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Director Medical Affairs

I work with medics and scientists to support multiple brands in specific therapy areas.

What do you do?

Manage a team of office and field based medics and scientists supporting multiple brands in the following therapy areas: CV, Diabetes, Pulmonary Hypertension, Women's Health, Anaesthetics

What qualifications and experience do you have?

BM BS BMedSci MFPM

What does your typical day involve?

Internal team meetings, cross-functional team meetings, approval of promotional materials, meeting with external SLs, preparation for external meetings.

How has your career developed since you entered the industry?

Started in PV then moved into medical affairs role. Was promoted to be a people manager within Immunology. Subsequently moved into a marketing director role to gain commercial experience and then became acting Business Unit Director for Immunology for a period of 6 months. Then asked by GM to move back into medical to head up team looking after cardiovascular and have then continued to absorb other therapy areas.

When did you decide on a career in the pharmaceutical industry?

15 years ago. I was about to get my training number for surgical training and decided I wanted to do something else using the skills that I had developed

Do you work mostly on your own or as part of team?

Team (hate working on my own)

What is it like socially where you work?  

Fun, good buzz

What are you most proud of in your career?    

Developing other people and watching them get other roles and succeed within the company.

Do you think additional qualifications or experience would be an advantage for someone entering the industry now?       

No – a "can do" attitude and ability to get on with others and work within a team to achieve what needs to be done is most important. Flexibility, humility and a sense of humour are most needed.

What possibilities are there for your career in the future?     

Anything I want them to be. Likely to be UK Medical Director or Regional Medical Director.

What do you think the most important skills are for someone in your role?  

Communication, ability to manage and understand people, matrix management and influencing skills.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the pharmaceutical industry?   

Find out what industry can offer and be very clear as to what would be attractive about that. For example if the reason they are leaving the NHS is because of too much process and governance then a large US based pharma company would not be the right move as they are likely to have vast amounts of process.

Case studies

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Analytical Chemist (Discovery)
  • Animal Technologist
  • Apprentice - Higher Laboratory Scientist
  • Biologist (biomarkers)
  • Biologist (DPMK)
  • Biologist (imaging)
  • BioPharmaceutical Scientist
  • Biostatistics Manager
  • Business Engagement Director
  • Chemical Biologist
  • Chemical Engineer
  • Chemist (manufacturing)
  • Chemist (process)
  • Chemistry (discovery)
  • Chemistry Outsourcing Manager and Synthetic Chemist
  • Clinical Data Manager
  • Clinical Quality Assurance Advisor
  • Clinical Research Analyst
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Clinical Research Manager
  • Clinical Research Project Manager
  • Clinical Safety Scientist
  • Clinical Safety Scientist 2
  • Clinical Scientist
  • Clinical trials supplies
  • Commercial Account Manager
  • Commercial Director
  • Compliance Director
  • Contract Manager
  • Data Sciences Manager
  • Director Medical Affairs
  • Drug Safety Associate – Video
  • Drug Safety Officer
  • Epidemiologist
  • Executive Sales Representative
  • Geneticist
  • Graduate Trainee Biologist
  • Graduate Trainee Chemist
  • Graduate Trainee In Vivo Scientist
  • Head of Drug Safety and Local Safety Officer
  • Head of Health Economics
  • Head of Market Access
  • Healthcare Manager
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemist)
  • Industrial Placement (Medicinal Chemistry)
  • Industrial Placement (Regulatory Policy)
  • Industrial Placement Biologist
  • Industrial Placement Chemist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist
  • Industrial Placement Pharmacologist - Respiratory
  • Industrial placement student – biologist
  • Industry Accountant
  • IT Project Manager
  • Laboratory Technician (biology)
  • Laboratory Technician (chemistry)
  • Lean Coach
  • Learning and Development Business Practice Lead
  • Legal Coordinator
  • Manufacturing Operative
  • Market Access Director
  • Mathematical Modeller
  • Medical department intern
  • Medical Director and Managing Director UK & Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Ireland
  • Medical Director UK and Republic of Ireland
  • Medical Information Scientist
  • Medical Physicist
  • Medical Writer
  • Medical writer (freelance)
  • Medicinal Chemist
  • Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Medicinal Chemistry Director
  • Occupational Health Manager
  • Patent Attorney
  • Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist
  • Pharmaceutical Technologist
  • Pharmacist (formulation)
  • Pharmacist (pre-registration)
  • Pharmacokineticist (DMPK) – Video
  • Pharmacologist
  • Pharmacovigilance Scientist
  • Policy and Public Affairs Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Production Coordinator
  • Project Manager / Director
  • Public Relations Executive
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Quality and Compliance Vice President
  • Regulatory Affairs and Qualified Person
  • Regulatory Affairs Associate
  • Regulatory Affairs Consultant (Freelance)
  • Regulatory Affairs Executive
  • Regulatory Associate
  • Research Project Leader
  • Research Scientist – Video
  • Sales Representative
  • Scientific Affairs Manager (Nutrition)
  • Senior statistician
  • Specialist Medical Representative
  • Statistician
  • Summer placement student
  • Synthetic Medicinal Chemist – Video
  • Toxicologist
  • Toxicologist (Contract Research)
  • Toxicology Study Director
  • Training Director
  • Training Instructor
  • UK and Ireland Medical Director
  • Veterinary Surgeon

ABPI

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales 
(registered number 09826787) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside,105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT.
Telephone +44 (0) 207 9303477

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Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA)

The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) was established by The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to operate the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry independently of the ABPI. The PMCPA is a division of ABPI which is a company registered in England and Wales (registered number 09826787) with its registered office at 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT.

Office of Health Economics (OHE)

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered number 09848965) and its registered office is at 7th Floor Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT. OHE provides independent research, advisory and consultancy services on policy implications and economic issues within the pharmaceutical, health care and biotechnology sectors.