Welcome back Readers! Fall is upon us and we are quickly closing in on holidays that will guide us into winter and perhaps some down time to relax and reflect on what 2024 has brought us! While we are winding down the year, we continue to keep pace with many activities in our field medical roles and this busy time should also lead us to consider how we spend our valuable time and resources! Your time to read the MSL Journal is so appreciated, and I hope this edition will stimulate your minds with an array of innovative topics from several articles focusing on career development to others on AI and technology innovation and more on honing communication skills! Whether you are early in your career or quite seasoned, we have so much to offer among the article themes in this journal issue!
As you find a cozy corner to peruse this edition, I hope that everyone finds something new and interesting to add to your own philosophy for how you do your field medical work. Nothing is more important to all of us than serving our ultimate customers, the patients! There is a necessary fortitude of persistence in our efforts to sail against the winds to influence changes that advance science, understanding of disease processes and novel therapeutic approaches. How do you maintain your power of persistence?
Key elements of persistence in my view begin with investing in yourself; developing, practicing and honing your skills to climb towards excellence is a journey we all take, knowing that there is never a destination, but rather a continued movement towards higher standards and outputs. Pour into your own cup so that you can pour into others. Keep growing and learning; never stop!
Another facet of persistence involves setting strategic goals, focusing and driving towards them with keen accountability and self-management as well as leaning on colleagues and leaders to troubleshoot new approaches when needed to remove obstacles. We are not alone on this journey to change how healthcare is delivered through research and novel therapies or interventions.
Yet another element of persistence includes taking time to celebrate wins! So much hard work goes into achieving important outputs and deliverables. Savor the wins, share them and package wins into impact stories to share with internal leadership and stakeholders. We teach MSLs to tell a story with data and we must also become skilled story tellers with our impact mission! Provide context about the challenge faced or need, what was done, strategic relevance and how you plan to pull through with further efforts; concise, clear, packaged stories are quite powerful, uplifting and meaningful ways to communicate your impact!
Finally, surround yourself with like-minded people who are motivated, confident, competent, supportive of the joint mission to enhance outcomes for patients through important field medical affairs work and you will find your “tribe” to lift you up on the challenging days and help you celebrate when efforts manifest into the outcomes you desire! Positive energy from within yourself and from your tribe foster the reserves you need to propel you to new heights!
This is how I view persistence as a super power all our field medical affairs team members need to succeed when it comes to making a significant difference for patients who are waiting. Never stop. Take time for your needs to ensure you have the energy and focus to drive towards your goals! I hope the upcoming holiday time will give you pause, reflection, peace and rest. Happy reading!
Cheers to another amazing year and best wishes for wonderful, warm holidays with family, friends and colleagues!
Your Editor,
Cherie Hyder
About the author:
Cherie Hyder, PharmD, MSL-BC
Cherie Hyder is a 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 the 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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