By Jane Chin, Ph.D. Medical science liaison programs are expanding in today’s biopharmaceutical industry. This overview examines key roles of a medical science liaison. Medical science liaisons are therapeutic specialists with advanced scientific training and degrees in life sciences (doctorates, advanced professional healthcare degrees, or masters in science).

Majority of medical science liaisons currently in industry are Doctors of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.D.), with a smaller percentage holding Medical Doctor (M.D.) degrees. In the past few years, the percentage of PhD and MD MSL candidates have increased, as funding shortage in research and economic pressures facing PhD scientists and physicians spurred these medical science professionals to consider field-medical science liaison careers.

While many pharmaceutical companies require advanced degrees, healthcare professionals without an advanced scientific degrees but have extensive industry experience in a given therapeutic area are often considered. Excellent scientific aptitude is critical to productive interactions between medical science liaisons and thought leaders who are research pioneers and authorities in a therapeutic field.

Medical science liaison programs have an integral place in the life-cycle development of a product within a therapeutic area. Medical science liaisons are critical in clinically-driven, optimal positioning of a company’s therapeutic capability in a given geography at a given product life cycle. Clinical support during the pre- and post-launch phases of a product is top priority of medical science liaisons and is achieved through sustained scientific exchange with thought leaders. The establishment of trust in a medical science liaison-thought leader relationship results from consistent demonstration of scientific expertise and satisfactory follow-through to requests from thought leaders. Continue Reading »