Our Facilitators

Like many of you, I found myself at a crossroads after completing my PhD. The uncertainty of what lay beyond academia felt overwhelming, like stepping into a black hole. “What other roles are out there? Where do I even begin?”

Throughout my journey, I came to understand the true power of knowledge, personal branding, networking, and mentorship, but more importantly, the value of taking strategic steps and having the right direction in my job search. Job hunting became my full-time job, and networking was my daily work. I leveraged my research skills (after all, that’s what we PhDs excel at, right?) and applied them rigorously to my job search. I meticulously tracked every LinkedIn connection—documenting their positions, where they transitioned from, and which roles they moved into. I tailored my outreach, recorded each interaction, and followed up consistently.

For context, I reached out to over 500 people on LinkedIn. Around 100 responded, and I had the privilege of meeting 20 of them for coffee or informational interviews. Each conversation deepened my understanding of the industry and, more specifically, what it meant to be an MSL in Medical Affairs. Another reason to create MedWise Academy—to share these experiences and provide you with practical tips and guidance to help you navigate this process successfully.

Through these connections, I met Matt, and my first manager, Maro, who became my most pivotal mentors. They guided me through the complexities of Medical Affairs and ultimately helped me land my first MSL role at AstraZeneca. For those of you who love data, here’s the breakdown: 500 reach-outs, 100 responses, 20 face-to-face meetings, and over 15 interviews, all leading to 1 job offer. That’s a 0.2% success rate from the initial 500 interactions, but a 7% success rate from the interviews! But it wasn’t just luck—it was preparation, persistence, the right direction, and the right connections that made all the difference. Now, I’d like to share that roadmap with you—from understanding the industry, companies, roles, stakeholders, and science to mastering networking and job interview preparation.

My first role as an MSL in cardiometabolic disease was truly eye-opening. It was time to put my knowledge into practice—communicating complex science, working with a wide array of stakeholders, and collaborating to achieve one common goal: better health outcomes. I hope to share these insights with you through MedWise Academy, where you’ll learn how to take the knowledge you’ve acquired and translate it into real-world practice.

This experience paved the way for my transition into an Oncology MSL role at Ipsen, where I thrived in the fast-paced, ever-evolving cancer space—an area I absolutely loved. Later on, Matt hired me again, this time at Amgen as a Medical Communications Manager. In this role, I got involved in strategic Medical Affairs planning and execution, working with the global med comms and publications team. I even spearheaded a pilot omnichannel initiative that was eventually adopted globally. Now, as the Senior Scientific Advisor at MedWise Consulting, I focus on learning, development, and capability-building for Medical Affairs professionals, while continuing to solve our clients’ everyday challenges—from medical communications to insights-driven strategies.

We receive messages daily on LinkedIn asking how to break into Medical Affairs. That’s why we created this online course—to offer practical, accessible, and affordable resources for the next generation of professionals. I’m excited to be part of your journey and can’t wait to see you in the MedWise Academy modules, providing the guidance and support you need, whether you’re starting out or transitioning into Medical Affairs.

Huey Wen Lee, PhD

Senior Scientific Advisor at MedWise Consulting