From Clinic to Pharma: Identifying and Showcasing Transferable Skills

This is the second article in a series where I will be exploring the challenges that aspiring Medical Affairs professionals face when trying to join the biopharmaceutical industry. Here I discuss the difficulties physicians and clinical practitioners face when trying to articulate their skills and capabilities. This article was originally published on LinkedIn.

Introduction

Breaking into the pharmaceutical industry, specifically in Medical Affairs, can be a daunting challenge for healthcare professionals. One of the key hurdles candidates face is the limited awareness and understanding of the role of Medical Affairs, as discussed in this previous article. This limited understanding and awareness also contributes to another significant challenge for aspiring Medical Affairs professionals. Healthcare professionals generally have a poor understanding of how to “sell themselves” outside of a clinical setting and with the general lack of knowledge of Medical Affairs this is compounded as they are unable to tailor their experiences for the specific role they are applying for. They often struggle to identify the transferable skills they possess, missing out on communicating the value they would bring to an organisation in the life sciences industry.

Of course, certain roles may require a specific clinical or technical expertise such as in an identified disease area. For example, it may be a highly desirable asset to have clinical experience in cardiology prescribing which makes it difficult for other types of clinical practitioners to compete. However, you still need to maximise your chances by understanding how to sell yourself in case they cannot find the right clinical profile. Conversely, if you are a cardiology registrar, you want to demonstrate that your clinical knowledge is built on a solid foundation of core transferrable skills. Either way, understanding these skills is paramount to breaking into industry.

In this article I aim to shed light on the importance of understanding and leveraging unique skills, focusing on the challenges that healthcare professionals face in recognising and communicating their differentiated profile. The article will also touch upon how to identify transferable skills from past projects and experiences and how to showcase them effectively in interviews.

Challenges

While healthcare professionals, such as doctors and pharmacists, possess a range of valuable skills and experiences, they often struggle to identify and communicate these differentiating factors for a number of reasons.

Healthcare professionals' training is highly specialised, focusing on the development of clinical expertise and patient care. This specialised training can result in a lack of awareness of the broader skill set they possess and its value in other industries. Additionally, the nature of their work in healthcare settings is often team-based and highly collaborative. As a result, healthcare professionals might find it challenging to identify their specific contributions and the skills they have developed through their experiences. The hierarchical structure of clinical medicine may also make it difficult for some professionals to recognise their leadership and decision-making abilities. Also, a doctor’s work environment typically emphasises clinical outcomes and patient care rather than showcasing individual skills and achievements. Consequently, these professionals might not have the experience or confidence to market themselves effectively when applying for roles in the pharmaceutical industry.

Below is a list of other factors that contribute the general difficulty physicians and other healthcare workers have in “selling themselves”.

• Lack of training in skill identification: Healthcare professionals receive extensive training in their respective fields, but often do not receive formal training, education or coaching in identifying and communicating their transferable skills. This is usually focused on specific technical skills and even general capabilities such as leadership, communication skills and collaboration skills are largely learned on the job rather than trained. The knowledge gap can make it difficult for them to recognise and articulate their unique strengths when pursuing opportunities outside of their clinical careers.
• Downplaying accomplishments: Clinical practitioners may inadvertently downplay their achievements and skills developed in projects that they consider part of their “standard” role. This mindset can lead them to overlook valuable experiences that demonstrate their competence in areas such as leadership, communication, problem-solving, project management and teamwork. For example, a medic may be involved in or leading medicines management groups, making decisions on patient pathways, local access to medicines, understanding budget management and resource optimisation, and writing clinical guidelines. This might be a "standard" part of their daily role but to a pharmaceutical company these are key areas of challenge when trying to introduce a new medicine into a healthcare system. Often, these types of experiences are not highlighted enough on CVs or in interviews which is a big miss for the individual.
• Familiarity within clinical careers: When applying for roles within their clinical field, healthcare professionals generally list their activities on a comprehensive CV with many pages, oftentimes even going into double figures if they are senior enough. The applications are then reviewed by people who work in the area and are familiar with the clinical vernacular and are more focused on the technical skillsets. This familiarity means that healthcare professionals generally don’t need to highlight communication skills, for example, when presenting research as it is the research itself that is the key factor so they end up listing all their publications, presentations and posters. However, this approach will not translate well when trying to break into the pharmaceutical industry, where hiring managers may not take the time to analyse a CV or resume to extract the broader skills. The CV, cover letter and interview are all opportunities to highlight what you can bring as an individual. This needs to be made clear to the organisation. A pharma company doesn’t want someone to lead multiple ward rounds but they might want someone who is a leader, teacher, able to make decisive calls, manage their time, defer to a senior when appropriate and learn on the job, all of which may occur during a ward round. It is understanding these nuance that will help a recruitment team picture you in the role.
• Limited exposure to alternative career paths: Healthcare professionals may not be aware of the full range of career opportunities available outside of their clinical roles. This lack of exposure can make it difficult for them to identify the skills and experiences that would be most relevant and valuable in other industries, such as medical affairs within the pharmaceutical industry. This is particularly true for Medical Affairs which is extremely varied, with the function engaging in almost the entire drug development and life cycle of a medicine.
• Overemphasis on technical skills: Healthcare professionals often place a strong emphasis on their technical skills and clinical knowledge. While these skills are undoubtedly important, they may overshadow the transferable skills that are equally valuable in the pharmaceutical industry. Consequently, healthcare workers may struggle to communicate their strengths in areas such as leadership, strategic thinking, and adaptability.
• Unfamiliarity with industry-specific language and expectations: Transiitoning to a new industry is difficult and healthcare professionals transitioning to the pharmaceutical industry may not be familiar with the specific language, jargon, and expectations that are prevalent in this field. This unfamiliarity can make it challenging for them to tailor their experiences and skills in a way that resonates with hiring managers in the pharmaceutical industry thus making it difficult to picture them in the role.
• Unable to “market themselves”: The concept of a “personal brand” is alien to physicians and other clinical practitioners as their story is usually summed up by their profession and specialism, like "orthopaedic surgeon with special interest in knee surgery". There is little need to develop a personal story or narrative in a clinical career and, as a result, hiring managers and interviewers find can find it difficult to truly understand what it is they bring that is unique. Developing your unique story will help to showcase your impact.

To overcome these challenges and successfully break into the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare professionals must first recognise the value of their transferable skills and experiences. By gaining a deeper understanding of the unique strengths they bring to the table, they can better position themselves for success in medical affairs roles and beyond.

Transferable Skills in Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals, specifically doctors and pharmacists, are equipped with a range of transferable skills that are highly valuable in the pharmaceutical industry. Some of these skills include:

1. Leadership
2. Communication and storytelling
3. Problem-solving
4. Teaching and mentoring
5. Teamwork
6. Learning agility
7. Financial literacy

However, many healthcare professionals are not aware of the value of these skills outside their immediate work environment, primarily because they are used to applying for roles where their skills are already well-known and understood. For example, in a hospital setting, a senior physician is well-aware of the tasks and skills involved in a junior physician's work, such as conducting an audit. This familiarity means that healthcare professionals often do not have to "sell" their skills and experiences as they would in other industries.

The above list is not exhaustive and each individual will have a unique profile that will suit certain types of roles in industry, certainly at entry level. Their unique experiences will result in a unique set of non-clinical skills that can be highlighted in a hiring process but the difficulty is in identifying these unique attributes. Taking the time to do so is extremely important.

Identifying Transferable Skills

To overcome these challenges and identify the transferable skills you possess, it is essential to take a step back and evaluate your past projects and experiences. Reflecting on your work and assessing the skills you have developed can help you identify the valuable assets you bring to a role in medical affairs. Here are some tips for evaluating your experiences:

• Reflect on your accomplishments: Think about the projects and experiences in which you played a significant role or made a notable impact. What skills did you use to achieve these successes? Were there any specific skills that were crucial in overcoming obstacles or solving problems? Did you surprise yourself with how you worked under pressure or as a team member or a leader?
• Create a skills matrix: Develop a list of transferable skills and rate yourself on each of them based on your past experiences. This exercise can help you identify the areas where you excel and those that need improvement. It can also highlight what you enjoy doing and what you find tedious or demotivating. These factors exist in every job but having that insight into yourself gives you two things. Firstly, you can try to minimise the things that don’t give you energy in your next role. Secondly, it demonstrates to a hiring manager that you do reflect and have insight and self-awareness, which is an important trait as a leader and team player.
• Talk to colleagues and mentors: Seek feedback from colleagues and mentors who have observed your work. They can provide valuable insights into your strengths and areas for development. The focus should be on areas of development that are generally important skills such as communication or teamworking skills. Do not try to become something you are not. If you do not have a strong research background then it can be very difficult to bolster that in a short space of time. If you don’t enjoy conducting clinical research, then it becomes even more difficult.
• Look for patterns: As you evaluate your experiences, try to identify patterns or recurring themes in the skills you have utilised. This exercise can help you understand the core competencies you possess and how they relate to the pharmaceutical industry. This is hugely important. Over the years, with reflection and learning, you will understand not just the key themes but also the direction you want to go in and your long-term objectives. This is part of your purpose discovery which should underpin all of your decision making.
• Make connections: Once you have identified your transferable skills, consider how they apply to the medical affairs field. Research the industry and understand the key skills and competencies that are in demand. These will also vary from role to role so it’s good to ask these questions in an interview. What skills is the hiring manager looking for? How will that role fit in with the rest of the team? What exactly will make the difference for that specific organisation?

Communicating Your Transferable Skills Effectively in Interviews

After identifying your transferable skills, the next challenge is to effectively communicate them during interviews. I believe the art of storytelling is the difference between good a great. The ability to communicate effectively is a fundamentally important capability for Medical Affairs. Luckily healthcare workers are excellent at this. Think about a handover, for example, and the framework that is used to communicate a highly complex patient history in a simple manner. The key is to develop a framework that works for you when talking about yourself. The real art of it is then elevating this to a level that is compelling, emotive and hopefully even inspirational. It won’t happen overnight but here are some tips to help you showcase your skills and experiences:

• Use the STAR method: When responding to interview questions, use the Situation, Task, Action, and Result (STAR) method. This approach helps you structure your responses and clearly demonstrate the skills you possess. As you refine your story and personal style, this STAR method can be adapted so that you don’t necessarily use it in that order but you include all the relevant information. It will no longer be a structured, scripted answer that you use but rather a guide as to what information to include. This takes time, practice and, in many cases, coaching.
• Be specific: Provide concrete examples from your experiences that showcase your transferable skills. Describe the context, your role, and the outcome, highlighting the skills you used to achieve success. Use robust, substantial examples that showcase many different skills. For example, stating that you wrote an article for a healthcare journal showcases your writing skills but taking a step back and talking about the research project that led to that article and a presentation might showcase many other skills like leadership, teamwork, project management, communication etc.
• Focus on achievements: Emphasise the positive outcomes and accomplishments you achieved through your projects and experiences. By focusing on your successes, you also help to showcase your strengths. If asked about areas where you have failed, acknowledge it and demonstrate that you have learned from those experiences, giving an example of where you have successfully applied those learnings. Growth mindset, willingness to learn and the ability to overcome challenges is extremely valuable not just in the pharma industry
• Prepare and practice: Before the interview, prepare answers to common competency-based interview questions and practice responding to them. This preparation will help you become more confident and articulate in showcasing your skills. The more you practice, the more you will understand the key messages you are trying to land and the more confident you will become as you commuincate your skills without sounding scripted.

Conclusion

Understanding and communicating your transferable skills are crucial in successfully breaking into the pharmaceutical industry, specifically in Medical Affairs roles. By reflecting on your experiences, identifying your skills, and effectively showcasing them in interviews, you can demonstrate your value to potential employers and overcome the challenges that healthcare professionals often face in this career transition. With persistence and self-awareness, you can pave your way to a rewarding career in the pharmaceutical industry.

Joshi Life Sciences is a coaching and strategic advisory consultancy for the Life Sciences industry set up by Dr Mayur R. Joshi (LinkedIn Profile).

Joshi Life Sciences specialises in career coaching for aspiring and current Medical Affairs professionals to maximise their potential and enhance their impact. We also advise companies looking to enhance their Medical Affairs functions, scale up their teams, build their organisations and we partner with companies that have shared values and vision.

Follow Joshi Life Sciences here to stay updated with latest developments, new partnerships and initiatives and the next article in the series.