Anyone got any input on Medical Science Liasions?

[DH1987]

Medical Science Liaison

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a specialized role within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and related health-care fields. They concentrate on a specific therapeutic area or disease state (e.g., […]

explorehealthcareers.org

This is just something I just stumbled on and wanted to hear your inputs on this. Salary is very high. It seems like it requires really good brown-nosing skills, which I do not have but would try to develop for $170k/year. Also, it appears to require specialized knowledge of disease states as well as a deep-level knowledge of pharmacology, which after 5 years of retail I really do not have anymore...but again, would try to refresh. Anyone have any experience, or know someone with experience with this? Do you believe it's worth looking into as someone who has only been a retail pharmacist and out of school for 5 years?

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[Dred Pirate]

They are generally highly competitive jobs - I had a good friend (clinical coordinator at large hospital) who was more than qualified, but took years to get a job as a MSL.
They pay very well, and you are best served to small/non-brand name company as a starting point - or else it will be very hard. Once you get the foot in the door, you are good to go thou. I know a company who hired a walgreens rph (been there 10 years) - but that is the exception rather than the rule.

The jobs usually entail a lot of travel, not the best for a family life - so just be aware

 

[firework]

Learned from a post on this forum that MSL normally hires MDs rather than PharmDs. Don't know if that's true.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Learned from a post on this forum that MSL normally hires MDs rather than PharmDs. Don't know if that's true.

I don't know exact percentages, but usually the pay for a MSL job is less than any specialty MD''s (sans peds/PCP) - I know several rph's - and I was offered a job as one - but for the company I was offered, it was less than what I make as my hospital.

 

[PolarPop]

Most of the MSLs I know worked for a few years as a clinical pharmacist in a specialty field or have a PhD in a field related to their drug or company.

It is very competitive at the moment because many clin pharmacists are burnt out from COVID and are looking for other opportunities.