Dear Readers,
Can anyone believe we are already beginning March? Time is going by way too fast! As we work at an ever faster pace, it is vital to prioritize efforts, particularly your best way to manage work and life activities. Move towards a pace that has endurance; I call this my marathon pace! For all the runners, you know what I mean! When you find the pace that can be sustained for the long haul, there is harmony with mind, body, and spirit, and a feeling of vitality. I encourage everyone to begin 2023 with a focus on achieving work-life harmony. I no longer refer to work-life balance, as balance sounds precarious like it is a delicate position that may not be sustained, whereas harmony has a feeling of peace and this state actually feels good! Find ways to decompress, reduce stress, offload, and delegate part of your to-do list. Make sure you not only prioritize efforts but also employ a strategic focus on your wellness as well as the goals you aim for. Aim for harmony.
This Spring edition of the MSL Society Journal kicks off 2023 with an impressive array of topics that elevate technology and the digital world we live in; do you have a clear definition of DOL and plan for DOL engagement? How we leverage technology and expand engagement with broader entities such as DOLs is a hot topic! Have you thought about how technology will shape current and future engagement? Check out the Metaverse-focused article in this edition and other thoughtful technology-oriented content! Career paths and refining job search techniques have been well represented in this edition with a bundle of great articles! Exploration of essential skills for field medical success with an emphasis on strategic focus, business acumen, and enhancing creativity is another theme within this edition. I thoroughly enjoyed the article that provides steps to take to enhance creativity; if you think creativity is innate, this article may change your mind! Looking for a deeper dive into these topics? Read on and learn from your global professional network’s expertise!
Additionally, this edition features a review of the MSL Salary Survey results; if you have not yet reviewed this survey data, take time to gauge how you are compensated in your particular market based on results from the most recent global survey! And finally, we wrap up this edition with a feature article that represents the proceedings of a key workshop led at the 2022 MSL Society Annual Conference led by Syneos leadership that focused on creating a culture of excellence. We must continue to raise the bar with all we do to support patient outcomes and their need for better care. Excellence is a journey, not a destination, and medical affairs professionals realize the need to forge new paths to innovate and cultivate a work environment that fosters a culture where excellence thrives! Check out the summary feedback from this workshop to learn more about what your colleagues had to share when various questions were posed to small groups of MSL managers as well as MSLs and Aspiring MSLs in this session.
It is my sincere desire and hopes that each reader absorbs new ideas, expands their thinking on these key topics, and comes back to the journal with more thoughts and expertise to share with our global readership. As anyone who knows me quickly realizes, I like to use analogies that paint pictures with words. Rising tides lift all boats! Together we bring our best to bear; collaboration engenders synergy that energizes and keeps us moving onward and upward. You do not need to know all the answers; know who to reach out to and keep asking good questions to provoke useful debate and elevate your ideas. This is how we can make the next generation of field medical affairs better than we are today and in turn, this is how we can deliver solutions patients are waiting for. There will never be an end to the vital work MSLs do to help alleviate human suffering. The patient is your north star. Keep reaching for the next galaxy and find your marathon pace to keep going. Make each day a journey of excellence.
I hope you are inspired to read on and find out what you can learn in this edition!
Cherie
Editor:
Cherie Hyder, PharmD, MSL-BC
Cherie Hyder is Syndicated National MSL Director at Syneos Health. In her previous job at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, she supported a virtual launch of Nurtec ODT for acute migraine. She has been involved in drug development for more than 30 years, working at FDA in CDER and pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Lilly, Novartis, Solvay, and Avanir, among others. At the University of Missouri, she received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree with the intention to devote her career to pharmaceutical research. She has multiple adjunct faculty appointments and enjoys teaching opportunities.
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