Glenn Watson

Glenn Watson, PhD, is a Medical Science Liaison for LivaNova whose first experience in liaising was during a technology transfer internship while in graduate school. This experience, along with a passion for mentorship and science communication, guided his subsequent pursuit to explore scientific liaising opportunities during his postdoctoral training, which ultimately prepared him for his current position. In addition, he has authored numerous publications and a provisional patent. 

Can you describe your academic and professional background? What path led you to pursue this field? 

I loved world geography growing up.  However, when I reached undergrad, I debated my course of study. I found myself attracted to neuroanatomy shortly after because of the spatial ability required. For me, those small colored regions on the world map quickly became regions of the brain. 

After graduating with dual degrees in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Delaware, I received my PhD in Neuroscience at The Pennsylvania State University after conducting functional neuroanatomy research. I was fortunate during the last year of my graduate work to be accepted into a year-long technology transfer internship where I was tasked with liaising between our Office of Technology Management and University inventors. During my postdoctoral training later at Duke University, I again got involved in technology transfer by serving as a Fellow for two years at Duke University’s Office of Licensing & Ventures. Currently, I am a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) at LivaNova focused on their Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy® System for drug-resistant epilepsy.

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field? 

I distinctly remember seeing a job post on LinkedIn at 11:30pm one summer’s night and thought, “Wow, this position really aligns with my expertise.” I took it upon myself to spend the next two hours to write a proper cover letter and apply.

For an MSL position, you typically go through multiple phone screenings before you are either 1) given an assignment to complete or 2) required to give a presentation.  My initial contact with the company was a phone screening with a member of leadership (which I did not fully appreciate at the time). They were surprisingly interested in my technology transfer experience rather than my scientific research. After successfully passing the screening, I was sent an assignment to identify key opinion leaders within a specific geography and develop strategies on how to effectively engage them…..say what? Interestingly, they said that the deliverable can take any form. Because I was good at scientific illustration, I decided to let this strength lead the construction of a slide deck presentation. To say the least, the hiring manager was impressed. I was then granted an in-person interview and the rest is history. I found that simply being yourself and having the knowledge to confidently talk about the company’s product portfolio makes a meaningful impression.

Can you tell us about your current responsibilities? What is a typical day or week like in your role?

Any MSL will tell you that no day or week is the same. The position requires you to be dynamic and to perform well under pressure. For instance, within a typical week, I will address inquiries about our VNS Therapy System, provide medical education at hospitals, and engage in higher-level scientific conversations about data that support the efficacy of our therapy. I also stay connected with research by fielding conversations with investigators who are interested in pursuing studies with our company.

What do you enjoy about your current job and work environment? 

Much like my postdoc experience, I enjoy the freedom the job allows me to make my own schedule. But like a postdoc, being an MSL can be demanding and I do often find myself working after hours. The position is also remote, having the added benefit of not going to a brick-and-mortar establishment every day. There’s a good chance you’ll find me working in a hospital, airport, coffee shop, or from my home office.  

What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? Is there anything you wish you had known about your job or industry before joining?

One of the welcomed challenges of my current position was learning an entirely new therapeutic space. My research previously was in movement disorders, specifically Parkinson’s disease. My current position required me to learn about epilepsy treatments and our VNS Therapy System to a proficiency where I could confidently engage healthcare providers in meaningful conversation. Let’s just say it took a few months for me to get to that level. With that being said, the process of learning this new therapeutic space was fun!

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

I love mentoring others and empowering them to succeed. Every summer during my undergraduate I had the pleasure of mentoring high school students to become the first in their families to pursue college through a program called Upward Bound TRIO. This experience had a lasting impression and a main motivator for pursuing graduate school was to become a teaching professor. This aspiration further led me to my postdoctoral work, where the greatest joy for me came from mentoring graduate students towards a path of scientific success. Naturally I gravitated towards being an MSL because, in a sense, it requires you to be a medical educator. 

Within my industry I see myself in a similar leadership or teaching position down the road, such as becoming a manager (e.g., MSL manager). For my position in general, future career paths include becoming a senior MSL, MSL manager, medical advisor, scientific consultant, or director-level position in medical affairs.  

What’s changing in your industry? Are there any future trends we should be aware of?

This is a timely question within our industry considering the current pandemic. I believe a paradigm shift is occurring in the way MSLs engage external stakeholders: moving away from in-person meetings to virtual discussions. My last meeting with a healthcare provider was in Manhattan, NYC in mid-March 2020. Since then, I have conducted business virtually without considerable impasses. 

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

There are numerous membership societies out there for aspiring MSLs. Should you take it upon yourself to check out some of these groups to gain insight about the position? Yes. Would completing an ‘MSL skills workshop’ for a fee or being ‘Cheeky Scientist approved’ enhance your chances during the interview process? Possibly from a professional development standpoint. But having it on your resume will make virtually no difference to hiring managers. Is it more effective to reach out to current MSLs for an informational interview to receive practical advice? Absolutely.

At the end of the day, it will be how your expertise aligns with the position and your knowledge base with respect to the therapeutic space. Point and case: I have had the opportunity to interview many candidates for MSL vacancies at my company, some with and some without these resume ‘frills’. Ultimately, I’ve found that candidates with true, tangible experience within the therapeutic space, along with the ability to succulently communicate scientific information were the most successful (and are colleagues I work beside today).

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

Yes. It was not until the early 1980’s that companies began to require MSLs to hold a doctorate degree such as a PhD, PharmD, or MD. I have met highly skilled individuals such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants in the MSL position, but it is rare. In general, having a PhD is a significant advantage while pursuing a career in medical affairs. I’ve observed that if you’re a ‘T-shaped’ scientist, or a scientist with industry or clinical internship experience, your chances of landing an MSL position significantly increases. 

Do you have any final words of advice for those navigating these career questions? Is there anything you would have done differently given what you know now? 

We cannot predict the consequences of every move we make. No matter what career trajectory you pursue, I have three words of advice: 1) Do not take a job because it pays more. This is short sighted and something I struggled with during my postdoc; 2) Avoid lateral moves and always strive for career growth; 3) Most importantly, find ways to differentiate yourself from simply being a ‘lab scientist’ unless being a researcher is your ultimate goal. But for others, the goal is to become a more desirable job candidate in industry by being a multifaceted professional. Take on an industry internship (paid or not), find community outreach opportunities where you can ‘pay it forward’, and/or build your professional network to uncover opportunities not advertised. These pursuits show initiative, which go farther than simply obtaining a certification of completion from a website.