Medical Science Liaison Learns from Experts
- ashleymo5779
- Apr 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Name: Emily Rogers (they/them)
PhD: Neuroscience, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 2021
What was your main area of research?
I used humans and non-human primates to study non-invasive brain mapping for patients with brain disorders such as epilepsy, TBI, and substance use. We put advanced analysis methods to the test to explore how accurate and precise our data were.
What is your current job?
I am a Medical Science Liaison (MSL). This position is field-based, but Los Angeles, CA is home.
I support ongoing clinical trial efforts and engage with subject matter experts and thought leaders on topics relevant to the company and clinical development plan.
I love learning new things from experts.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I knew about the MSL path during grad school and focused all my efforts in becoming one. All my MSL jobs have been found on LinkedIn or by being contacted by recruiters who found me on LinkedIn.
PhD Graduate ➡️ MSL
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
I did not want to write grants or deal with the grind of experiments.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Explore opportunities early on in the process so you can do the best you can to align yourself with the job requirements prior to serious job-hunting.
Connect with alumni from your program to learn their paths and see if anything sparks interest. Industry paths often require some form of showcasing you fit the experience for the role so informational interviews will be helpful in this.
For MSL specifically --
Podcasts were helpful in learning interview techniques.
Clinical experience/therapeutic expertise overlap is essential.
Learn to package your CV like a resume and discuss your academic experience and transferable skills in industry terms (e.g. project management, budgeting, mentorship, etc).
Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?
Emotional intelligence and flexibility are huge for client-facing industry positions like MSLs. If you are uncomfortable approaching people or potentially navigating stressful situations, it's not for you. It's a very social-forward job.