Professional Identity and Medicines Development: An Academy Alumna Perspective

The Academy recently initiated a conversation regarding the importance of Professional Identity in Medicines Development/Pharmaceutical Medicine. We think it’s important that our readers receive an insider perspective about this important matter and we are delighted to feature content from graduates of the Academy Medical Affairs course. The course required the completion of two essays as part of the End of Program Assessment, and we have selected some of the top essays prepared by students of the course. Below is an essay written by Olga Lucia Angarita. Enjoy these student contributions and do feel free to send us your comments. Thank you, Olga, for sharing your insights with the Academy and its readers!

“Characterize Professional Identity in Medicines Development and the need for a Professional Identity for professionals involved in the field.”

“As Medical Affairs professionals, we are experts, usually physicians, in the healthcare system.  We play a role as acting scientific leaders to represent the pharmaceutical industry and the relationship it has with external stakeholders.  Our purpose is to create, demonstrate and communicate the clinical value of medicines, ensuring the well-being and safety of patients. In order to fulfil our mission, we work closely with stakeholders (e.g. patients, physicians in different areas of therapeutic specialties, and those responsible for the decision-making processes and medicines within the health sector) to understand and communicate scientific data, generate real-world evidence in health and making a continuous scientific exchange. This relationship requests always to maintain the highest standards of quality, scientific rigor, and integrity as we respond to stakeholders’ needs in a timely and respectful manner.

Medical Affairs is becoming one of the three strategic pillars within the pharmaceutical industry¹, in order to maintain this evolving position, it is our responsibility to help in the transformation of current views, so that our work is not perceived as an additional activity, but it is recognized as a true and very much needed profession. This implies to continue working for ensuring global recognition from our peers and to consolidate a solid professional identity through professional development (CPD) and education.

Although Medical Affairs hasn’t been recognized as an independent profession but a key component within Medicines Development, those of us who work in this field must intentionally strive towards the consolidation of a professional identity, understanding that this is a dynamic, individual process, influenced by internal and external factors². The set of attributes that allow us individual and social recognition as well as a clear differentiation from other professions are:

Patient-Centered Care: We have patients as the cornerstone of our work, prioritizing their safety and well-being. The patient’s interests must take precedence over any other commercial, organizational, or personal interest.

Technical and Scientific Knowledge: Our relationship with stakeholders is based on the exchange and delivery of scientific information; putting all our skills and existing knowledge about diseases and treatment options at their service, in order to provide the treating physicians, the needed information to ensure evidence-based decision-making processes.

Quality: Our daily work should reflect our commitment to operational excellence. We strive to achieve the highest standards of quality in each of our activities and interactions.

Ethics: We know and understand the ethical and compliance guidelines that govern the research and development of new pharmaceutical products, their commercialization and promotion, and the relationship with stakeholders.

Innovation: We have innovative thinking that seeks to develop technological solutions and useful practices to speed up the diagnosis of diseases, facilitating the treatment of patients and helping physicians to analyse and interpret the data generated through digital tools.

Strategic Vision: As we are part of the third strategic pillar of the pharmaceutical industry¹, we understand the needs of the business and know how to define the medical tactics necessary to meet them effectively.

As these attributes have become an indelible hallmark of our profession, we are starting to get well-deserved professional recognition of scientific leaders within the pharmaceutical industry. For this reason, we should feel proud of our purpose to create, demonstrate, and communicate the clinical value of medicines, ensuring the well-being and safety of patients.”

References

1. Evers M. (June 12^th, 2019). A vision for medical affairs in 2025. www.mckinsey.com Recovered from  https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/a-vision-for-medical-affairs-in-2025 (Nov 30th, 2021)
2. Cruess, R. L., Cruess, S. R., Boudreau, J. D., Snell, L., & Steinert, Y. (2015). A schematic representation of the professional identity formation and socialization of medical students and residents: a guide for medical educators. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 90(6), 718–725. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000700

Disclaimers

• The material in these reviews is from various public open access sources, meant for educational and informational purposes only
• Any personal opinions expressed are those of only the author(s) and are not intended to represent the position of any organization(s)
• No official support by any organization(s) has been provided or should be inferred