Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Medical Science Liaison
A Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a healthcare professional who serves as a bridge between a pharmaceutical company and the healthcare community. They establish and maintain relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and provide up-to-date information about a company's products to healthcare providers, such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Medical Science Liaisons.
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Main Responsibilities of Medical Science Liaison
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Medical Science Liaison:
Address
Address unsolicited requests for medical information from health care professionals.
Aid in
Aid in the development of strategic and tactical Medical Engagement Plans.
Aid MSLs in the assessment of KOL needs, priorities, expectations, and feedback.
Analyze
Analyze data to develop insights and contribute to publications as appropriate.
Arrange
Arrange or conduct educational programs.
Assess
Assess and propose education / learning programs that are aligned to the medical strategy.
Assist in
Assist in backfill recruiting, interview and selection of MSLs as needed.
Assist in the development of strategic KOL plans to provide needs-based, value-added services.
Assist with awareness of company-sponsored clinical trials and investigator-initiated trials.
Assist with the development and review of scientific marketing presentation materials.
Attend
Attend internal meetings and provide medical insights and perspectives.
Attend and follow up on scientific congresses, symposia, or other events.
Collaborate with
Collaborate to provide field based scientific expertise for key accounts, as required.
Collaborate with FBM Operations, as appropriate.
Collaborate with field based Commercial personnel, as appropriate and in a compliant manner.
Collaborate with US Medical Affairs, Regulatory, Legal, or other departments and external experts.
Collect
Collect, analyse and report insights that may impact companies development plans / trial designs.
Communicate
Communicate medical education gaps and propose solutions to relevant internal colleagues.
Communicate scientific data and have in-depth discussion with HCPs on assigned portfolio.
Complete
Complete the MSL onboarding (and certification) program.
Conduct
Conduct site initiation visits in partnership with clinical operations as requested.
Contribute to
Contribute to strategic initiatives and training of the sales / marketing teams.
Contribute to the development of educational programs and materials.
Contribute to the development of provider and patient educational products.
Contribute to the Medical Plan.
Create
Create awareness of product attributes, therapeutic benefits, and appropriate utilization.
Cultivate
Cultivate and nurture strong working relationships with internal and external colleagues.
Deliver
Deliver timely and quality responses to Medical Information requests.
Develop
Develop and execute a territory medical plan.
Develop and maintain a database of relevant educational slide kits.
Develop and manage communication plans and engagement strategies for these experts.
Develop and presents complex scientific and clinical data related to Gilead products.
Develop innovative medical project to engage stakeholders efficiently.
Develop, maintains and implements own written development plan.
Develop, monitor, and execute Region / Country strategic and tactical Medical Engagement Plans.
Develop professional relationships, build advocacy and gain contributions of KOL's / decision makers.
Develop, recruit and train local Speakers within the frame of local SOPs.
Develop scientific and medical expertise in ophthalmology and gene therapy.
Develop scientific materials to support scientific exchange, as directed by MSL Team Lead.
Disseminate
Disseminate medical information to regional and national key opinion leaders.
Distribute
Distribute and train on relevant scientific and medical information to internal stakeholders.
Document
Document all interactions with HCPs according to applicable policies.
Document interactions and insights in a timely and compliant manner in appropriate databases / tools.
Engage
Engage on cross-functional collaboration where appropriate.
Engage with external stakeholders through scientific interactions.
Engage with select stakeholders where appropriate.
Ensure
Ensure aligned scientific information exchange with the field.
Ensure an end to end customer experience for TA specific customers within the region.
Ensure any materials used have undergone the appropriate company approval processes prior to use.
Ensure company's medical compliance.
Ensure Director alerted to any significant anticipated deviations from allocated budget.
Ensure excellence in execution of all governance processes and manage MSL resources and budgets.
Ensure project plans are in place for processes and projects.
Ensure regulatory boundaries for non-promotional activities are respected.
Ensure right and safe use of product(s) through high quality scientific.
Ensure Risk management plan implementation and Monitoring.
Ensure strategic and tactical goals are met.
Ensure support of the life cycle management of all Neuroscience products.
Ensure that allocated travel budget is managed against actual spend.
Ensure this is communicated to the appropriate personnel and any scientific support is provided.
Ensure timely SOP learning, and daily practice compliant with SOPs.
Establish
Establish and maintain relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in all the major centers.
Establish contact and build partnerships with Opinion Leaders (OLs).
Establish robust, long-term peer relationships with thought leaders and other stakeholder partners.
Exchange
Exchange complex medical and scientific information with the oncology community.
Execute
Execute on defined KOL territory strategy that is targeted to address diverse stakeholder.
Facilitate
Facilitate communication between Avanir and clinical investigators.
Facilitate development of Investigator Study Proposals in accordance with Sanofi policy.
Facilitate investigator interactions with internal stakeholders.
Facilitate, present at, or otherwise participate in VHL-sponsored Advisory Boards.
Facilitate scientific engagement, discussion and medical information.
Follow-up
Follow-up on KOL engagement plans.
Foster
Foster a strong team culture.
Foster medical and scientific information exchange between the medical0
Gather
Gather and analyses data and effectively responds to new, complex or problematic situations.
Gather and disseminate competitive intelligence from multiple sources.
Guide
Guide team to develop regional speakers programs.
Handle
Handle performance management, personnel issues, discipline and termination of MSL.
Identify
Identify and address MSL training and development requirements.
Identify, build & maintain a solid network and partnerships with stakeholders.
Identify, develop, and build relationships with pediatric neurology experts.
Identify, develop, and maintain relationships with current and future thought leaders.
Identify existing data and facilitate publications as appropriate.
Implement
Implement medical programs and activities within medical compliance.
Implement medical / research / disease management programs.
Increase
Increase Company's visibility among leaders in the Vaccines field.
Initiate
Initiate and maintain relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs).
Initiate and manage scientific studies for use in post-marketing investigations.
Input
Input and maintain internal reports as it relates to activities in the area of responsibility.
Interact with
Interact with the US and Global Medical Affairs respiratory Team.
Introduce
Introduce new concept through medical education to help doctors to improve patients' outcome.
Lead
Lead and develop regional level medical strategy in the designed therapeutic area.
Lead and facilitate advisory boards and other activities that inform strategic directions.
Lead any activities such as department studies or team projects.
Lead a team of MSLs that meet / exceed goals, develop and contribute to ADCs growth.
Lead implementation of systems and tools for MSL activities.
Lead insight reporting efforts by reviewing and collating individual reports across teams.
Lead organization-level initiatives and holds others accountable.
Lead role contingent on experience and demonstrated skill set.
Lead, actively participate in and contributes to MSL or cross-functional projects and initiatives.
Lead special projects as directed MSL Management Team.
Learn
Learn about new and evolving customers and the changing medical needs of such customers.
Link
Link internal partners to external thought leaders for education and research collaboration.
Maintain
Maintain accurate reporting and documentation of MSL activities.
Maintain awareness of clinical trial activity and suggests clinical trials sites as requested.
Maintain clinical, scientific, and technical expertise in specific therapeutic areas.
Maintain consistently high standards of product expertise and customer service.
Maintain on-going relationships with national and local OLs.
Maintain the SDP as a living document with updates according to strategic needs.
Manage
Manage a base of Dermatology stakeholders.
Manage a group of stakeholders.
Manage budget appropriately and ensure fiduciary responsibility is practiced by direct reports.
Manage cost of interstate / international travel within the company travel policy.
Manage cost of local / international travel within the company travel policy.
Manage relevant budget to enable regional execution of Medical Plan.
Manage team of individuals with significant business scope or complexity.
Manage team to deliver business results and individual development.
Map
Map a path to take the organization from the present to the future state.
Monitor
Monitor and manage expectations in line with project goals as set by Client and agreed upon by IQVIA.
Monitor compliance with expense policies.
Monitor compliance with PDMA guidelines.
Monitor the SDP plan to ensure Home / Work Balance for the Global Medical Experts (GMEs).
Monitor the SDP to ensure compliance with Policies, Budget and approval processes.
Monitor time-keeping and attendance.
Organize
Organize Joint Planning Sessions with regions and priority markets and collate outputs.
Participate
Participate and implement planning process (operating plan, marketing plan).
Participate in relevant national and international conferences.
Participate the product information activities.
Perform
Perform mapping of KOLs at country level, prepare and implement of action plans.
Plan
Plan, establish, grow, and coordinate strategic relationships with key opinion.
Prepare
Prepare timely reporting of activities and insights gained according to the company needs.
Produce
Produce monthly reports on activity and budget plan.
Provide
Provide competitive intelligence to internal stakeholders.
Provide customized response for common medical queries in the field for assigned products.
Provide direction and feedback to MSLs regarding their performance and development.
Provide documentation for all interactions with HCPs according to applicable policies.
Provide effective communication and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
Provide in-depth scientific support to Health Systems Teams.
Provide input into site selection for both phase 4 and other clinical trials.
Provide input into the therapeutic area Medical strategy led by the local Medical Advisor.
Provide medical and scientific training support to internal colleagues upon request.
Provide medical and scientific training support to Medical and Commercial teams.
Provide medical expert opinion in safety events management to avoid negative impact.
Provide medical support and training to internal staff as appropriately requested.
Provide monthly reports to the Client.
Provide National Director with regular regional updates, based on output from direct reports.
Provide ongoing scientific and medical training within the MSL team and to internal partners.
Provide proactive input in the strategic medical management and marketing.
Provide scientific & clinical presentations to Payer groups as requested.
Provide scientific insight and leadership for emerging products.
Provide scientific support and education to internal stakeholders.
Provide scientific support to the commercial team as necessary.
Provide support to speakers on the development & delivery of scientific content.
Provide the clinical safety oversight including performing and documenting.
Provide timely, fair balanced, objective information.
Receive
Receive, report adverse events and transmit internally according to the company.
Represent
Represent local MSL team in local Franchise(s) and contribute to Franchise strategy alignments.
Respond to
Respond to clinical inquiries regarding marketed or developmental Gilead products.
Respond to unsolicited requests regarding interest in investigator-sponsored.
Respond to unsolicited requests regarding interest in investigator-sponsored studies.
Respond to external expert requests surrounding GSK Vaccines.
Respond to external expert requests surrounding investigator-initiated studies.
Respond to field medical questions.
Respond to unsolicited HCP requests (non-KOLs).
Respond to unsolicited medical information requests in the field.
Respond to unsolicited medical information requests on products.
Review
Review and approve expense reports.
Set up
Set up KOL database and effective medical communication plan through various approaches.
Study
Study site identification, recruitment facilitation and enrollment.
Suggest
Suggest clinical trial sites.
Support
Support, attend, and follow up on scientific congresses, symposia, or other events where appropriate.
Support identification of training needs to effectively engage in scientific exchange.
Support Market Access team activities.
Support Medical KOL and influence mapping, and document patient journey in centers of interest.
Support product strategies by providing information based on the field experiences.
Support sales training activities by serving as a product expert in training sessions.
Support speakers training to ensure continued scientific support in the field.
Support the appropriate triaging of requests for Early Access Programs (EAP).
Support the development of an action plan to close "gaps” in current organization.
Support the development of the Medical Affairs strategic plan and execution of flagship programs.
Support to Local / Regional Advisory Boards.
Track
Track and manage evolving evidence base in areas critical for the organisation.
Track and monitor agreed KPIs as well as develop and execute remedial plans, as necessary.
Train
Train staff on key scientific and medical topics in Metabolics.
Train and facilitate speakers on GSK products.
Understand
Understand and effectively communicate current scientific knowledge.
Understand local initiatives on disease and treatment guidelines.
Understand the design and execution of research studies.
Use
Use appropriate CRM tools to collect the insights.
Use technical expertise to support team and departmental projects.
Use the Field Coaching Report (FCR) and other feedback mechanisms to support skill development.
Use the information to provide value to both external and internal stakeholders.
Work with
Work collaboratively with Clinical Development personnel to identify potential clinical trial sites.
Work with GMA / GCTO to identify potential investigators for Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials.
Work with Medical Leadership to ensure consistency in MSL ways of working across the business.
Work with the offshore team to ensure that travel logistics are delivered with 100% accuracy.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Medical Science Liaison:
MD
Valid Driver's License
Background Check
Clean Driving Record
Public Health
Patient Care
Clinical Decision Making
Healthcare Systems
Interpret Key Scientific Data
Local Regulations
Operational Understanding
Regulatory and Payer Environment
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Medical Science Liaison:
Written and oral communication skills
Presentation
Leadership
Execute multiple responsibilities and projects
Interpersonal skills
Teamwork
Accountable
Work independently with little direction
Analytical ability
Integrity along with courage
Respect
Transparency
Delivering high quality results
Overcoming challenges
Organizational capacity
Negotiation
Proactive
Think strategically
Time-management
Collaborative
