Many physicians have had enough of being burned out, dealing with the challenges of COVID-19, and getting bogged down with too much paperwork — and, as a result, have started to consider a nonclinical career. Other physicians enjoy practicing clinically, but are interested in a change or want to use their skills to help people on a larger scale. Yet, physicians are often unaware of the variety of options available.
Years ago, I began helping physicians and other medical professionals find fulfillment in their careers. I’ve seen many physicians pursue a variety of nonclinical roles, including teaching, writing, administration, and more. The overwhelming majority of these doctors are happy they’ve made the change.
Some physicians who begin looking into their options for a nonclinical career immediately consider the pharmaceutical field, owing to its close relationship with the practice of medicine. Others, however, are skeptical about working in this industry, which seems to stem from a lack of awareness about the role of doctors in pharma or misconceptions about the field.
The pharmaceutical industry is not only a logical option for physicians interested in taking their career beyond the bedside, it is also an option with a very broad range of potential positions and career paths for doctors.
Of nearly 950,000 physicians in the US workforce, probably only a few thousand currently work in the pharmaceutical and medical products field as their primary role. Some of these doctors were in a medical practice before making the switch; others took a job in industry right after medical school or residency. Despite the small number, the type of work they’re doing is wide-ranging and the paths taken to get there are diverse.
Physicians fit in anywhere from early-stage research to postmarketing surveillance, taking on both broad roles encompassing multiple disease states or lines of business and specialized positions within a single therapeutic area.
This article covers six types of jobs in the pharmaceutical industry that may be a good fit for physicians. I’ll also point out what you may like or dislike about each job, and provide a general salary range. Some positions require a medical degree, whereas others may also accept medical and healthcare professionals with other backgrounds, such as physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and PhDs.
1. Drug Research and Development
Drug research and development involves laboratory research in early phases and conducting and managing clinical trials in later phases. An investigational drug needs to undergo rigorous testing to demonstrate its safety and efficacy before it will be approved for use in humans outside of trials. The research and development process includes discovery research, preclinical studies, and three phases of clinical studies that get progressively larger and more complex with each phase.
The main reason for the extensive time and resources dedicated to research and development is the US Food and Drug Administration’s stringent standards for medications. Pharmaceutical companies try to avoid facing nonapproval by dedicating a great deal of resources to clinical development. Medical and scientific experts are essential to this process and its success.
Medical professionals provide a “clinical voice” in the drug development process to secure regulatory approvals and confirm that new medications are both safe and effective.
A physician working as a clinical research and development medical director interacts with internal teams, external experts and investigators, and regulatory bodies. Any decisions that have significant clinical components or implications involve the medical director.
Physicians in research and development are reviewing study protocols for suitability and feasibility. Directors improve a trial’s chance of success by ensuring that the latest scientific information is implemented into clinical development plans and that participants in a clinical trial receive the most appropriate treatment.
Where to find these jobs: Jobs for physicians in drug research and development can be found with both pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations (CROs). Physicians who are on the fence about transitioning to a nonclinical career might be interested in participating in drug research and development from within a clinical setting. Being an investigator for a clinical trial provides useful exposure to the clinical research process and provides relevant experience for positions at pharma companies.
General expected pay range: $130,000-$250,000 per year
What some physicians like about these jobs: Many doctors have participated in some type of research by the time they complete their training. Those who enjoy it may find they also enjoy the challenge of drug research and development. Physicians in this line of work often appreciate the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams and play an active role in bringing new treatments to patients.
What some physicians dislike: Drug development is a highly regulated field. The red tape and bureaucracy may be frustrating for some doctors. Preclinical and clinical trials that don’t meet expected outcomes can mean a sudden, jarring end to all ongoing efforts to bring an investigational agent to market. It’s important to keep in mind that such decisions aren’t a reflection of the quality of the physician’s work, but are simply business decisions.
2. Regulatory Affairs
Pharmaceutical companies have divisions dedicated to regulatory affairs, owing to the industry’s tight regulatory oversight. Broadly, regulatory work involves applying governing regulations that relate to biopharmaceuticals and devices to every stage of the product life cycle. Professionals in this field act as a bridge between the industry and regulatory bodies.
Physicians are not as crucial to the success of regulatory affairs as they are to other pharmaceutical industry areas. Still, a strong medical background is an asset. Pharmaceutical companies look for innovative solutions relating to regulatory requirements, to the extent possible. Doctors, more so than those with basic science or writing backgrounds, can use their medical knowledge to explain concepts or present data in original ways.
A regulatory affairs director guides the overall regulatory strategy for the organization, as well as the strategy for each product in the company’s pipeline to ensure timely approval and commercialization. The director gives input to the drug or device development team on any activities related to regulation.
Preparing and reviewing regulatory documents for submission is a significant component of the job. Documents include investigational applications for new products, clinical study reports, investigator brochures, amendments and exemption applications, and safety updates.
Where to find these jobs: Pharmaceutical companies hire professionals for regulatory affairs; however, some CROs and consulting firms provide regulatory services for drug companies as well. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is another option for physicians who are interested in drug and device regulatory work from the side of the regulator. The FDA depends heavily on the expertise of their medical officers to ensure that only safe and effective drugs are approved and remain on the market.
General expected pay range: $70,000-$120,000 per year for regulatory writing jobs, and $110,000-$210,000 per year for director positions
What some physicians like about these jobs: Regulatory affairs work may be appealing to doctors who find satisfaction in following the rules and paying attention to detail.
What some physicians dislike: Doctors who value having a great deal of creativity in their work might feel restricted in regulatory work. Compared with other areas within the pharmaceutical industry, there is less of a need for the expertise of physicians in regulatory affairs. As a result, positions rarely require an MD or DO, and the compensation often reflects this.
3. Medical Affairs
Medical affairs takes center stage where research and development leaves off: at the point of drug approval. “Medical affairs” is a broad term whose precise function varies from company to company. In general, it provides a link between the company’s scientific and commercial needs and goals. It includes aspects of information dissemination, education, medical research, communications, business operations, and regulatory support.
The medical affairs team’s overarching goals are to gain rapid acceptance of a new drug by the medical community, achieve higher peak sales, and ensure that the drug stays on the market for a longer time.
Physicians are vital members of a medical affairs team, most often taking the role of medical director. They are the source of medical and clinical expertise for the team’s varied functions. Medical affairs staff with strong medical backgrounds can more effectively use clinical data generated during research and development to drive momentum for a newly approved drug.
Physicians’ medical experiences prepare them to understand a drug’s potential market impact in specific patient populations or for new indications—often beyond what was studied in clinical trials. They can assist in gaining and growing market share through education and postmarketing studies.
Most medical affairs divisions have a field-based team that interacts with the medical and scientific community. As drug development shifts toward personalized medicine, rare diseases, and specialty drugs, it is becoming increasingly important that prescribers understand clinical data, indications, and drug information. A physician working as a medical science liaison (MSL), for example, is responsible for interfacing between the company and outside healthcare professionals.
Where to find these jobs: Large pharmaceutical companies tend to have internal medical affairs teams. Smaller companies and those with specific needs may use medical affairs consulting firms. In addition to research, some CROs also offer medical affairs services.
General expected pay range: $170,000-$310,000 per year for medical affairs positions, and $125,000-$190,000 per year for MSL jobs
What some physicians like about these jobs: Most medical affairs teams are specific to a therapeutic area. This means that many medical affairs physicians are able to utilize their specialty or subspecialty training and experience to assist in their work. Moreover, those who have developed professional networks throughout their clinical careers can continue to use these connections and relationships while working in medical affairs.
What some physicians dislike: Because medical affairs is less technical in nature than other pharmaceutical positions, there can be less job security. Landing a position in medical affairs can be a challenge for some physicians who don’t have industry experience. Field-based positions, which include most MSL roles, often require extensive travel.
4. Drug Safety
A drug’s benefits need to outweigh the risks. To accomplish this, any adverse effects found during clinical trials need to be thoroughly investigated. Ideally, a drug company identifies any adverse effects before approval; however, this isn’t always feasible. There also may be side effects or toxicities that are known but not fully understood before approval. That’s why ongoing drug safety efforts are needed when a drug is being actively marketed and used in treating patients.
Drug safety teams are multidisciplinary, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and scientists. Physicians interact with all levels of the team and hold significant responsibility for the detection and investigation of what are known as “safety signals.” The company gathers data about potential adverse events through online reporting forms, call centers, and other means. Drug safety physicians use their medical knowledge along with an array of protocols and resources to determine the best course of action in responding to a safety signal.
Where to find these jobs: Drug safety and pharmacovigilance functions can be carried out internally or outsourced. Much work done by physicians with the FDA is similar to that conducted by industry drug safety physicians.
General expected pay range: $140,000-$270,000 per year
What some physicians like about these jobs: Drug safety physicians are rewarded by mentally challenging work that truly utilizes their scientific, medical, and clinical knowledge. Compensation typically rivals that of clinical work, owing to the need for a medical degree and relevant clinical experience in interpreting safety signals and trends. Jobs tend to have regular hours and can sometimes be done remotely.
What some physicians dislike: The work of a drug safety physician can be stressful. Complex decisions must be made about whether findings constitute a significant drug safety event. Similar to clinical work, patients’ lives are on the line. Drug safety may not be the most fitting career for doctors who dislike working with data, especially those who would not feel comfortable dealing with incomplete data and occasional misinformation.
5. Medical Education
Marketing and education in the pharmaceutical industry spans beyond TV ads and drug rep visits. Print and web-based informational materials, continuing medical education, medical publications, having a presence at scientific meetings, and disease awareness programs are only a few of the many other activities.
A physician’s medical background is valuable in truthfully and directly portraying medical information while simultaneously supporting the client’s brand and needs. A solid familiarity with healthcare and public health is an asset and can assist in developing medical education materials that tell a compelling story to clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders.
A medical director working within pharmaceutical medical education is responsible for conceptualizing and overseeing the development of various types of educational materials. These might include slide decks for continuing education sessions, reports summarizing advisory board meetings, scripts for educational videos, website copy for advocacy groups, and informational pamphlets.
The extent to which a medical director is responsible for the actual writing of content varies, depending on company size and project type. Some directors may have the help of a team of medical writers, editors, and other staff to create a publications plan. Regardless, they must use a critical eye to ensure that written material is medically accurate and that claims are backed by the pharmaceutical company’s data from clinical trials and other sources.
Where to find these jobs: Although pharmaceutical companies often have internal medical education divisions, the technical and writing parts of “med ed” are often done by third-party organizations. Roles are available in medical communications companies and full-service CROs. Medical education is also an option for physicians wishing to freelance.
General expected pay range: $110,000-$160,000 per year
What some physicians like about these jobs: Medical education is appealing to many physicians in that it requires digesting and summarizing large quantities of highly technical information into formats that are appropriate for different audiences and outlets. Hours are often flexible, and many medical writing positions allow for remote work.
What some physicians dislike: Compensation for physicians in medical education isn’t stellar, which may be a turnoff for some doctors. This type of work requires meeting tight deadlines and often involves adapting quickly to changing priorities and requirements.
6. Health Economics and Outcomes Research
Health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) within a pharmaceutical company aims to collect and disseminate data on a drug after approval. It tends to focus on humanistic data, such as health-related quality of life and other patient-reported outcomes. This field has grown rapidly as governments and payers grapple with how to provide the best possible health outcomes to their populations.
Because of the pivot in commercial strategy from simple product pricing toward establishing value and demonstrating health outcomes, professionals with medical backgrounds are now a significant component of HEOR. Success in this field requires a solid understanding of the needs and concerns of customers, which are often clinical in nature.
Physicians in this field interact with commercial team members as well as with clinical staff in other divisions in order to understand and communicate economic evidence to support a drug’s marketing and pricing strategy. Externally, physicians in HEOR are responsible for demonstrating the value of the company’s drugs to healthcare payers.
With regard to research activities, an HEOR director oversees analyses to support marketing decisions and assist healthcare providers and payers in delivering cost-effective solutions. The HEOR director may be involved in several aspects of research, including study design and implementation, data analysis, and dissemination of results.
Where to find these jobs: As with other types of jobs for physicians in the pharmaceutical industry, HEOR positions can be found both internally and with companies to whom HEOR needs are outsourced. The rise of healthcare analytics has created a need for HEOR specialists within health tech companies and healthcare payers. HEOR roles can also be found in research institutions, think tanks, and other organizations involved in shaping health policy.
General expected pay range: $110,000-$135,000 per year
What some physicians like about these jobs: HEOR can be a great fit for numbers-oriented physicians. Doctors who find themselves considering cost-effectiveness while working in the clinical setting are likely to enjoy the problems tackled in HEOR work. Because most HEOR professionals don’t come from a clinical background, a physician’s skill set can be a big asset to an HEOR team.
What some physicians dislike: Because most HEOR positions do not require an MD, the pay tends to be lower than for other types of work for physicians in the pharmaceutical industry. Doctors who enjoy the “soft” side of medicine may not appreciate the mathematical modeling, statistics, and economic analyses that make up the bulk of HEOR.
Conclusion
The pharmaceutical industry offers a broad range of opportunities for physicians. Medical device, biotechnology, and other medical product companies often offer similar positions that depend on a physician’s deep medical knowledge base and clinical experience.
Physicians who are interested in transitioning to a nonclinical role should think about their motivations and what brings them fulfillment in this work. This will help them to pursue the right jobs within the industry. Being able to give meaningful reasons for applying to a particular job is crucial to landing a great position.
To learn more about jobs for physicians in these areas, as well as in other industries and sectors, check out 50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians.
