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 because the paper is “too complex.”

But because no one ever taught you how to read a scientific publication the way Medical Affairs expects you to.

Clinicians aren’t taught this.
Researchers aren’t either.

And yet, as an MSL, this is one of the most critical skills you’re expected to have. Here are 5 practical tips for reading a scientific publication like an MSL. 

The Real Problem: You’re Reading Like You Were Trained. Not Like the MSL Role Requires

Most people are taught how to consume scientific literature.

MSLs are expected to evaluate, pressure-test, and translate it.

That’s a different job.

Which is why so many smart, capable MSLs:

• Overfocus on details that don’t matter
  
• Get uncomfortable when statistics come up
  
• Finish a publication without a clear point of view
  
  

That’s not a confidence issue.
It’s a strategy issue.

Below are five practical, non-obvious tips for reading a scientific publication as an MSL, including how to think about statistics, so you can move from “I read it” to “I can confidently discuss this.”

5 Practical Tips for Reading a Scientific Publication Like an MSL

Tip #1: Read the Title and Ask, “Who Is This Really For?”

Here’s the first AHA moment:

The title already tells you whether this paper will help or hurt you in the field.

Before you read anything else, ask:

• Is this aimed at clinicians, regulators, payers, or researchers?
  
• Is it disease-focused or mechanism-focused?
  
• Is it exploratory, confirmatory, or promotional in tone?
  
  

Why this matters for MSLs:

A paper written for clinicians often emphasizes applicability.
A paper written for journals emphasizes novelty.
A paper written for pharma audiences emphasizes positioning, sometimes subtly.

👉 Try this instead:
Rewrite the title in plain language.

If you can’t summarize the real question the paper is trying to answer in one sentence, slow down. You’re about to miss something important.

Tip #2: Skip the Abstract First. Go Straight to the Figures

This is one of the fastest ways to improve how you read scientific publications.

Abstracts are curated. Figures are not.

Start with:

• Primary endpoint figures
  
• Key secondary endpoints
  
• Kaplan–Meier curves
  

Ask yourself:

• What actually changed?
  
• How large is the effect?
  
• Is it consistent?
  

Aha moment:
If the figures don’t clearly support the conclusion, the authors are doing interpretive work for you.

And KOLs will notice.

Try this instead:
Before reading the conclusions, describe the main figure out loud as if a KOL asked:

“What does this data show?”

If you can’t explain it without reading the caption word-for-word, pause and stay there longer.

Tip #3: With Statistics, Stop Asking “Is It Significant?”

Most people were trained to treat statistics like a finish line:
significant or not.

MSLs need to treat statistics like a stress test.

Instead of focusing only on p-values, ask:

• Was the study powered for this endpoint?
  
• How wide are the confidence intervals?
  
• Does statistical significance equal clinical relevance here?
  

Aha moment:
Statistical significance is not the same thing as scientific strength.

And experienced KOLs know the difference immediately.

Try this instead:
Finish this sentence for each key endpoint:

“This result is statistically significant, but its clinical significance depends on ___.”

That single habit changes how you talk about data.

Tip #4: Look for the Limitations No One Is Emphasizing

Every paper has a limitations section. The most important ones are often buried elsewhere.

Pay attention to:

• Who was excluded
  
• How long patients were followed
  
• Subgroup analyses that were never powered to conclude anything
  

Aha moment:
Your credibility as an MSL often comes from what you slow down..

Try this instead:
Write one sentence you could say comfortably:

“This data is strong for ___, but we should be learn more about ___.”

If you can say that without defensiveness, you’re reading the paper correctly.

Tip #5: End Every Paper with a Field-Ready Takeaway

If you close a scientific publication thinking:
“Interesting.”

You’re not done.

MSLs don’t read to be impressed.
They read to be useful.

Before you move on, ask:

• What question will this data trigger?
  
• Where does this fit in the current landscape?
  
• What does this not change yet?
  

Aha moment:
If you can’t explain the paper in one grounded sentence, the data will control the conversation instead of you.

Try this instead:

“What this study adds is ___, but it doesn’t change ___ at this point.”

That’s what strong scientific exchange sounds like.

Want to Read Papers Like an MSL?

If you want structured practice without overthinking it, Journal Club Mastery is a 60-minute Power Hour focused entirely on how MSLs read scientific publications - figures, statistics, limitations, and all - using real papers and real expectations.

No fluff. Just clarity.

If you’re preparing to break into Medical Affairs, this way of thinking is foundational and taught inside the Aspire MSL Program. If you’re a new MSL building confidence early in role, RISE reinforces exactly these real-world scientific skills.

Stats Don’t Have To Be Scary

If reading scientific publications still feels heavier than it should, that’s not a red flag.

It’s a signal.

You were trained to read like a clinician or a researcher, not like someone whose job is to evaluate, contextualize, and communicate data under scrutiny.

Once you learn how to read like an MSL, the statistics stop feeling intimidating.
The conversations stop feeling performative.
And the confidence shows up naturally.

You don’t need more experience.
You need a better lens.

And that’s completely learnable.