MSL Training: A Guide To Improving Curriculum

Key Takeaways

• Many MSLs are under-trained at onboarding. The Medical Science Liaison Society has reported that 72% of MSLs say their initial onboarding consisted only of journal articles for at-home self-study.
• Self-study alone tends to produce low engagement, missing context, isolation, and inconsistent knowledge across a team.
• A strong MSL training curriculum builds skills in a logical sequence, gives context, maps a development pathway, and aligns to the team’s real needs.
• Building a program has three phases: define the curriculum, choose delivery methods that match the intended outcome, and build in assessment to confirm capabilities.
• Typical curriculum segments include disease and therapeutic science, product knowledge, processes and tools, KOL engagement, and compliance.
• MSL training is scientific and non-promotional. It prepares MSLs for peer-to-peer scientific exchange with healthcare professionals, not product promotion.

An MSL training curriculum is a structured, role-specific plan that defines the scientific knowledge and skills a medical science liaison needs, how they will learn it, and how that learning is assessed.

Starting a new job as a medical science liaison (MSL) can be tough, especially when onboarding doesn’t provide enough support. MSLs are expected to handle complex scientific information and communicate effectively with healthcare professionals (HCPs), yet many struggle because their training isn’t as thorough as it should be. This guide covers the common onboarding challenges MSLs face, what a strong training curriculum delivers, and how to build one.

The Onboarding Challenge for MSLs

Onboarding is a crucial part of starting any job, but MSLs often struggle because of limited onboarding programs. The Medical Science Liaison Society has reported that 72% of MSLs around the globe said their initial onboarding training consisted only of a set of journal articles about the product or disease for at-home self-study.

In other words, instead of structured training with hands-on learning, interactive sessions, or direct mentorship, many MSLs are expected to study on their own. That tends to create four problems:

1. Low engagement. Self-study alone is less engaging than interactive methods, which hurts retention.
2. Missing context. Independent reading misses the practical application and context a guided program provides.
3. Isolation. Studying alone, MSLs cannot easily ask questions or learn from more experienced colleagues.
4. Inconsistent knowledge. Without a structured program, understanding varies from one MSL to the next, which affects effectiveness in the field.

What a Strong MSL Training Program Delivers

A well-structured program gives new and experienced MSLs the knowledge and skills the role requires. The benefits show up in four ways:

• Logical skill building. A good curriculum sequences content from foundational to advanced, so MSLs build from core scientific knowledge toward more specialized topics.
• Contextual understanding. When training is organized as a cohesive curriculum, MSLs see how each part connects to their responsibilities.
• A clear development pathway. A structured curriculum acts as a map, showing MSLs which skills to focus on and ensuring they cover the essentials before moving to specialized areas.
• Alignment with team needs. A real program helps training leaders see what MSLs already know and where the gaps are, so development plans can be tailored.

Building the Program: Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment

Building a medical training program is more manageable in three phases: define the curriculum, choose delivery methods, and build in assessment.

1. Define the curriculum. The curriculum documents the knowledge and skills each role needs. It is role-specific and organized into manageable segments. Requirements differ by organization, but typical segments include:

• Disease and therapeutic science (mechanisms of action, efficacy and safety, clinical trial results, and the biostatistics and research methods needed to interpret them)
• Product knowledge (the product and the science behind it across the life cycle, from clinical development through regulatory approval, so MSLs can discuss the data accurately with HCPs)
• Processes and tools
• KOL engagement (building and maintaining scientific relationships with HCPs and academic leaders, and understanding their interests and questions)
• Compliance

A curriculum is a living document. Rather than pushing out training at random whenever new data, tools, or SOPs appear, it is better to update the curriculum itself, so anyone who had completed it returns to finish the new content.

2. Choose delivery methods. Match the method to the outcome you expect:

If you expect...Then your method may be...Memory recallProvide papers or slides to read and rememberKnowledgeFacilitate discussion so learners explore the content, test it from different angles, and reach conclusionsSkillPractice in a safe setting, for example presenting content to an HCP while applying engagement skills

3. Build in assessment. Assessment confirms that knowledge and skills have been acquired and can be demonstrated. Match the formality to the importance of the capability: recall can be checked with online tests, while skills are better confirmed through demonstration. For example, before engaging a KOL, confirm the MSL knows the most recent data in that practice area. Keep training current on a set cadence, quarterly or annually, so expectations stay clear.

Skills MSLs Need to Succeed

Alongside scientific depth, effective MSLs share a set of core skills:

• Communication, written and verbal
• Presentation, conveying scientific data clearly and credibly to HCPs
• A strong scientific background, to discuss complex clinical data and mechanisms
• Strategic thinking, to align scientific insight with the team’s medical objectives
• Interpersonal skills, to build and maintain relationships with KOLs and internal colleagues

For a closer look at the capabilities that define a high-performing field team, see Four Key Skills for the Modern Medical Science Liaison.

Tips for Building an MSL Training Curriculum

1. Organize the content strategically. Blend scientific and operational content, from therapeutic science and KOL engagement to the processes and systems MSLs use day to day.
2. Consolidate into one unified curriculum. A single program is easier to follow than several disjointed ones and keeps MSLs from being overwhelmed.
3. Keep it current. Medical science changes constantly, so review and update the curriculum regularly so MSLs stay at the forefront of their field.

Acceleration Point helps Medical Affairs teams with the operational side of field medical, including setting up training curricula and assessments through its Medical Excellence Services and Field Medical Team Development. The goal is a structured, repeatable program that helps MSLs operate effectively and within the governance their role requires.

Want help building or refreshing your MSL training curriculum? Let’s talk.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does inadequate onboarding affect an MSL’s performance?
Inadequate onboarding can leave MSLs underprepared, which affects their performance in the field. They may struggle with the scientific depth the role requires and find it harder to communicate effectively with HCPs and KOLs.

What should an MSL training curriculum include?
A curriculum is role-specific, but it typically covers disease and therapeutic science, product knowledge, processes and tools, KOL engagement, and compliance. It should be sequenced from foundational to advanced topics and kept up to date as a living document.

How should MSL training be delivered?
Delivery methods should match the intended outcome. Reading materials suit memory recall, facilitated discussion builds deeper knowledge, and supervised practice develops skills such as presenting data to an HCP.

How often should MSL training be updated?
MSL training should be reviewed on a set cadence, commonly quarterly or annually, and the curriculum updated whenever significant new data, tools, or procedures appear, so the whole team stays current.

Further Reading:

• What Is a Medical Science Liaison? → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/what-is-a-medical-science-liaison/
• Four Key Skills for the Modern Medical Science Liaison → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/four-skills-modern-msl/
• How to Coach MSLs for Better Medical Affairs Insights → https://www.accelerationpoint.com/resources/fueling-medical-strategy-how-coaching-creates-better-insights/