The 2024 MSL of the Year Awards, held during the 12th Annual MSL Society Conference in Miami (September 3-5, 2024), celebrated excellence in field Medical Affairs on a global scale. The awards are open to all MSLs and MSL Managers worldwide and recognize outstanding contributions across eight categories, including MSL of the Year, MSL Rookie of the Year, and MSL Manager of the Year both in the USA and internationally.
Last year, 28 finalists from 12 countries were honored, and the winners in each category were announced during the Awards Night Celebration during the conference. The rigorous selection process was led by an independent panel of 11 experienced MSL leaders from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries who served as judges. Each nominee submitted four letters of recommendation from key stakeholders (KOLs and managers), and each judge assessed applications based on structured evaluation criteria. To ensure fairness, all scoring was blinded, and winners remained unknown until the official announcement during the Awards Night Celebration.
Following the event, we spoke with several winners about what the recognition meant to them, their journey to success, and advice to others including:
Lynell D’Sylva
Senior Director, Clinical Trial Ambassadors, North America and Latin America
Syneos Health
MSL Manager of the Year (USA)
Rebecca Fleeman Bechtel
Medical Science Liaison
Teva Pharmaceuticals
MSL Rookie of the Year (USA)
Syeda Quratulain
Medical Science Liaison
Getz Pharma
MSL Rookie of the Year (Outside the USA)
Gerard Sheehan
Global Medical Affairs Director
Sarepta Therapeutics
MSL of the Year (Outside the USA)
Carmelina Rossi
Head of Medical Therapeutical CARE, Italy Medical Affairs
Chiesi
MSL Manager of the Year (Outside the USA)
Why did you enter the competition?
Lynell D’Sylva: I entered the competition because I believe in the importance of recognizing the contributions of MSLs, not only to advance my own career but also to bring attention to the vital role we play in bridging science and clinical practice. Participating in this competition was also an opportunity to reflect on what my team and I have achieved, and share our journey to inspire others in the field.
What were your first thoughts after you heard you won the award?
Rebecca Fleeman Bechtel: I was thrilled to hear my name called for the MSL Rookie of the Year award! I am so passionate about my role as an MSL, and I am grateful to be surrounded by a supportive team and encouraging manager who has given me the tools to make a difference in healthcare. Winning the award felt validating for the long hours I have put in over the past 1.5 years to provide the most value to HCPs in neurology, and overall I am just so grateful!
Syeda Quratulain: Unbelievable, I never thought that I would win and it just surprised me. I was really happy as the announcement came when I was not feeling well. But after this, I got a new sense of hope that everything will get well. I was so thankful to the society members and panel of judges for selecting me as a winner.
Gerard Sheehan: In the wise words of my PhD supervisor Professor Kevin Kavanagh “if you’re not in, you can’t win”. This is the line he would recite before we pressed submit on a travel grant or request for research funding. Admittedly although I was in, I did NOT expect I would win. The other nominees were all beyond top-tier and from every corner of our planet. Then there’s me from a small town in Ireland. I am immensely proud and thankful to be recognised.
Carmelina Rossi: This was simply fantastic! I was so proud for winning this award! I wrote everyone and thanked Chiesi Italy, Chiesi Group and everyone who supported me along the way. This recognition is the first-ever in Chiesi at Global level!!!
What does receiving this award mean to you personally and professionally?
Rebecca Fleeman Bechtel: Winning the MSL Rookie of the Year award professionally has allowed me to meet so many new people. I have learned so much from other medical affairs professionals and I am grateful that this award has given me the visibility to meet more of these super intelligent, kind, and motivated individuals. Personally, winning this award makes my efforts in the field feel truly recognized. I am so appreciative that the MSL Society created these awards because it helps medical affairs professionals excel together and be recognized for all their hard work.
Syeda Quratulain: It’s my first ever professional recognition that too from a Global platform. I went through so many hardships to complete my education and to land this job, this award not only empowered me but encouraged me that if you’re good you will get recognized. This will forever be the most important and memorable award I will ever have.
Gerard Sheehan: It really is lovely to be recognized for my contributions as an MSL but also to the field. The award validates our teams’ efforts in rare diseases. For sure this was a team effort and I believe every single MSL on our Medical Affairs team deserves this award.
Lynell D’Sylva: Winning this award has been incredibly meaningful, both personally and professionally. It validates the hard work, dedication, and passion I’ve put into growing and supporting my team. This recognition also highlights the impact that MSLs can make in the broader pharmaceutical and healthcare landscape. It’s an honor to be acknowledged by peers and leaders in the field, and it motivates me to continue pushing boundaries and advocating for the role of MSLs.
Carmelina Rossi: It was a great pleasure personally and professionally because the recognition is a sign of my hard work and dedication in all the activities helping to ensure that the MSL’s role in the medical affairs is recognized, strategic, and valuable!
How do these awards benefit the MSL community?
Lynell D’Sylva: These awards bring visibility to the critical work that MSLs do, which can sometimes be underappreciated. They showcase excellence, innovation, and leadership in our profession, providing a benchmark for others to aspire to. Furthermore, they encourage continuous improvement and foster a sense of community, where we can learn from each other and grow together as a field.
Do you have any advice for your colleagues/peers?
Rebecca Fleeman Bechtel: My advice to colleagues is to learn something from everyone you meet. Take the time to speak up in internal meetings and to introduce yourself to strangers at conferences. With so many virtual calls these days, there can be a lack of initiative to participate. Be the person with your camera on, fully engaged and asking questions. In a world where everyone is on their phone when they don’t know someone at an event, break the silence and get people engaged. Typically everyone is friendly, you just have to have the courage to talk first! You never know who you are sitting next to and what you may learn from them.
Syeda Quratulain: Keep working hard and doing better regardless if no one is appreciating you. If you are good and you are doing your work honestly and excelling in it trust me good things will come your way!
Gerard Sheehan: Keep doing what you’re doing. Most people transition into an MSL position because they love science and want to be closer to patients – to feel the difference we can make. Although rewarding, the position can be difficult, continue to learn and realise why you wanted to become an MSL in the first place. I think personal and professional development is important too. Outside of your therapeutic area, we can all present data better, we could all brush up on our stats and health economics. Find that one area you love and run with it.
Lynell D’Sylva: My advice is to always focus on building strong, authentic relationships with the healthcare professionals you work with and your team. Be curious, never stop learning, and always keep the patient at the center of everything you do. Flexibility and adaptability are also key—our role evolves constantly, and those who succeed are the ones who can pivot and thrive in changing environments. Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of collaboration; we’re stronger when we work together.
Carmelina Rossi: My advice is to be proud for working in the medical affairs, to continue to work with passion and dedication, and to face new challenges and changes in order to develop expertise, efficiency, visibility, for better contributing to write a big story of strategic and cross functional work.
What do you think are some of the keys to being successful within the MSL profession?
Lynell D’Sylva: Success in the MSL profession comes from a combination of scientific expertise, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build trust with healthcare professionals. It’s essential to be a good listener and to understand the needs of your audience, whether you’re engaging with key opinion leaders, clinical trial teams, or internal stakeholders. A strategic mindset is also important—knowing how to prioritize and execute effectively can make all the difference. Finally, resilience and passion are critical. This field can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding when you see the impact of your work on patient outcomes.
About the author:
Samuel Dyer, MD, PhD
Dr. Samuel Dyer is the CEO of the Medical Science Liaison Society and has over 25 years of international MSL experience. During his career, he has managed MSL teams and operations in over sixty countries across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. He has facilitated the successful launch of pharmaceutical and medical device products for both Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies and small biotechnology companies.
Dr. Dyer has coached, interviewed, and reviewed the CVs of countless aspiring MSLs. His insights and guidance have resulted in hundreds of aspiring MSLs successfully breaking into their first roles.
While leading the MSL Society, he has conducted MSL training programs for over 75 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in more than 15 countries. Dr. Dyer has also written extensively on the Medical Science Liaison profession, including numerous published articles, benchmark studies, and reports. He has been the keynote speaker and moderated numerous international conferences on various MSL–related topics, including creating teams, management, MSL training, proper utilization of MSLs, global trends, and the KPIs and metrics used to measure MSL performance. Dr. Dyer has also served as a resource and consultant on several MSL–related projects for several organizations, including McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.
Dr. Dyer has an MD from Washington University (Health & Science) School of Medicine, a PhD in Health Sciences from Touro University, a Master’s degree in Tropical Biology (where he studied in the Amazon) from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of the State of New York. Dr. Dyer also completed a certificate program for Executive Leadership and Strategy in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology at the Harvard Business School.
Dr. Dyer is the author of the multi-award-winning and Amazon #1 Best Seller, The Medical Science Liaison Career Guide: How to Break into Your First Role (https://amzn.to/4aoYcZp). The book is the first and only step-by-step guide on how to break into the MSL profession and it has received multiple prestigious awards, including:
- 2024 Winner of the American Legacy Book Awards in the Business: Careers category.
- 2024 “Gold Award” Winner – Literary Titan Book Awards in the Career category.
- 2023 “Best Book” Winner – Pinnacle Book Achievement Award in the Career Development category.
He is also the author of the Medical Science Liaison Job Application Tracking & Interview Self-Evaluation Journal (https://amzn.to/49n6MGR).
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