Welcome to the MSL Mastery Blog

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Inside the Aspire MSL program, we see imposter syndrome show up all the time. Not as a lack of ambition. Not as fear of the role. But as self-sabotage.

Aspiring Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) know they want the role but get stuck in a confidence ...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD 

Emily had just passed her field certification test and officially became an MSL as an MSL. Her manager handed her a KOL list, shared a few high-level expectations, and sent her into the field to start “building relationships.”

She did what most new MSLs do. She worked t...

By Sarah Snyder

You’re halfway through the paper and already tired.

You’ve highlighted half the page.
You’ve reread the methods twice.
You think you understand the statistics.

But if someone asked you right now:
“So… what does this actually mean?”

You’d hesitate.

Not because you’re unqualified.
Not...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD & Sarah Snyder

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2026 is YOUR year. It’s the year to elevate your impact, refine your craft, and prioritize what ...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

If you’re a new MSL, let me guess what your first year feels like:

A mix of excitement… panic… imposter syndrome… and a whole lot of Googling things you didn’t even know existed 6 months ago.

We know because we train new MSLs every single we. An...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder

When Patrina entered Medical Affairs 7 years ago, everyone was obsessed with “showing value.” It was the hot topic. The thing on everyone’s mind. 

She even has an entire blog dedicated to tools and resources to help Medical Affairs show value. And guess what? S...

By Sarah Snyder & Patrina Pellett

Let’s talk about the thief that sneaks into almost every MSL’s head and destroys confidence.

Comparison.

You scroll LinkedIn and see another MSL posting about a new role, a podium presentation, or a major KOL connection. You tell yourself you’re happy for them...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD

You’ve sent out 30 MSL job applications.

Crickets. The problem probably isn’t your experience: it’s your resume.

If you are applying for jobs and not hearing anything back, it might be time to revamp your resume. When an academic decides to switch to the dark side (industr...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder 

In Medical Affairs, there’s a hidden money pit no one talks about. 

Leaders spend millions every year on slide decks, medical communications vendors, polished value stories, and perfectly animated MOAs. The assumption? Better decks equal better engagement. 

B...

By Yutong (Rainey) Yang

The Turning Point in My MSL Job Hunt

Every MSL success story looks polished in hindsight. But behind every offer is a trail of rejections, awkward cold messages, and second-guessing. This is the real story behind my first MSL role.

We love success stories with clear tim...

By Sarah Snyder and Patrina Pellett

The Brutal Reality of Congress Coverage

Pre-congress and post-congress meetings can feel like punishment. Imagine being locked in a room, trudging line by line through abstract summaries that could have been pulled straight from the Congress website. It’s tediou...

By Nicholas George, Patrina Pellett, & Sarah Snyder

You’ve heard the whispers: “MSLs make bank.”

But how much? And more importantly, who’s actually paying top dollar? Thanks to salary transparency laws and fresh analysis from PharmaPayWatch, we finally have the data. Nicholas George, PhD, revi...