Welcome to the MSL Mastery Blog

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

The Aspire MSL program is Tom Caravela and Sarah Snyder's secret sauce to helping folks land their first MSL position. Included with the online component of the program are weekly office and bimonthly group coaching calls. I recently started attend...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

As an aspiring MSL, you've likely asked yourself, "Do I have what it takes to be an MSL?" But as we've explored in my previous article, "Do You Have What It Takes To Be An MSL?", the more important question is: "Do I want to be an MSL?"

However, f...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Jamie, a recent PhD graduate, was over the moon when she received her first invitation for an MSL interview. However, her excitement quickly turned to anxiety as she sat in front of her computer, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information about...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder

Being a parent and having a full-time job is tough in any industry. You basically have 3 full-time jobs. The MSL role is no exception and introduces some additional challenges. Many aspiring MSLs wonder if the MSL role is compatible with being a parent.

The answer i...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Preparing for the first MSL usually makes people feel two very strong, but completely opposite emotions:

1. Extreme excitement
2. Blood pressure rising, nervousness

It's high-stakes, so it makes complete sense to have this type of reaction. On my ...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

It's hard not to be distracted in meetings. Whether it's in-person, virtual, or at a congress, there is always some kind of notification coming at us. It's underappreciated how much it negatively impacts your ability to connect with others.

In the...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

I have a friend who has a PhD in evolutionary biology from Harvard. She told me that she doesn't have transferable skills. My mind exploded 🤯. I thought you were crazy—you have so many transferable skills.

This is a common theme among folks with t...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

We are like a broken record over here about how important it is to network for your job search. It is absolutely one of the best ways to get your resume in front of hiring managers.  

Here are some great resources to improve your networking skills...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Everyone talks about job searching being so painful but does it have to be? Why can't the job search process be something that you enjoy? This article is here to inspire you to flip your negative views of the job search on its head and instead thin...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Does this sound like you? You are finishing up your PhD, MD, or PharmD and cruising the job market. Or thinking of transitioning out of clinical practice and looking for industry jobs.

Then someone says you would be a good MSL, or you randomly run...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

One of the most frequently asked questions that Tom and Sarah get is how to land an MSL role without experience.

Sarah always points out that 100% of MSLs start without experience. So many aspiring MSLs hear that they "don't have experience," and ...

By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

"AI won't take your job. It's somebody using AI that will take your job." - Richard Baldwin 

In other words, it's time to get on the AI boat. How can job seekers in Medical Affairs use this technology to stick out during the job search? Tom Carave...