Why the skills that land you an MSL role are the same ones that advance any career
In 2012, an MSL invited me to lunch. I said yes.
I didn't know it at the time, but that single lunch—and the professional relationship I built with another MSL I met that day—would completely change my career trajectory five years later.
When I finally decided to pursue an MSL role in 2017, I applied over the winter holidays and started in mid-April. One interview. Four months from application to offer.
Here's what made that possible—and why these same strategies work whether you're pursuing medical affairs, hospital leadership, consulting, or building your own practice:
I didn't wait until I was ready to leave my job to start building relationships. I started five years earlier, when I had nothing to gain from it.
And here's the part that matters most: The actions I took aren't complicated. They're just consistent. You're already doing versions of these things in your clinical practice right now—you just need to be more intentional about them.
Let me show you what most people miss.
MYTH VS. REALITY: What It Actually Takes to Land an MSL Role
MYTH #1: Start networking when you're ready to make a move
REALITY: The best time to build professional relationships is when you don't need anything from them.
When that MSL reached out in 2017 to ask how my hospitalist role was going, he already knew my clinical expertise, communication style, and passion for women's health. I wasn't cold-applying and hoping someone would take a chance on me. I was already on their radar.
Why this isn't as hard as it sounds: You're not asking people for jobs. You're just saying yes to a meeting. You’re exploring what each of you can bring to the table, and you're asking genuine questions about their work. You're staying in touch. That's it.
MYTH #2: You need to be a perfect candidate with specific credentials
REALITY: Deep clinical expertise or a demonstrated passion for scientific learning + relationship-building skills matter more than checking every box.
I wasn't top of my residency program, nor in my medical school, but I had 10+ years demonstrating expertise in women's health, contraception, and public health. I taught residents. I worked in underserved communities. I was known for the work I did, not the title I held.
Why this matters for you: You're building expertise right now in your daily clinical work. The question isn't Am I qualified?
—it's How do I make my expertise visible to the right people?
MYTH #3: Networking means working a room at conferences
REALITY: Networking means building real relationships one conversation at a time.
I'm not the person who likes schmoozing at big cocktail parties. I love deep, meaningful conversations with people who share my passion for women's health. That's what MSL work is—one-on-one scientific discussions with physicians who care about the same things you do.
What this means practically: If you can build rapport with patients, colleagues, and referring physicians (which you do every single day), you already have the core skill. You just need to extend it beyond clinical walls.
MYTH #4: I don't have time to network while working 60-hour weeks
REALITY: You're already interacting with potential connections—you're just not being strategic about follow-up.
When pharmaceutical reps or MSLs ask to meet with you, that's networking. When you attend conferences, that's networking. When you collaborate on patient care with specialists, that's networking. You don't need to add hours to your week—you need to be more intentional with the interactions you're already having.
Small shift, big impact: Instead of avoiding the exhibit hall or rushing through the lunch meeting, show up fully. Ask questions. Follow up on LinkedIn. That's the whole game.
MYTH #5: This kind of transition takes years of planning
REALITY: The relationship-building takes time. The actual transition can be surprisingly fast.
Yes, I built relationships for more than five years before applying. But once I decided to pursue it seriously? Four months from application to start date. The long game
isn't about delaying action—it's about making today's small actions count toward tomorrow's opportunities.
The encouraging truth: You don't need to have everything figured out right now. You just need to start showing up consistently.
HOW I LANDED MY ROLE: THE LONG GAME OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Here's what I want you to understand: None of these actions felt significant at the time. I wasn't executing some master plan. I was just being a decent colleague, staying curious, and following through on small commitments.
Looking back, my MSL journey wasn't built on dramatic pivots—it was built on boring consistency.
2012: I Said Yes
to a Lunch I Could Have Easily Skipped
When an MSL invited me to meet, I didn't think This could change my career.
I thought possibly a free lunch, and I'm curious about what they do.
Prior to this lunch, and prior to even fully understanding the MSL role, I had been a speaker for another company on the topic of contraception, which is another tiny story for another day.
So, in 2012, I recommended the restaurant, as I was the local, and I showed up. I asked questions. I met another MSL at that lunch. We stayed in touch—not in a calculated way, just genuine professional connection. A LinkedIn message here, a quick note when I saw them at conferences there.
What you can do this week: Next time a rep or MSL asks to meet, say yes. Go to lunch. Ask about their career path. That's all you need to do right now.
Years of Clinical Practice: I Became Known for Something Specific
I wasn't just practicing OB/GYN—I was the person who cared deeply about contraception access for underserved women. I taught residents. I worked at Planned Parenthood and Healthy Start. I spoke up about women's health equity.
People knew what I stood for. When companies needed a women's health expert, my name came up—not because I was marketing myself, but because I was consistently showing up in that space.
What you can do this month: Start demonstrating thought leadership in your clinical area. Present at a local conference. Write a LinkedIn post about something you're seeing in your practice. Contribute to a quality improvement initiative. Just pick one thing.
I Invested in Getting It Right
When I decided to pursue the MSL role seriously, I didn't wing it. I attended the SEAK conference. I hired physician career coach Michelle Mudge-Riley to help me refine my application.
Every detail mattered—but I didn't try to figure it all out alone.
What you can do this quarter: Invest in one resource. Attend a career transition conference. Schedule informational interviews with three people in roles that interest you and offer something in return. Offer a coffee or a lunch or even an online review, if it’s someone who’s skills you admire. Hire a coach if you can swing it. Get serious about learning what the role truly requires.
When Opportunity Knocked, I Was Ready
When that MSL reached out in 2017 to ask how my hospitalist role was going, I was honest: I wasn't fulfilled. He asked if I'd consider an MSL position.
I said yes immediately—not because I was desperate, but because I'd been thinking about my next move. I knew what I wanted. And I'd already proven I could do the work.
The timing wasn't luck. The timing was preparation meeting opportunity.
What you can do starting now: You don't need to know exactly where you're going. You just need to start positioning yourself. Build one relationship. Demonstrate one area of expertise. Take one small step outside your comfort zone.
That's how this works. Small actions, repeated consistently, compound into career-changing opportunities.
REALITY CHECK: WHAT MSL WORK ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
Let me give you an honest picture of the role—because if you're going to pursue this, you should know what you're signing up for.
The Weekly Rhythm:
Monday & Friday: Office Days
Planning travel across multiple states, finalizing appointments with physicians on my roster, documentation, expense reports, prep for scientific discussions, team meetings via Teams or Webex.
Tuesday-Thursday: Field Days 6-8 physician appointments across 8-10 major metro areas. I maintained a rotating schedule of ~60 physicians every 10 weeks—which meant I saw each physician for scientific discussions on contraception, vaccines, and women's health topics roughly once per quarter.
Weeks 11-12: Conferences, Company Meetings, or Vacation This built-in rhythm allowed for professional development and necessary recharge time.
The Part Nobody Tells You:
You're responsible for securing your own appointments. There's no guarantee physicians will meet with you. You have to build relationships strong enough that they want to make time for you.
Microsoft Office becomes your best friend. Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word—these tools run your life. If you're not comfortable with technology, you will be.
Travel disruptions are constant. Canceled flights, last-minute appointment changes, territory expansions. I went from covering primarily OB/GYNs to also engaging with pediatricians, adolescent medicine physicians, NPs, and PAs. Flexibility isn't optional.
Change is the only constant. During my 5+ years, I navigated a pandemic pivot to virtual engagement, a company spinoff to a women's health startup, evolution from pharmaceutical to medical device, and multiple territory restructures.
What Made It Worth It:
Meeting brilliant, passionate physicians who care about the same things I do—championing women's health, expanding contraception access, serving underserved populations.
These weren't transactional business relationships. They were professional connections with people who genuinely cared about advancing women's health. That's what got me up in the morning.
The Honest Assessment:
If you love deep one-on-one conversations about clinical topics you're passionate about, if you can adapt quickly to change, and if you're genuinely interested in people beyond just making a sale
—this role can be incredibly fulfilling.
If you need routine, predictability, and minimal travel—this probably isn't your path.
But here's what matters most: The skills this role requires? You're already using them in clinical practice. You just need to transfer them to a different context.
THE SKILLS ARE TRANSFERABLE—YOU'RE MORE READY THAN YOU THINK
Here's what I want you to take away from my story:
The physician who said yes to lunch in 2012 wasn't executing a masterplan. She was just being curious, staying open, and following through on small commitments.
Those small actions compounded into a career transition that happened with one interview in four months.
Then those same skills—relationship-building, strategic networking, adaptability, professional positioning—carried me through pandemic pivots, company spinoffs, leadership roles training other MSLs, and eventually, starting my own business.
You don't need to know exactly where you're going.
You just need to start:
- Building relationships before you need them
- Demonstrating expertise consistently
- Showing up even when it's uncomfortable
- Taking small actions that position you for opportunities you can't even see yet
The rest will unfold.
Most people overthink this. They wait for the perfect time, the perfect plan, the perfect credentials.
Meanwhile, the people who actually make career transitions happen? They're just saying yes to lunch. They're commenting on LinkedIn posts. They're volunteering for one extra project. They're taking imperfect action consistently.
That's the whole secret. Small steps, repeated over time, compound into career-changing momentum.
You're more ready than you think. You have more skills than you realize. You just need to start using them intentionally.
WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS
What made my transition possible:
- ✓ Built relationships 5+ years before applying (not decades—just consistent small actions)
- ✓ Already recognized as KOL in women's health before job search (through speaking, teaching, clinical work)
- ✓ One interview → offer in 4 months (because trust was already established)
- ✓ Invested in professional coaching for application strategy (got help instead of guessing)
- ✓ Now guide others through similar transitions (proof the approach is transferable)
The lesson: Start positioning yourself today for opportunities you want tomorrow.
The best time to start building relationships was five years ago.
The second best time is right now.
