MSL Blog post

Why a technical sales rep role can be a good jumping board to become an MSL!

Last week I spoke to an aspiring MSL, who had recently stared working as a technical sales representative, selling research compounds to researchers and pharma companies.

He asked me if being a technical sales rep is a good job to then move into an MSL role later on?

He had finished his PhD recently. First thing I...

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Dr J #10 - Reflecting back on my MSL transition and my past career as a researcher

When “from SCIENCE to PHARMA” asked me if I’d write a piece on how my first 2 years as MSL have been, I immediately thought about what a life-changing decision it has been to transition from Academia to Pharma as an MSL. And how much more rewarding and fulfilling the MSL role is than I’d...

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Dr J #9 – I made it to the land of the MSL!

Those of you who have read my blog posts might have wondered where Dr.J went. Wasn’t he on a mission to transition..? Did he lock himself in in the cold room, for a colleague to find him frozen to the floorboards on Monday morning? Go on and do yet another postdoc? Succumb to the challenge..?

No. None of that....

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DR J. #8 - So close to the MSL role....

My brief ‘radio silence’ on the blog has had a cause. After completing multiple interview rounds successfully, I finally had an MSL contract in hand! Yes, indeed a contract! However, I didn’t sign it.

Let me describe how my final interview round unfolded, how great of an experience it was and how...

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DR J. #7 - My MSL interview round 2+

Interview Round 2+

To pick up the thread from my last post: After my initial contact with a recruiter some time ago, I was invited to a next interview round for an MSL role in oncology that  I find tremendously exciting. I was extremely happy, nonetheless, a ‘healthy nervousness’ now descended upon...

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Dr J. #6 - Let's get ready to rumble!!!!

How much can happen in one week, regarding mood swings and career possibilities..? Quite a few things to be honest, but I’ll get to the career options later.

First I want to share something typical with you that I experienced this week, actually a discussion I got into with a colleague. It wasn’t the...

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DR J. #5 - The Heaviness vs. Happiness

Does everyone who wants to exit academia and go into pharma, come to this point?

For roughly a year I have been working on finding a personal path to transition out of academia, two years if you count the “early days” of bold exploration and idea-sculpting.

So, for about a year I’ve been working...

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DR J. #4 - From qualifications to competencies: how i finally achieved a good business CV

It appears the more I write the more ideas I get for postings… For example, I made it to Round Two via a second recruiter interview (not the same recruiter as the first time, I likely burned that bridge, I think) and that development could be worth a post in itself. Also, there is the personal transformation...

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DR J. #3 - The internal struggle of leaving academia

After two posts about my early adventures on the bumpy road out of academia and into pharma, I got into some sort of internal struggle. I was going to write about why I actually aspire to leave academia. Until that subject got me questioning that exact point. Sounds familiar? Please do leave any suggestions or...

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DR J. #2 - How not to go into a phone interview with a recruiter

Dr JB is back again after popular demand. This time with an interview with a recruiter. We hope you enjoy it.


After a short leave of absence, I am back online. Let me now share how my telephone interview ended my happy MSL spell.

Most frustratingly, I wish I could turn back time and re-do that interview, as I have...

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