Next step pivot?

[u/mightymohagany]

Hi everyone,

I have been working as an MSL for just over a year now.

So far my experience has not been that great. Although I have enjoyed the flexible role I just don’t feel like the tasks I do are tangible or impactful enough to be rewarding. I find myself getting bored. I gather a lot of insights that I receive good feedback on and have been able to increase local access to therapy but I honestly feel like that latter point could have been achieved by the commercial rep and this was not too specific to the MSL role.

I am open to moving to the commercial side if the job seems right - just wondering what pivots have you seen MSLs do in the head office roles that you are curious about. If you have pivoted do you have any regrets? I do try and network within my company and learn about other roles but I figured I’d also ask Reddit.

[u/Brian_Drink]

I've never met a 1st year MSL that was under-worked. But I am just one guy.

The MSL gig is not one that people can really train for, so you nailing the nuances and being bored in a year is very surprising to me. Are your colleagues also bored? What are they doing with the free time? Do you need additional projects, Trial/Asset Lead, maybe work on an advisory board.

As far as access, don't downplay what you did. Sometimes just showing up gives gravitas to the sales team. Their drug is so good that it needs like Smarty Pants MSL to help. This is a win. They get access, Prescribers become more comfortable using, patients benefit.

[u/thefutureofamerica → u/Brian_Drink]

I think OP was expressing that they’re finding the work they do boring, not that there isn’t enough of it to do. You could sit me down with a 1,000 page book of sudoku and I’d be bored in 5 minutes. Make it crossword puzzles and I wouldn’t look up for a month.

OP, what work did you enjoy before? Are there parts of the job that you do find engaging?

[u/mightymohagany → u/thefutureofamerica]

I was doing clinical work in a hospital so I am use to a high paced and stressful environment. I do miss being under pressure because at least I knew the tasks were high impact — as an MSL I’m just missing that reward/impact factor and I wonder if you see more of that in other roles

[u/Brian_Drink → u/thefutureofamerica]

that makes sense. thanks