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What is a Medical Science Liaison (MSL)? The 2025 Career Guide career guide Aug 08, 2025

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder


(Updated annually to keep you ahead in the field)

You’ve probably heard the title before: Medical Science Liaison.

Sometimes it’s whispered like it’s a secret club in pharma. Other times, it’s confused with sales. And if you’ve tried explaining the role to

...
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​​Medical Affairs Presentation Tips: Now AI-Powered msl presentation and communication skills Jul 19, 2025

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder



We're Obsessed With NotebookLM and You Should Be Too

NotebookLM comes up a lot in our world. We talk about NotebookLM all the time. Like all the time. It’s just so powerful and fun. 

We love it. Not just as AI nerds (guilty), but as longtime Medical Affairs profess...

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The $200,000 Question: Why Do MSLs Get Paid So Much? msl training and performance tools Jul 11, 2025

By Sarah Snyder & Patrina Pellett

 

“What is an MSL salary?” It was 2:17 a.m. when Tina finally typed that exact question into Google.

She’d been a clinical pharmacist for 8 years, working holidays, taking extra shifts and watching colleagues leap into pharmaceutical roles while she stayed in the...

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The Secret Sauce to Presenting Better aspiring msls: interviewing aspiring msls: networking aspiring msls: resume & linkedin msl presentation and communication skills professional development Jun 27, 2025

By Patrina Pellett, PhD

 Visibility is the secret sauce to presenting better and most people are avoiding it. Here are 3 ways to see what you can’t unsee about your communication skills.

 

Tom Caravela didn’t always sound like a confident presenter. Back when he launched MSL Talk, listening to hi...

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Stop Sounding Boring And Start Speaking Like a Leader msl presentation and communication skills Jun 20, 2025

By Patrina Pellett, PhD

 

On a recent training alignment call, we were trying to figure out exactly why a Medical Affairs team wanted help with presentation skills.

What was the real issue?

When Sarah and I know the specific challenge, we become snipers and can build exactly the training a team ...

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Why MSLs Should Not Fear AI: 5 Reasons to Embrace the Future ai in medical affairs May 29, 2025

By Sarah Snyder

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries—but for many Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs), this change brings uncertainty and concern.

  • Will AI replace my role?
  • Will technology reduce the need for human interaction with KOLs?
  • Will my e...
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How You Are Quietly Sabotaging Your Career msl training and performance tools May 25, 2025

By Patrina Pellett, PhD

We've all experienced this person in training:

→ Combative from the first moment
→ Shooting down every exercise
→ Challenging every suggestion
→ Insisting, “We did this better at my last company.”

I bring a lot of energy to every training I deliver, but even I start to feel i...

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AI Interviews for Medical Science Liaisons: What That Means for Your Next Medical Affairs Job ai in medical affairs msl interview and resume strategies May 08, 2025

By Sarah Snyder


You’re not being interviewed by a person anymore for that first Medical Affairs interview. Let that sink in. 

It’s happening.

You prepared for a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) interview: notes in hand, ready to talk science, strategy, and stakeholder relationships. But instead of a...

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Meet Mira: Your 24/7 AI Assistant for Medical Affairs ai in medical affairs aspiring msls: interviewing aspiring msls: networking aspiring msls: resume & linkedin May 01, 2025

By Sarah Snyder & Patrina Pellett

 

It all started the way most great ideas do:

  • A late-night text.
  • A few "this might sound crazy" voice notes.
  • And a deep, stubborn belief that there had to be a better way.

"What if we could make finding MSL training and career answers faster (like 24/7 fas...

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The Digital-First MSL: What It Really Means (And How to Become One) ai in medical affairs Apr 24, 2025

 By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder 

 

“We have a digital-first strategy. Help us train our MSLs on this.” 

We’ve heard this from a lot of senior Medical Affairs leaders lately. They’re being asked to lead digital transformation, but here’s the problem: 

Even at the top, people aren’t always clea...

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The Secret Skill Behind High-Performing MSLs: Relationship IQ msl training and performance tools Apr 10, 2025

By Sarah Snyder

  

Two MSLs walk into the same office.

Same clinical trial. Same slide deck. Same level of scientific knowledge.

One walks out with a quick “Thanks, we’ll let you know.”

The other walks out with a deeper relationship, shared insights, and a clear next step.

The difference isn’t the sc...

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"What Should I Wear?" 8 Tips to Help You Dress with Confidence msl productivity and mindset development Apr 02, 2025

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder

 

If we had a dollar for every time someone asked, “What should I wear to the interview/conference/meeting?”, we’d fund our own MSL Mastery clothing line.

It’s easy to downplay this stuff. You're a Medical Affairs professional, not a fashionista. We know this job...

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