Career options for bioscientists
A Medical Science Liaison is a scientific contact between pharmaceutical companies
and their clients, the physicians. Their number has been growing in recent
years, which makes this work an option for academic scientists.
Medical Science Liaison Jarkko Soronen
just returns from a work trip to
the interview and starts telling about
his job at Bayer.
— This is so called field based
medical work. In my case it means that the work area
covers the whole of Finland and 75% of the work is
traveling. When I started, I anticipated that much
traveling as a heavy load but in fact, it has been nice
and very varying.
Soronen tells that a Medical Science Liaison of a
pharmaceutical company is meant to maintain customer
relations to the leading research physicians in
a university hospital, for instance. The purpose of the
work is to provide unbiased scientific information
about the company products to clients. Typically, a
Medical Science Liaison is a doctor of biosciences or a
doctor of medicine.
— I discuss scientific data with the physicians and
give them the latest information concerning the reseach
around the pharmaceutical in question. The idea of this
mutual scientific exchange is to find the right target
group and to promote the safe use of the product. My
job is not at all to sell the drug and it is important to distinguish
those two roles from each other. My job is to
give scientific support for Bayer products but I also need
to know about other drugs, which are used in the same
therapeutic area. In general, the non-marketing nature
of the work allows me to discuss the related scientific
questions more broadly. Moreover, sometimes the customers
ask such detailed questions that I have to carry
out a literature search to find the answer. That is not so
different from the work of a scientist, is it? says Soronen.
— All in all, in my opinion this is one of the best jobs
for a PhD from a biomedical field who wants to change
career after academic science in the university. Here
you do not do the actual research but follow closely the
recent results and can sometimes, for example, help in
coordinating clinical trials. This gives a good outlook on
current pharmaceutical development, states Soronen.
— I work in the medical department of Bayer and in
collaboration with our business unit. Due to the nonpromotional
nature of my work I usually schedule my
meetings with the customers myself. Yearly activities
are, however, outlined together. After all, we work
with the same products and the same customers.
How to become a Medical Science Liaison?
— Nowadays there is always a huge number of applicants
for open vacancies. What I consider to be the
most important requirement for the first position in
the pharmaceutical industry is a good match between
your own research background and the therapeutic
area in question, says Soronen. It means it is good if you
have been able to orientate towards a certain therapeutic
field of medicine.
— What else is important in this work are general oral
and written presentation and social skills. It is also worth
staying persistent in job hunting. Once you have got the
first position things get easier, promises Soronen.
— Although I came from the biomedical field of research
there was a lot to study before the actual work
started. At Bayer the newcomers go through a three
month introductory period, which is completed with
an exam. Although I had research experience in vascular
diseases and it helped quite a lot, I still had to study
a great deal to become familiar with the clinical aspect,
Soronen explains. On top of that, I had to read all the
clinical trials conducted with the drug I was going to
work with. When new drugs will become my responsibility
in the future, there will again be a lot of introductory
studying.
Positive points and challenges
— As a Medical Science Liaison I can largely customise
my own work and I like this very much, says Soronen.
I give scientific lectures, follow recent research and
results and, for example, participate in national and
international conferences.
— These job opportunities are now available
more than before. The pharmaceutical companies
consider the objective scientific contacts to bring
added value to their business and that is why this
can be considered a job of the future, states Soronen.
The role is at its best in the launching phase of a new
pharmaceutical. When a new drug is coming to the
market it is most useful to discuss the studies that
have been carried out. So, this is where the research
background of a scientific liaison is needed, Soronen
explains.
The most valuable and challenging part of the
work is to create new customer
contacts and to maintain the existing
ones. The purpose is to create
a good customer relationship with
mutual scientific exchange.
— When building a new contact
the first email must be carefully
constructed and attractive. I have
to convince the physicians that I offer
just the information they need.
I either organize the introductory
visit to a new hospital myself or go
together with a product specialist.
— What can also be considered
a challenge is the very dynamic nature
of this work. There are many
projects going on at the same time
and you have to be there for the
customers when they have some
burning questions. You have to be
able to manage timetables and coordinate
projects during traveling.
Fortunately, a train is a good place
to work, says Soronen smiling.
Career planning
How about career prospects for a
Medical Science Liaison?
— Similarly to other specialist
positions, a clear career path there
is not, says Soronen. However,
the pharmaceutical industry offers
different kinds of opportunities and working as
a Medical Science Liaison is a way to get experience
also for other posts in the field. In big international
companies there is also the option to move to international
positions within the company. In addition,
government and EU agencies provide positions that
require pharmaceutical expertise and for these, you
just have to just keep your eyes open, Soronen recommends.
— Of course, everything depends on your own career
goals. Some, also here at Bayer, stay in the same
positions for a long time, while others change more
frequently. When you have acquired experience in
various positions, you can also aim at manager level,
if you want to, Soronen concludes.
Text Katri Pajusola
- Painetussa lehdessä sivu 16
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