The MSL Society is excited to announce the second year of our Medical Science Liaison Mentor / Mentee Program. Building on the success of the first mentor program last year that consisted of 11 newly-hired MSLs and four experienced MSL mentors, the second year of the program has been greatly expanded to include 30 newly-hired MSLs who were matched with 10 experienced MSL mentors.
In addition, for the first time, the program has been expanded to newly-hired MSL Managers with less than one year of management experience. In total, five newly-hired MSL Managers were matched with two experienced MSL Manager mentors.
This is a free program and is only available to members of the MSL Society. It exemplifies our mission of being dedicated to helping and MSL Managers advance in their careers.
In the program, a newly-hired MSL with less than two years of experience is formally matched with an experienced pair of MSL co-mentors for the purpose of professional development and knowledge sharing. The group mentoring approach affords opportunities for mentees not only to benefit from mentors but also from peer mentees.
The program lasts for one year. Both mentors and mentees must be current members of the MSL Society in order to participate and meet the following guidelines:
- Mentors must have at least 5 years of experience
- Mentees are those recently hired with less than 2 years of experience
This program is not available for aspiring MSLs (those interested in becoming an MSL).
The entire program is managed by highly experienced MSL leaders who have extensive experience in managing mentor programs:
Christine Vaupel, PhD, Head of Medical Affairs, Navigate BioPharma, a Novartis Company
Jinah Lee, PharmD, Sr. Medical Science Liaison, GSK
This a unique and there is no other program in the world like this available for MSLs or MSL management. Its a very valuable resource for participants and some of the feedback has included:
“I am pleased to be a part of the first MSL management mentoring session sponsored by the Medical Science Liaison Society. I believe that professional and personal mentorship provides an additional layer of support and guidance to others and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to give back to the MSL community that has supported me through my career. Although informal mentor relationships are very valuable and do occur organically, they may not be as accessible for everyone. In contrast, formalized programs such as this one provide more structure and open up opportunities for more individuals to participate as mentees as well as mentors.A mentee/mentor relationship is more personal than that of a boss or coach and sits outside of the current scope of employment. When providing mentorship, I personally, like to focus not only on current issues but also, numerous areas of career and professional development topics.” Elizabeth Kupferer, PhD, Sr Director, Medical Science, Women’s Health, Valeant Pharmaceuticals
“I am excited to be part of the program and serve as a mentor because The MSL Society Mentoring Program offers multiple benefits to all who participate including 1) A safe and supportive environment to discuss current and essential concerns, 2) An opportunity to provide and receive best practices, useful tips, and insights and discuss common issues, 3) A networking experience for all levels of expertise, and finally 4) A allocated time to express and reflect with folks who do what you do in different therapeutic areas.” Rita Zambelas, Associate Director, Medical Affairs, Amicus Therapeutics
“As a Mentor in the MSL Society mentorship program, I find it to be a mutually beneficial approach to share new MSL perspectives, ideas, and experiences in small groups working in various companies with products at different life cycle stages. Together we are building an open, energized and positive environment to exchange ideas and provide advice that builds bridges for accelerated career advancement in the MSL role. Through fostering communication and exploring innovative ways to perform MSL functions, mentorship develops stronger, more capable MSLs and leaders!” Cherie A. Hyder, PharmD, Senior Director, Head of Medical Affairs, Alimera Sciences
If you are interested in learning more about the MSL Mentoring Program or for a list of FAQ-see here: https://www.themsls.org/msl-mentor-program
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