Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Regional Medical Advisor

💰 $150,000 - $220,000

Medical AffairsPharmaceuticalsBiotechnologyHealthcare

🎯 Role Definition

The Regional Medical Advisor (RMA), often synonymous with a senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL), is a field-based, non-promotional scientific expert who serves as a crucial connection between the pharmaceutical/biotech company and the medical community. This role is dedicated to fostering peer-to-peer relationships with leading healthcare professionals, known as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), within a specific therapeutic area and geographic territory. The RMA is responsible for disseminating complex clinical and scientific data, gathering actionable medical insights to shape company strategy, and supporting clinical research initiatives. They are the trusted scientific face of the organization, ensuring that medical and scientific communications are accurate, balanced, and compliant.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Medical Science Liaison (MSL)
  • Clinical Research Associate (CRA) or Clinical Scientist
  • Pharmacist or Physician with specialized clinical experience
  • Medical Information Specialist

Advancement To:

  • Medical Director or Senior Medical Director
  • Head of Medical Affairs / Therapeutic Area Lead
  • Senior/Executive Director of Field Medical
  • Group Medical Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Clinical Development & Strategy
  • Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR)
  • Medical Strategy & Launch Excellence
  • Pharmacovigilance or Drug Safety

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and nurture robust, long-term, peer-to-peer relationships with influential Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), clinical investigators, and key academic and community-based healthcare professionals.
  • Serve as the primary, advanced scientific and clinical resource for the medical community, delivering balanced, accurate, and up-to-date information on disease states, therapeutic options, and company products.
  • Engage in high-level scientific exchange and in-depth clinical discussions in various settings, including one-on-one meetings, group discussions, and formal presentations at medical congresses and symposia.
  • Proactively identify, collect, and internally communicate actionable medical insights and intelligence from the field to inform and shape medical, clinical, and commercial strategies.
  • Support the execution of company-sponsored clinical trials by identifying potential trial sites, engaging with principal investigators, and providing ongoing scientific support throughout the study lifecycle.
  • Facilitate the Investigator-Initiated Study (IIS) or Investigator-Sponsored Research (ISR) process, acting as the main point of scientific contact for investigators and guiding them through the company's submission, review, and approval process.
  • Provide expert-level scientific and clinical training to internal teams, including sales, marketing, and other commercial colleagues, to ensure their deep understanding of the therapeutic area and product data.
  • Respond to unsolicited, complex medical inquiries from healthcare professionals with scientifically robust, fair-balanced, and compliant information, often requiring deep literature searches and data analysis.
  • Collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners, including R&D, Marketing, Sales, Market Access, and Regulatory Affairs, to ensure strategic alignment and integrated execution of medical plans.
  • Lead or significantly contribute to the development, review, and approval of medical affairs content, such as slide presentations, training manuals, and standard response letters, ensuring scientific accuracy and compliance.
  • Critically evaluate new clinical and scientific data from peer-reviewed literature and scientific congresses, and expertly communicate its potential impact to internal stakeholders.
  • Play a key role in medical affairs activities related to product launches, including pre-launch KOL mapping, strategic engagement planning, and post-launch data dissemination efforts.
  • Act as the designated regional medical expert, providing strategic input for the development and execution of the regional medical affairs tactical plan.
  • Ensure all field-based activities are conducted with the highest level of integrity and in strict adherence to company policies, SOPs, and relevant legal and regulatory guidelines (e.g., PhRMA, OIG, FDA).
  • Support post-marketing data generation initiatives, such as patient registries or outcomes studies, by engaging with participating sites and ensuring a high level of scientific partnership.
  • Participate in and contribute valuable field insights during medical advisory boards, gathering expert feedback to guide clinical development programs and medical strategy.
  • Develop, execute, and track a regional KOL engagement plan that is fully aligned with the overarching national medical affairs strategy and objectives.
  • Serve as a senior therapeutic area expert at major medical conferences, responsible for manning the medical information booth and engaging in high-level scientific dialogue with attendees.
  • Proactively identify and communicate medical and scientific gaps that could be addressed through new data generation, targeted communication efforts, or medical education initiatives.
  • Provide fair and balanced scientific education to managed care organizations, payers, and formulary decision-makers to support market access and reimbursement discussions.
  • Mentor and train new or less experienced MSLs and RMAs, sharing best practices, institutional knowledge, and guidance on KOL engagement.
  • Document all field interactions, activities, and medical insights accurately and in a timely manner within the designated customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Secondary Functions

  • Contribute to the medical and scientific review of promotional materials to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Assist in the development and submission of publications, including abstracts, posters, and manuscripts for scientific congresses and peer-reviewed journals.
  • Support the central Medical Information team by handling escalated, complex, or region-specific medical inquiries.
  • Participate in internal project teams, task forces, and committees, acting as the voice of the field medical team and providing real-world clinical context.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep Therapeutic Area Expertise (e.g., Oncology, Immunology, Cardiology, Neurology)
  • Clinical Trial Design, Methodology, and Interpretation
  • Advanced Biostatistics and Critical Data Analysis
  • Pharmacology and the Drug Development Lifecycle
  • Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) Principles
  • Comprehensive Knowledge of Regulatory & Compliance Guidelines (FDA, PhRMA, OIG)
  • Scientific Literature Search and Critical Appraisal (PubMed, Embase, etc.)
  • Proficiency with CRM software (Veeva, Salesforce, etc.) and other digital engagement tools
  • Scientific and Medical Writing for various audiences
  • Presentation Development and Delivery (PowerPoint, virtual platforms)
  • Understanding of the US Healthcare System, including Market Access and Reimbursement

Soft Skills

  • Scientific Storytelling and Data Translation
  • Exceptional Relationship Building & Networking
  • Strategic Thinking and Planning
  • Strong Business and Commercial Acumen
  • Superior Interpersonal and Communication Skills (Verbal & Written)
  • Influence, Persuasion, and Negotiation
  • Adaptability and High Learning Agility
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration and Teamwork
  • Complex Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
  • Autonomy and Self-Management

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Advanced scientific or clinical degree (e.g., PharmD, PhD, MSN, PA, NP)

Preferred Education:

  • Terminal degree (MD, DO, PhD, PharmD) in a relevant scientific discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Pharmacy
  • Medicine
  • Nursing (Advanced Practice)
  • Biology / Molecular Biology / Biochemistry
  • Other relevant Life Sciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry or a clinical setting.

Preferred: 5+ years of experience in a Medical Affairs role, specifically as a field-based MSL or RMA. Prior experience and established KOL relationships within the specified therapeutic area are highly desirable. Experience with a product launch is a significant asset.

Explore More Careers