By Patrina Pellett, PhD, and Sarah Snyder, PharmD, Co-CEOs of MSL Mastery

Updated 2026-10-28

Objection handling for MSLs means understanding what a KOL is really worried about before you answer it (getting to the root cause!). Work out whether the challenge is a real question or a heated reaction. T...

By Sarah Snyder & Patrina Pellett

One of the clearest patterns we see when we train MSL teams is this:

The training gets better when everyone in it doesn't come from the same background.

Put the same clinical scenario in front of a PharmD, a PhD, a nurse practitioner, and a physician assistant, a...

By Sarah Snyder

Search this: “personal branding for MSLs.”

You’ll find career advice. Resume tips. Generic LinkedIn optimization posts.

But here’s what’s missing:

While most MSLs are quietly ignoring their digital presence…

Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs) are building influence in public.

They ...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder 

What 53+ Medical Affairs AI programs reveal about adoption, team capability, and what leaders should do next. 

“I don’t have Copilot on my computer.”  

This was at one of our first in-person AI trainings in March 2025. The range in comfort with AI was impossible...

By Sarah Snyder and Patrina Pellett 

A KOL isn't responding.

So the manager says the thing every manager says:

"Just follow up again. Be persistent."

The MSL follows up again. Same silence.

In an MSL Mastery LinkedIn poll, 47% of MSLs said fewer than 1 in 10 of their cold emails work, and 84...

By Sarah Snyder & Patrina Pellett

Most Medical Science Liaisons take 1–2 years to become truly effective in the field, not just technically competent, but confident and high-performing. 

A LinkedIn poll of 858 MSLs confirmed it: 

→ 45% said 1–2 years,

→ 34% said 6–12 months, and

→ only 9% said less ...

What Is a Medical Science Liaison (MSL)? The 2026 Career Guide

By Patrina Pellett and Sarah Snyder

Updated 2026-10-27

You've probably heard the title before: Medical Science Liaison.

Sometimes it's whispered like it's a secret club in pharma. Other times, it's confused with sales. And if you've tri...

By Sarah Snyder, PharmD, and Patrina Pellett, PhD  |  Updated 2026-10-19 

The short answer: Good congress coverage has 3 parts. Before congress, brief your MSLs on the questions leadership needs answered. During congress, capture insights with context, the why, and implications. After congress, foll...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder 

Enterprise AI training has a tough job.  

It has to reach everyone: Legal, Commercial, Finance, HR, Medical Affairs, the person who thinks AI is magic, the person who thinks AI is dangerous, and the person secretly building workflows that save 10 hrs / week while...

 By Patrina Pellett, PhD

Goal setting for Medical Science Liaisons sounds simple. You write down a few priorities, make a plan, and promise yourself this will be the year you stay focused.

Then the life shows up. Travel gets heavy. Internal meetings multiply. CRM updates pile up. Congress season t...

By Patrina Pellett & Sarah Snyder 

Nearly 100% of our AI training clients have Microsoft Copilot. And almost 100% have access to a really powerful agent they never use: Copilot Researcher Agent. 

It’s the saddest thing because the Copilot Researcher Agent is like a graduate-level researcher whose ...

Why Traditional MSL Training Doesn’t Stick (and What Medical Affairs Teams Do Instead) 

Updated October 2026 | Originally published March 2025 

By Sarah Snyder, PharmD

If you’ve paid for MSL training and seen nothing change, the problem probably isn’t your team. It’s the format. One-off, one-size-fi...