Moving into medical affairs
Moving into medical affairs can extend a medical writer's work into scientific dialogue, strategy and direct communication while retaining writing and reviewing responsibilities.
Qualifications and skills
An MD or PhD is desirable for medical affairs roles, although a scientific degree is acceptable. Most medical affairs professionals hold a higher degree, and clinical or research experience relevant to the company's activities is useful. Physicians are particularly in demand where work requires medical sign-off; non-clinicians can also contribute, provided an experienced physician signs off certain work. Reviewing literature, understanding disease states and translating that knowledge into strategy are generally roles for PhD graduates.
Medical affairs professionals who prosper are typically resilient networkers, comfortable in international settings and often equipped with foreign language skills. Valuable skills include:
- Initiating and leading projects successfully.
- Communicating effectively with colleagues and external customers.
- Business acumen and strategic vision.
- Technical skills, including compliance knowledge, medical and scientific expertise, and digital and analytical ability.
Effective medical affairs work also calls for understanding and addressing customers' needs, prioritising patient safety and welfare, curiosity and innovation, anticipating future needs, and understanding business priorities. New recruits should strengthen scientific and communication skills and build a network; working with several bosses can also require flexibility and the ability to manage by influence. A science degree, networking and teamwork are elements of success.
Routes into the function
A paediatrician entered medical affairs after a pharmaceutical company approached her for a medical science liaison role, attracted by the opportunity to discuss familiar scientific data with peers. Subsequent moves into cardiology, pulmonology and medical advisor leadership roles required training; continuing to learn and develop skills remained a motivation.
A device-company medical affairs leader took a biochemistry degree intending to study medicine, entered device manufacturing, then moved through clinical research into medical affairs. Her expanded role combined clinical research and medical science with health economics, policy, reimbursement and healthcare provider training.
A regulatory and publications writer at a pharmaceutical company moved through writing management and advisory roles into global medical affairs. His medical affairs work overlapped substantially with writing: authoring protocols, publication documents and medical information documents, and reviewing and approving medical communications across functions. He also communicated clinical data and disease-state information through advisory boards and promotional channels including print, websites, television and congress booths, gaining variety while retaining the scientific communication that gave him job satisfaction. Editing, education, medical information, promotional writing and publication writing competencies can all be used in medical affairs roles.
Working demands
Medical affairs can involve many meetings, calls and emails, bureaucracy and pressure from line managers, alongside stimulating contact with scientists and healthcare professionals at the forefront of research. For some professionals it also offers a route away from patient care or laboratory work.
In 2019, a pharmaceutical-company global medical advisor described work centred on generating data for the scientific community, organising medical events and training materials, leading advisory boards and travelling to international congresses. Deep analysis of scientific data, responding to scientific questions and learning from global experts were pleasures, while administration and lengthy processes were challenges. Initially, the volume of email and differing definitions of urgency required learning to prioritise, delegate and say no.
A device-company vice president of medical affairs described spending about half her working time travelling to a global team, with the remaining time largely in meetings or on the phone, sometimes from early morning until late at night. Managing and developing 100 staff brought both pleasure and demands; overseeing medical safety also required sensitivity when delivering unpleasant or costly news to the business. When not travelling, she usually worked from home with flexible arrangements, although work-life balance varied from week to week.
Career development
Medical affairs offers opportunities to develop through different positions. Salary depends on the role, position and qualifications, and individual contributors can have good career tracks without taking on managerial responsibility.
Demand for dedicated writers can develop within a department. A device-company department hired its first medical writer despite initial team scepticism; about eight years later, in 2019, its teams relied on writers and 30 writers supported regulatory writing across Europe and China, usually insourced and occasionally outsourced. Depending on the organisation, there may be an increasing need for writers across medical affairs activities.