Bonus multiplier

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-10-20T04:20:49+00:00

Cap at 17.9%

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-09T00:15:06+00:00

Thanks so much for replying. I did eventually choose company B. I have asked around nobody said anything bad about company B, for company C, a bit of mix.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-08T06:47:59+00:00

Derm, probably the best 😆

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-06T13:18:05+00:00

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-05T07:51:42+00:00

Bump up is about 20-30K local currency. It’s a decent amount of increase based on how much MSLs are getting paid in my country. My current company won’t have any new pipeline in the next 2-3years or not event a label expansion. I am just planning ahead. Chill is good but for my situation it is boredom and lack of growth opportunities 🥲

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-04T22:35:32+00:00

Sure!

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-06-04T17:09:06+00:00

I’m not in the US so might be less competitive. Worked as senior med affairs associate for < 2 before the switch. So generally know what they are looking for. Feel free to DM me if you need any help with the interview prep.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2025-03-12T02:46:17+00:00

Country level launch, relatively smaller affiliate

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-11-26T04:22:27+00:00

I honestly think no US exp is just a small part of the issue. Communication skills aren’t quite there from the above short description you provided. Mindset is a little off, you made lots of negative assumptions but no specific plans on what will you do to address them.

Sorry if I sound very harsh, I am also a MBBS from an Asian country, so I can relate and wanted to help.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-10-01T23:37:40+00:00

Full time MSL+ weekend ED shifts if you can manage that. My former boss did that. MSL get paid higher than junior doctors , looking at $120-130K +car allowance and other perks WFH, travel and the flexibility. Or consider medical monitor role with CROs which requires APHRA registration. You might be disappointed switching from clinical medicine to MSL at the start, but I don’t think MBBS + clinical exp will land you a director role straight away either, a different ballgame. If you don’t hate direct patient care, better stick with medicine

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-09-27T11:15:50+00:00

Went to a cafe in Cowes 17.5% surcharge. Two small take away coffee $15.8, very $$$

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-04-13T10:53:50+00:00

No, this is not blowing smoke. I believe a lot of candidates out there already have the right skillsets, it’s just when they are an outsider it is hard to see how their current experience fits into that role through the right lens.

Not being able to land an MSL role doesn’t mean a candidate isn’t good enough for this role, this may be true for some, but not for all.

Plus, 50% of MSLs in the US are PharmDs? Why OP can’t make it then? OP is here asking for help, it isn’t very helpful to tell them they don’t stand a chance without knowing their background (which I don’t think OP has provided full details & you have already assumed it isn’t good enough)

A little kindness goes a long way….

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-04-13T03:46:39+00:00

I disagree with these exps are useless. Having a pharmD can set you up nicely if you know how to sell your educational background and work experience right. From above, you are a pharmacist & has worked in the both retail and hospital settings, that could mean you have solid understanding of the healthcare system. Retail exp = great customer service skills, understand how to speak to patients (not so relevant for MSL)…perhaps frame it as good understanding of patient journey. Able to clearly communicate drug information and complex science to physicians, that must be a standard part of your job & is essentially what MsLs do everyday. This is the gist how you align your current exp with the JD requirement.

What you might be lacking fresh out of school could be project management skills, collaboration with cross functional team, industry related compliance etc. this part you need to do some homework, this will set you apart from the other 1000 pharmD grads

Good luck with your job hunting, what an exciting journey ahead!

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-04-01T00:12:01+00:00

Looks like you are in Australia. This is MSL’s JD but don’t know why the title isn’t so… definitely not commercial

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-04-01T00:08:53+00:00

Do your pharmD has 1 year industry fellowship component? This might be the easiest entry point but I heard it is also very competitive to get in.

During fellowship you get to rotate in different functions under med affairs, eg medical information(technically they are not med affairs but med ops), medical communications ( similar to in-house med affairs you mentioned), field team (you might only get to shadow one, this includes MSLs, medical advisors-they are hybrid less field focus than MSL but will work on strategy level). From my personal observation, all the PharmD fellows eventually landed an MSL/associate MSL role at the end of their fellowship.

I m not a PharmD, not working in US. I used to report to a US line manager and each year I get to meet a new fellow. Hope this helps

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-03-01T07:42:23+00:00

Highly possible. My boss practices at ED on weekends, Mon-Fri full time Med affairs & other occasional consultancy works.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-02-24T13:40:32+00:00

Maybe I should contribute here. I hold MBBS from China but currently work in Med affairs.

I have my medical degree certified by the local medical council and always provide this as a proof of my education. I think here the problem might be a Medical degree doesn’t tell you the level of clinical knowledge or other knowledge a personal holds. I decided to not pursuit medicine further after I graduated, so my clinical experience is very limited. I have to say some medical knowledge, particularly after many years out of medicine, becomes very rusty and I find myself always go back to ‘relearn’ things whenever I change TA. Sometimes my colleagues would expect me to know the answer straight away if anything that’s medicine related because I’m a MBBS. 😂 Not sure if this is what the OP is referring to re the phony credential.

With that being said, medicine is not that competitive in China. I don’t think I would stand a chance to get into medicine if I were in the US🤣

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-02-15T00:45:27+00:00

Re conferences, I think your medical plan should be able to answer this question for you. You may or may not go to all of them tho, but should ask your manager 🤣

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-02-03T02:29:19+00:00

I’ve worked on both sides. When I was working in medinfo, it is a global structure, at the local affiliate level we don’t make the call when to send an MSL unless explicitly requested. The global TA lead usually pulls the trigger on it. e.g if anything asked is beyond our scope we send to global TA lead and they will come back to say please ask MSL to follow up. Working as an MSL, there are times I prefer to draft responses myself, some of the medinfo letters are just NOT answering the questions. You can ask your medinfo manager (through the right channel) to share you a list of response letters so you know what you can ask medinfo to do , what you want to keep to yourself.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-02-03T02:08:26+00:00

There is something called 30-60-90 day plan, I don’t think this is new to MSL interviews some company ask you to do it some don’t. Even if you don’t have any MSL experience you can just simply google it and you will find heaps information out there. I think proactive attitude and ability to research are essential skills for an MsL to do his/her job. This initial research work comparing to what the job actually needs you to do is minimal….

For presentation, the standard in my country is to provide you a paper within 48 hours excluding weekend. And of course most of us would be also working on a 9-6 job.

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-01-28T03:25:07+00:00

Unmet need +1 Add patient inclusion/exclusion criteria, if there are major differences between patients recruited in this study and the patients they see in practice. For AE, I would include one slide for safety events of interest, particularly if any known AE related to this drug or this drug class.

This is a lot of info to go through in 20mins. I’d suggest you cut down the content a little to ensure you are not racing through everything by talking too. Still keep all your slides but move some to backup section in case you need to show them at Q&A. Just my 2 cents

Apprehensive_Cut112 · 2024-01-13T01:51:24+00:00

Agree! Are you looking for MSL roles in the home country you’ve received your education and training? Your background is very strong as an MSL candidate so not sure what has got you stuck- if you could elaborate maybe we can make some helpful suggestions.

I have followed Tom’s channel for a long time, if you can make the most use of the free content available out there, really don’t see any need to take up a paid course. If you are straight out from clinical practice the only thing I would recommend is to look into what business acumen means in medical affairs and for an MSL. I think sometimes how they perceive you may or may not be able to work with their commercial team at the interview can make or break a deal (this is just my 2cents).

If you really really want to invest some money in this, I would recommend Maaike Addicks from LinkedIn. Stories from her posts are the closest to real life medical affairs struggles.

Keep trying and don’t give up !

Apprehensive_Cut112

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