When Patrina was doing Medical Affairs strategy consulting, a colleague said:
“You know everything about this [referring to clinical trials] because you have a PhD.”
???
Her PhD was in basic research. She had spent exactly zero minutes thinking about clinical trials in grad school.
In fact, she didn’t really understand them until her first Medical Affairs role, where her CEO walked her through it step-by-step like she was 5 years old.
That’s the reality for a lot of people in this field. Very few were actually trained on clinical trials and even fewer were trained on it from an MSL perspective. And almost no one talks about it.
This newsletter is about closing that gap. For every level.
For Aspiring MSLs: This Gap Can Cost You the Job
If you come from a background like Patrina’s or Sarah’s as a PharmD, you may have had zero real training on clinical trials.
That is normal. But it’s also a problem, because clinical trial knowledge is a key part of MSLing.
Hiring teams are listening for it. They want to know:
→ Can you read clinical data through an MSL lens?
→ Do you understand what different phases really mean?
This is one of those hidden gaps that can quietly hold strong candidates back.
Join us for a 60-min hands-on workshop for aspiring MSLs (free for MSL Mastery Community members, see you all Tuesday!):
Clinical Trials: What Aspiring MSLs Actually Need to Know
April 14, 2026 @ 5:00 PM CST
You’ll learn:
→ The full regulatory pathway
→ Clinical phases from an MSL lens
→ FDA designations decoded
If you aren’t an aspiring MSL, we want your input too. Reply to this email and tell us: What do you wish you knew about clinical trials before trying to become an MSL?
We’re using your answers to help shape a new blog post.
For New + Experienced MSLs: Brush Up Fast
Even after you get the job, a lot of people are still filling in gaps.
If you want to sharpen this skill fast, try this in Mira:
“Act as a Medical Affairs strategist. Help me understand this clinical trial step by step. Explain what the data supports, what it does not support, where the limitations are, and how an MSL should think about communicating it credibly in the field.”
Or reply “20” and we’ll send you our 20 AI prompts for learning faster.
For Medical Affairs Leaders: Don’t Assume This Knowledge Exists
This is a common blind spot. People have advanced degrees. They are super smart. They know the science. But many have never had formal training on clinical trials through an MSL lens.
If you want your team to better support trials, ask us about our new:
How MSLs Can Support Clinical Trials team training series
We cover:
→ CT 101
→ What MSLs can actually do to support site activation
→ How they can help with enrollment and more
It’s all about how MSLs can make an impact-palooza supporting trials.
Reply CT Training to learn more
TL;DR
→ Many people enter Medical Affairs with zero real training on trials
→ That gap is common, and it matters more than people realize
→ For aspiring MSLs, it can be critical to land the role
→ For teams, it can be the difference between surface knowledge and real field impact
True story. One time, Patrina’s neighbor’s dog had some weird dog disease, and the neighbor said, “Oh, Patrina will know exactly what this is because of her PhD.”
WHAT. Different species. Different field. Zero overlap.
But that’s how people think.
Same thing happens with clinical trials in Medical Affairs. Everyone assumes you know.
Now you actually can.
In your corner always,
Patrina, Sarah, Ralph, & Jess
Upcoming MSL Mastery Events:
- Clinical Trials: What Aspiring MSLs Actually Need to Know Workshop (Free For MSL Mastery CommunityMembers) – Apr 14, 2026 at 5 PM CT
- Free Webinar: From AI Experiment to Strategic Advantage: Future-Proofing MSL Engagement - Apr 21, 2026 at 12 PM EST
- Speakers: Patrina Pellett & Tom Peddicord
- Fierce Pharma Engage - Apr 22, 2026 at 2:35 PM
- Speaker: Patrina Pellett, PhD
- Working Group: Level up Your Sandbox Skills: Practice, Play, and Perfect Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Fierce Pharma Engage - Apr 23, 2026 at 4:30 PM
- Speaker: Patrina Pellett, PhD
- Panel: AI in Action: Work Smarter, Not Harder in Medical Affairs
- DIA AI Course (4-Hr Virtual Hands-On Workshop) - Apr 29, 2026
- Speaker: Patrina Pellett, PhD & Sarah Snyder
- Theme: Integrating AI Across Medical Affairs to Boost Efficiency, Clarify & Impact
- Veeva Commercial Summit - Boston - May 19-20, 2026
- Join Patrina & Sarah at Veeva Summit: Register with this link & get a free MSL Mastery Workshop
For MSL Mastery Community Members:
- Aspire MSL Office Hours – Apr 15, 2026
In Case You Missed One of Our Popular Workshops:
- Build Your MSL Interview Presentation (For Candidates Preparing to Shine in Interviews)
- Plan Like A Top 1% MSL (For Practicing MSLs who want to sharpen their yearly strategy)
- LinkedIn Glow-Up for Medical Affairs (For Professionals Looking To Elevate Their Online Presence)
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