, a seasoned professional with 17+ years in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, leads Medical Affairs at Inizio Engage, focusing on Medical Science Liaisons. With over 15 years in field and director-level MSL roles, he supports initiatives in Immunology, Infectious Disease, Vaccines, and more. Jeff’s expertise has led to authoring articles and podcasts, solidifying his status as an influential thought leader in the industry.

Amy Van Sant, Global President, Medical Affairs

With over 20 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, Amy has held various roles of increasing responsibility within the areas of Medical Affairs and Regulatory / Healthcare Compliance.

As the head of Medical Affairs, she is responsible for developing, communicating and driving organizational strategy and leading the organization to success, with a prioritized focus on driving the strategy, design and execution of Medical Information and Medical Science Liaison programs.

Michele Reed, Vice President, Client Solutions, Medical Affairs

With 17 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, Michele has held various roles in strategic consulting and program development in both the commercial and medical sectors for pharmaceutical and biotech clients.

A Pharmacist by training, she currently is responsible for Client Solutions for Inizio Engage’s Medical Affairs organization, encompassing Medical Information and Medical Science Liaison services. Michele also has experience in market access and community pharmacy as well as digital health product development.

MSL Resources .

Thought leadership and insights on MSL.

Case study | Optimizing MSL Impact in Clinical Trials

Supporting Phase III clinical trials and engaging primary investigators for improved patient enrollment metrics.

MSL Services Brochure

Learn more about our capabilities, our approach to building MSL programs, and how our quality team of MSLs shape informed perspectives on your brand by downloading our MSL brochure.

MSL Talk Podcast

Jeff Vaughan joined Tom Caravela in episode 175 of MSL Talk, ‘Rethinking for Success: Top 10 Lessons for Embracing the MSL mindset through insights from Adam Grant’s “Think Again”’. 

Listen to Jeff below

Inizio Engage MSL Corner Podcast

Join us for the latest episode of our podcast, MSL Corner. We sit down with host Jeffery Vaughan, Inizio Engage’s Global Vice President of Medical Affairs, and his guest Joseph Mejia, an experienced MSL who transitioned from being a frontline clinician. Mejia shares his unique career journey from healthcare provider to MSL and the attributes needed to thrive in this scientific field role.

In this insightful discussion, Vaughan and Mejia explore how Mejia has successfully leveraged his clinical expertise to support a client’s global clinical trial strategy and site engagements. Tapping firsthand into Mejia’s recent work assisting early development across the world, they shed light on:

• Making the shift from physician to MSL
• Key skills MSLs need to master to drive impact
• Applying clinical insights to advance pharma trial outcomes
• Details of Mejia’s hands-on global trial support and site partnership

Tune into this episode of MSL Corner to hear Mejia’s real-world perspective on transitioning to an MSL career and learn how he strategically mobilizes his medical background to enable client trial success worldwide.

MSL Spotlight Series

Meet laura feldsteen, md, msl spotlight series: meet laura feldsteen, md.

Meet Dr. Laura Feldsteen, a seasoned Medical Science Liaison with over 11 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) FAQs

Explore common questions and answers about building and managing high-performing Medical Science Liaison teams. Drawing from our extensive decade-long expertise, we’ve curated this comprehensive FAQ guide to offer practical insights into MSL strategy, covering everything from deployment strategies to performance evaluation techniques.

Explore now for valuable insights or reach out to us for personalized assistance.

When should you consider deploying an MSL team? .st0{fill:#fff}

MSLs play a critical role in building momentum in the medical community by fostering in-depth scientific conversations with experts in a therapeutic space. Because of the non-promotional nature of their role, MSLs may uncover insights to drive strategy prior to product market approval. According to the MAPS Launch Excellence Masterclass, the ideal timeline to deploy an MSL team is 18-24 months before product launch. Creating a sound Medical Affairs strategy will help inform the timing of field MSL deployment.

What is the average length of a contract? .st0{fill:#fff}

At Inizio Engage, we work with clients to develop contracts to suit their needs. As a starting point, the typical contract for MSL services with Inizio Engage is between 12 to 24 months, with the option to extend. Because each Inizio Engage MSL is dedicated to a client program, we curate high-quality talent to deliver meaningful interactions. Please click here to request more information.

What is the typical turnaround time for recruiting (screening to onboarding)? .st0{fill:#fff}

Rapid recruitment and deployment of MSL teams is our forte. From program design to recruitment and onboarding, an effective implementation plan takes 2 or more months to complete, depending on the size and specialty of the MSL team. Once an agreement is signed, our team rapidly recruits MSLs using multiple validated databases and AI technology to meet specific role criteria. During onboarding, MSLs will receive Inizio corporate and compliance training, and our 3-day intensive MSL core skills training, before moving to our clients’ training curriculum.

Does Inizio Engage offer in-house MSL training? .st0{fill:#fff}

Yes, we have created a 3-day core MSL professional development training program to enhance MSL core skills. Once completed, an MSL will be certified by Inizio Engage. We’ve also partnered with the Inizio Engage Learning and Development team to offer continuing education tracks for MSLs, including ongoing coaching.

What kind of coaching support do MSLs receive? .st0{fill:#fff}

We work directly with each client to outline program-specific KPIs and as well as goals and objectives to drive performance. Our Inizio Engage management team provides one-on-one mentoring for each MSL to drive ongoing professional development and career goals. We focus on leadership skills, MSL expertise, and understanding cross-functional teams.

How is MSL performance evaluated? .st0{fill:#fff}

We follow a 360° performance management approach combined with collaborative feedback and monitoring, supporting both impact for you and employment satisfaction for the MSL. Each MSL will have an opportunity to self-evaluate at the mid-point and year-end marks of a typical full year program, and receive formal feedback from our Inizio Engage management team.

What are the benefits and considerations of contracting MSL teams? .st0{fill:#fff}

• Cost-savings through outsourcing MSL recruitment: Streamline the process and free up client resources.
• Efficient Team Deployment: Inizio Engage’s recruitment engine swiftly sources highly qualified candidates tailored to the client’s requirements, accelerating MSL team building compared to in-house recruitment.
• Employee Development: We invest in our team’s growth through tailored training programs that promote professional development and well-being, fostering engaged and skilled MSL professionals.
• Tailored MSL Teams: We construct client-specific MSL teams based on job descriptions, with a full client dedication. Inizio manages administrative responsibilities such as payroll, benefits, and performance management.
• Team Integration: Inizio Engage promotes a unified and collaborative environment, encouraging clients to enhance team cohesion with their existing staff. We facilitate long-term strategy transparency to overcome “integration bias” and foster a cohesive and productive team approach, bridging the gap with key internal stakeholders.
• Career Advancement: MSLs seek advancement opportunities based on experience. Our employees have often pursued lateral transfers to roles like commercial, medical information, or patient solutions for career development. Advancement to more senior positions from MSL roles is typically subject to prior agreement.
• Potential for Long-Term Opportunities: Typically, contracts extend to 12 or more months in length, which enables our MSLs time for program and professional development.

How does Inizio Engage recruit quality MSLs with relevant experience? .st0{fill:#fff}

We excel in recruiting top talent for MSL roles. We prioritize Talent Acquisition over traditional staffing methods, focusing on continuous sourcing and strategic recruitment rather than simply filling positions. Using a real-time recruitment model and advanced technology like AI and Symantec search, we maintain a fresh pool of highly qualified candidates across various markets. Our approach emphasizes diversity and inclusion, with our team trained in DEI and bias awareness. We attract top candidates through targeted profiles, extensive networks, and tailored branding campaigns.

What should I expect when partnering with Inizio Engage? .st0{fill:#fff}

Typically, we set up an introductory meeting to share an overview of our capabilities, uncover your business needs, and agree on next steps with an agreement. Depending upon the project parameters, we would begin design work related to the program to better understand the profile, timelines, technology alignment and key objectives. From there, the recruitment and onboarding process begins.

What are some best practices to ensure a successful client-provider relationship? .st0{fill:#fff}

As the client, you are vital in building a successful partnership from the beginning. Clients partner with us for many reasons, particularly transparency and open communication with our teams to ensure client satisfaction and MSL job satisfaction.

Are our MSLs shared amongst other projects? .st0{fill:#fff}

No, each of our MSL programs are bespoke to client needs and objectives. As such, our MSLs are fully dedicated to your program.

Connect with an expert .

Learn more about Inizio Engage’s strategic engagement solutions and how we can help your business maximize opportunities, jump over hurdles, and assess progress on an ongoing basis.

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Understanding Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Liaisons

Research organizations utilize a variety of medical professionals to conduct successful clinical trials. Two of those positions are a medical science liaison (MSL) and a clinical liaison. Both play a crucial role in keeping research organizations running smoothly, while taking on separate roles and responsibilities.

MSL Responsibilities

According to the Medical Liaison Science Society, a medical science liaison is a healthcare consulting professional within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, contract research organization (CRO), and other healthcare industries.

The main purpose of their role is to establish and maintain a peer-to-peer relationship with leading physicians at academic medical centers (AMCs) and clinics. With a more outwardly focused role, MSLs typically deal with products utilized by physicians already on the market. The MSL will take the information the organization learned during the clinical development process and will share it with the physicians. This establishes the relationship and gives physicians an understanding of how this new product benefits their patients. They can also get the opinion of those physicians on the product, and take those ideas back to the clinical development organization to further improve their invention.

MSLs also work very closely with sales teams; since they are the ones promoting the new product to potential buyers, the MSL has to train and educate the sales team on the product’s functions and the benefits they can bring to patients. A MSL typically works with physicians on a more clinical academic level, while the salesperson deals with the day-to-day sales processes. They also help oversee clinical trials that showcase how the product works as safely and effectively as it was shown to work in the original trials.

Clinical Liaison Responsibilities

A clinical liaison is another great asset to a medical facility or healthcare organization. They handle a variety of tasks related to communications and general growth, and provide a range of services, from technical handling of new patient processes to more general community outreach. Clinical liaisons are typically registered nurses or licensed practice nurses with strong clinical experiences. They serve as an advocate for patients during the pre-admissions process, continuing until the patient is discharged from the facility. A clinical liaison is responsible for maintaining communication between the healthcare provider and the patient, as well as ensuring the patient understands and consents to the procedures conducted. They have a significant role in evaluating patients by conducting a thorough review of the patient’s medical records, medications, treatment plans, and insurance availability. The main goal of a clinical liaison is to ensure the patients understand procedures, the paperwork, and the entire clinical research process

Teaming Up to Deliver High-Quality Clinical Trials

Both medical science and clinical liaisons are important members of a clinical research organization. While they serve different roles, their primary focus is to provide patients with the most reliable and high-quality clinical trial experiences possible.

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How to become a medical science liaison.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 4/25/24

Are you thinking about becoming a medical science liaison? This guide covers how to become a medical science liaison, medical science liaison salary, and everything else you need to know about this career. 

The medical science liaison is a specialized role within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. The role was first created in 1967 by Upjohn Pharmaceuticals to have scientifically-trained employees create relationships with decision-makers in the medical community. 

Medical science liaisons are also known by other names such as medical liaisons, medical managers, and clinical liaisons. In fact, the title medical science liaison was first used in 1967, and these other names are more recent titles for this profession. 

However, in a recent survey conducted by the Medical Science Liaison Society, the top three most used titles for this career in the U.S . are medical science liaison, field medical director, and regional medical liaison.

Despite the many titles this profession goes by, it's important to note that medical science liaisons play a critical role in the medical community. If you want to know what a medical science liaison is, how to become one, their salary potential, and why they're essential for the medical community, keep reading!

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What Is a Medical Science Liaison?

Medical science liaisons are science professionals who provide the medical community, investors, and government agencies with information about their employer’s products. Their employer's products often include medical devices, drugs, and treatments. 

Typically, medical science liaisons are employed by medical device companies, biotechnology firms, and pharmaceutical companies . However, they can also be employed by consumer product manufacturers like cosmetic companies. 

In the past, medical science liaisons were selected from experienced sales reps with solid scientific backgrounds; however, in today's world, medical science liaisons have specific training and education requirements.

What Does a Medical Science Liaison Do?

A medical science liaison establishes and maintains relationships between pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies and decision-makers. Because the job involves a lot of technical work, here is a general overview of what the career entails:

• Attending medical conferences
• Delivering scientific presentations
• Designing and conducting scientific studies 
• Gathering and analyzing data from scientific studies
• Creating and testing medical devices
• Writing grant proposals
• Applying to private companies and government agencies for funding
• Collaborating with physicians and members of health departments to create programs to improve the health of the population

The variety of tasks that medical science liaisons complete depends on the day. For instance, one day, a medical science liaison may travel for a conference, and the next day they might need to conduct a study to investigate medical conditions and different methods to prevent them. 

In terms of their work environment, medical science liaisons may partake in extensive travel if they’re assigned to work in a geographic area. Because of this reason, medical science liaisons may or may not be based in their employer’s physical office. 

They spend a lot of their time in an office setting, conducting meetings to deliver complex information to people in the medical community.

Steps to Becoming a Medical Science Liaison

Below are the steps to take to become a medical science liaison. 

1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

Obtaining a bachelor's degree necessary to become a medical science liaison. The reason for this is that the majority of medical science liaisons have a graduate degree as well. 

We highly recommend that you major in science when obtaining your bachelor's degree. It would prepare you for what's to come in the medical science liaison field. 

2. Decide on Your Area of Expertise 

Before pursuing an advanced degree, you must choose your area of expertise. Choosing whether you want to venture out and get a Ph.D. in pharmacological studies or earn a medical degree is ultimately yours. 

Ensure that the area you specialize in is something you're interested in because it will be the degree you use to apply for medical science liaison jobs. 

3. Acquire an Advanced Degree

Although it's possible to have a career as a medical liaison with only a Master's degree, it is improbable. Over time, the medical science liaison career has been highly competitive, with a majority of people in the field holding either a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.), medical doctorate (M.D) , or doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) . 

Also, some medical science liaisons are registered nurses or have a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). This is also an advanced degree path you can pursue. However, remember that most medical science liaison roles ask for a Ph.D., M.D., or PharmD. 

4. Complete a Training Program and Gain Experience

This step is optional; however, highly recommended. A great way to gain experience in the field is to enroll in an internship/training program. These training programs would typically be in collaboration with a biotechnology firm or pharmaceutical company. 

Participating in these training programs will help you gain the experience you need in the field, choose your expertise, and develop the skills you need for this field. 

You can develop your skills in a training program by participating in different career-related tasks. For example, you might be tasked to give a presentation at a conference, which would help develop your communication skills. 

Another example would be following the clinical trials of a new medication and being able to relay that information to government officials or anyone else in the medical community; this would help you develop your analytical skills. 

Many organizations offer training programs to future medical science liaisons, which can be very beneficial. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies also offer extensive training programs to their newly-hired medical science liaisons.

Medical Science Liaison Salary & Career Outlook

The average medical science liaison salary is $157,822 yearly . Below is a chart of the monthly, weekly, and hourly wages of various earners in this field.

Regarding the job outlook, the medical science liaison career is expected to grow as the demand for new therapeutic solutions increases. As long as pharmaceutical and medical device companies continue to produce products necessary to medical practice, there will always be a demand for medical science liaisons.

How to Become a Medical Science Liaison: FAQs

If you still have questions about how to become a medical science liaison after reading this guide, check out these frequently asked questions. 

1. Are Medical Science Liaisons Well Paid?

Yes, medical science liaisons are well-paid. The average salary for a medical science liaison is $157,822 per year. Also, those in the 25th percentile earn $125,000 annually, which is an excellent wage. 

2. Can You Be an MSL with a Master’s Degree?

Yes, it is possible to become a medical science liaison with a Master’s degree; however, it's challenging. Over the years, the medical science liaison profession has become highly competitive, and many jobs ask for a Ph.D. or an M.D. 

3. What Skills Do You Need to Be an MSL?

Here are the following skills you need to be a medical science liaison:

• Communication skills
• Listening skills
• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Analytical skills
• Detail-oriented

These skills are needed to become a medical science liaison because the job requires a person to represent their employer while at the same time working with the medical community.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a career in the medical field, consider becoming a medical science liaison. This career has an excellent job outlook and potential salary earnings. 

However, If you're already considering a career as a medical science liaison, this guide will provide you the resources you need to take your first steps into the field. You can become a medical liaison with knowledge, hard work, and dedication.

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What are the benefits of becoming a medical science liaison?

Medical science liaisons (MSLs) bridge the gap between medical practitioners who treat patients first-hand and health organisations that are continuously introducing new devices, treatments, and therapies. These professionals provide knowledge to healthcare workers about innovations that would advance their work and patient care.

Like some medical sales jobs, this role requires MSLs to cultivate strong relationships with key opinion leaders so that they can be provided with the right clinical and technical information. This means that a lot of research is involved, too. A passion for the best patient outcomes is the driving force behind the position. While medical science liaison jobs come in many shapes and sizes, most of them feature the same benefits, and there are several reasons why many career-driven candidates become MSLs. Below, we discuss the key benefits:

Positively impacting patients’ lives

One of the key trait requirements of a medical science liaison or medical salesperson is having a strong passion for what they do, and why they do it. In this role, you get to positively impact patients’ lives and fulfil your passion by connecting the best medical solutions to the best medical professionals so that there are more successful patient outcomes. You’ll have a strong, positive impact on patients’ lives as you continue to research and educate the industry on medical innovations and breakthroughs.  

You get to offer a higher level of service

The healthcare industry has seen an impressive 300% increase in the number of medical science liaison roles over the past 10 years. This is partly because assistive technical advancements have created several new services and have also allowed MSLs to offer a higher level of service. Through diligent research, medical science liaison training, dedication, and solid relationships with key role players, you’ll be contributing to the strengths of the industry while upholding medical standards in your profession.

Flexibility

The post-pandemic world has seen an increase in flexible and adaptable roles in the healthcare industry. This allows medical science liaisons to better balance their careers and lifestyles. Some positions even allow you to determine your own hours and goals with incentives to drive you. Working as a medical science liaison also means you’ll be communicating with people at various levels and learning to adapt your communication and anticipate different customer needs.

Meeting industry leaders 

Look at most medical science liaison job descriptions and you'll notice it's a role that will allow you to meet some of the world’s best healthcare professionals and scientists. Many companies encourage their employees to build healthy relationships with key players in the industry. Sometimes, this may require you to travel to new places, meet new people, and learn about new medical and scientific advancements. So, if you have a social personality and are eager to associate with renowned experts in the field – then you’ll enjoy a role as an MSL. Together, you'll get to influence the future of medicine and take your medical science liaison to new heights .

Higher salary

A passion for healthcare and patient outcomes is key. However, professionals can also expect a competitive salary due to the overall importance of the role. MSL roles deal with the production of valuable products that will impact the health and well-being of millions. For this reason, you’ll get paid according to the value you bring to the industry. There’s no doubt that the time you spend studying and gathering experience for this role will open doors to several financial benefits.

Cultivate your medical science liaison career with IQVIA

IQVIA is dedicated to making a positive difference in the healthcare industry. We’ve built a diverse community of individuals from around the globe. We’re a full service provider of patient solutions and we offer outstanding capabilities to help our clients, using data and technology. If you would like to take the next step along your medical science liaison career path and play a significant role in improving healthcare globally, then we invite you to reach out to our team.

Browse our medical science liaison careers , or read our blog article on how to ace your MSL or medical sales interview by preparing for the right questions.

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Reading, London

Join Our New Medical Science Liaison Team at IQVIA – Focused on Multiple SclerosisAre you passionate about advancing scientific understanding and building meaningful relationships in the healthcare co

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) - Oncology (Ovarian Cancer) - Germany m/w/dIQVIA, a global leader in healthcare technology and clinical research, is seeking 5 experienced Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs)

Lead a New MSL Team at IQVIA – Shape the Future of Multiple Sclerosis TreatmentAre you an experienced Medical Science Liaison with a passion for leadership? IQVIA is building a new team of MSLs to sup

Join the New Medical Science Liaison Team – Focused on Multiple SclerosisAre you passionate about advancing scientific understanding and building meaningful relationships in the healthcare community?

Lead a New MSL Team – Shape the Future of Multiple Sclerosis TreatmentAre you an experienced Medical Science Liaison with a passion for leadership? We are supporting our partners in building a new tea

¡Únete a nosotros en nuestro emocionante trayecto! IQVIA ™ es The Human Data Science Company ™, enfocada en el uso de datos y ciencia para ayudar a los clientes de la salud a encontrar mejores solucio

Reading, Gloucestershire, West London, Manchester, Somerset

West London

Gloucestershire

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) - Oncology (Ovarian Cancer) - UK/Poland/HungaryIQVIA, a global leader in healthcare technology and clinical research, is seeking 5 experienced Medical Science Liaisons (M

Madrid, Sevilla

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) - Oncology (Ovarian Cancer) - SpainIQVIA, a global leader in healthcare technology and clinical research, is seeking 5 experienced Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) to join

A quick note to say thank you for your time this morning discussing my future career options. As you know I was feeling very conflicted about the right decision. Discussing the role with you gave me chance to clarify what is important to me.

Since joining IQVIA I have had unrivalled support and development from my manager to enable me to aspire to move into secondary care. I feel like my career is strongly supported by my manager in order to maximise my potential.

IQVIA has been behind my development to become a MSL. The contracts that I have worked on have allowed me to push clinical projects with a recent opportunity to manage a pilot scheme integrating e-detailing into an established field based team. The result was an increase in sales.

Just following on from the amazing news I got yesterday I wanted to say a really special thank you for all the help and support you have provided throughout the entire recruitment process.

Once again I cannot thank you enough for not only approaching me with this opportunity but also for all the support you’ve given me along the way!

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Medical Affairs is a fast-paced sector and the work is so varied that no two days will look the same.  Medical affairs professionals working in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device in

Medical Affairs is a fast-paced sector and the work is so varied that no two days will look the same.

At IQVIA, we recruit for various roles within the MedTech sphere and we’re always looking for professionals keen to move healthcare forward.  In this article, we’ll outline the market for MedTech so

We’ve outlined just some of the field-based roles IQVIA has to offer in MedTech.

Tracey Smith

• Medical devices

In IQVIA, we support customers in their mission to get drugs to patients. As such, we recognise the value of keeping track of the latest market trends, developments, and insights.  Modern healthcare

Oncology is just one example of a rapidly advancing field in 2024.

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Clinical pharmacology, a specialised branch of biomedical science, holds a pivotal role in developing vital drugs and ensuring their effective use in patients.  Clinical pharmacologists bridge the ga

Clinical pharmacology holds a pivotal role in developing vital drugs and ensuring their effective use in patients.

• Careers advice

Oncologists focus on diagnosing and treating cancer while overseeing treatment and managing post-treatment care. The oncology drugs market worldwide is expected to reach a market volume of $268bn by

When it comes to medical sales, we dive into how you can specialise in oncology.

Market access is all about preparing a drug for market entry, and as such it’s a vitally important part of the drug development process and wider pharmaceutical industry. While for pharmaceutical an

Market access is all about preparing a drug for market entry, and as such it’s a vitally important part of the drug development process and wider pharmaceutical industry.

Becoming a Medical Science Liaison is a popular career choice for many Doctoral-level candidates seeking a meaningful role within the pharmaceutical industry where they can communicate scientifically

We look at the possible medical science liaison career paths that could be available to you.

The clinical pharmacy industry is booming. Since the pandemic, the general public has become more aware of how pharmacists play a vital role in healthcare. Naturally, the market for these roles is al

IQVIA has compiled some top Clinical Pharmacist Interview Tips.

If you’ve been doing your research into your next clinical pharmacy-based career, you might find yourself thinking “What are the daily activities of a Clinical Pharmacist?”.  To answer that question

We caught up with Amir Khosravi-Nik, Senior Clinical Pharmacist at IQVIA.

• Careers progression

Kareem Mohamed joined IQVIA Interface in 2023 as a Clinical Pharmacist after having previously worked as a Primary Care Network (PCN) Pharmacist.  Our Clinical Pharmacists play a huge part in any h

Kareem Mohamed joined IQVIA Interface in 2023 as a Clinical Pharmacist.

World Well-being Week 2024 is just around the corner. As an organisation with a passion for building a healthier world, our mission is not just confined to healthcare and medical sales, it also exten

World Well-being Week 2024 is near, here are 5 ways you can celebrate.

• Communications

Whether you work remotely, with a hybrid model, or are a careerist who can’t help but mentally take your work home with you when you leave the office, it’s undeniable that the lines between work and

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