The PHARMA MEDIC Podcast

How comfortable are you saying, “I don’t know”?
It sounds simple, but I think it is one of the harder things to say at work, particularly when people expect you to be the expert in the room.
Over the years, I’ve come to realise that expertise isn’t about always having the answer. In fact, sometimes the more experienced you become, the more comfortable you need to be recognising where your knowledge ends, where the evidence becomes less certain and where judgement has to take over.
That is what I explore in this episode of The Pharma Medic.
Uncertainty is everywhere in our working lives. It comes up in conversations about clinical evidence, project deadlines, strategy, recruitment, budgets, career decisions and leadership. Someone asks you a question and, quite often, they would really like a simple yes or no.
But life, science and business rarely work like that.
So how do you give an answer that is useful without pretending to know more than you do? How do you avoid drowning people in caveats while still being honest about what you don’t know? And how do you make a decision when you know you may never have all the information you would ideally like?
I share a simple way I’ve started thinking about this. I call it FOG.
Find the facts. Own the gaps. Go with judgement.
What do I genuinely know?
Where does my confidence start to drop?
What am I assuming?
What information am I missing?
And, perhaps most importantly, does what I don’t know actually change what I should do next?
I also talk about something I think becomes increasingly important as our careers develop. The ability to say, “I don’t know that accurately enough from memory. Let me check.”
There can be a temptation, particularly earlier in our careers, to feel that credibility comes from having an immediate answer. I’ve learned that the opposite can often be true. People remember when confidence gets ahead of the evidence. Saying you will check and then actually coming back with the answer can build far more trust than trying to bluff your way through the moment.
This feels particularly relevant today because we are surrounded by answers. Search engines give us answers. Social media gives us answers. Artificial intelligence can now produce incredibly polished and confident answers in seconds.
The question is increasingly not just, “What is the answer?”
It is, “How confident should I be in this answer?”
For me, that is becoming an important part of modern professional judgement.
As we continue this season’s theme of moving from expert to architect, perhaps our role isn’t always to remove uncertainty for other people. Sometimes it is simply to help them navigate through it.
You may not be able to see the whole road ahead.
You just need enough visibility to make the next good decision.
And perhaps that is the thought I would like to leave you with:
The mark of expertise is not certainty. It’s knowing where certainty ends.
And then having the judgement to decide what to do next.
The Pharma Medic. Be curious. Stay credible. Be useful.

What happens when being the expert is no longer enough?

In the first episode of Season 4 of The Pharma Medic, I explore a shift that happens in many careers: the point where your value is no longer defined simply by how much you know, but by what happens because of what you know.
We spend years building expertise, gaining qualifications, learning the evidence and becoming the person others come to for answers. But as our careers progress, something changes. Judgement matters more. Communication matters more. Context matters more. And increasingly, our impact depends on whether we can help other people make sense of complexity and make better decisions.
I call this the expert trap: the belief that if we provide enough accurate information, the right conclusion will naturally follow.
In this episode, I reflect on why technically excellent presentations sometimes lead to no real decision, why completeness can occasionally become a form of self-protection, and why there is an important difference between being correct and being useful.
I also introduce a simple framework for important conversations: Data. Meaning. Decision. What do we genuinely know? Why does it matter in this context? And what should happen next?
Although the conversation comes from my experience in Medical Affairs and healthcare, the ideas apply much more broadly to anyone whose career is built around expertise—whether in medicine, science, law, engineering, academia, consulting, business or leadership.
As our careers develop, perhaps the more interesting question is no longer simply:

“What do I know?”

It becomes:

“What happens because I’m here?”

Welcome to Season 4: From Expert to Architect.
Be curious. Stay credible. Be useful.

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we shift from insight to action—focusing on practical strategies for medics looking to break into medical affairs roles in 2025.
Building on Part 1, which explored why it has become increasingly difficult to enter the field, this episode is all about helping you move forward with clarity, intention, and confidence. Whether you’re a doctor, pharmacist, or scientist feeling stuck after multiple job applications, this episode offers real-world advice and guidance to help you build your way in.
Topics discussed in this episode include:
How to skill up for the modern medical affairs role by bridging gaps in business acumen, regulatory knowledge, digital fluency, and strategic thinking.
Creative ways to gain relevant experience—such as starting in adjacent roles, participating in academic-industry collaborations, taking on contract positions, or reframing your clinical and research background in industry language.
Networking tips that actually work, including how to connect authentically on platforms, build your professional presence, and find mentors who have already made the transition.
How to make your application stand out by tailoring your CV, using the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to demonstrate impact, and presenting transferable skills in a compelling way.
Why mindset is crucial—especially in a competitive landscape where rejection is often more about positioning than ability. We explore the importance of patience, persistence, and staying connected to your bigger purpose.
If you’ve been wondering what to do next—or how to reposition yourself after hitting repeated roadblocks—this episode is for you. It’s not about having the perfect profile; it’s about taking consistent, intentional steps that bring you closer to your first break in medical affairs.
As we say in the episode:
You’re not unqualified. You’re unpositioned.
It’s not rejection. It’s redirection.
And you don’t need to be perfect. You need to be intentional.
Whether you’re early in your journey or already applying, this episode is designed to give you renewed focus, energy, and encouragement to keep going.

In this first part of a two-part series, we take a deep and honest look at why it’s become significantly harder for medics to break into medical affairs roles in 2025.
This episode explores the major shifts that have taken place in the industry over the past two decades, including how medical affairs has evolved from a back-office support function to a critical strategic pillar within pharmaceutical companies. We unpack why today's hiring criteria have become increasingly stringent, bespoke, and competitive, and why even highly qualified clinicians and scientists are struggling to gain their first foothold in the field.
Key themes covered in this episode include:
The transformation of medical affairs into a strategic leadership function
The growing demand for professionals who can integrate scientific knowledge with business acumen, compliance, and digital fluency
Why many roles now receive 200+ applicants and favor those with specific therapeutic experience
The rise of digital expectations — from omnichannel communication to data-driven engagement
The importance of soft skills, emotional intelligence, and cross-functional collaboration
Regional challenges in Europe and Asia, including regulatory constraints and cultural preferences for local experience
We also explore the emotional toll of rejection, the systemic barriers that make it feel impossible to even get an interview, and the awareness gap many candidates have about what the role actually entails. Importantly, we challenge the myth of the “perfect fit” and introduce the idea of reframing your clinical and academic experience through the lens of transferable skills.
This episode is a blend of realism and encouragement—grounded in industry insight but focused on empowering listeners with a new perspective. It sets the stage for Part 2, which will offer practical strategies, networking approaches, CV positioning tips, and mindset shifts to help you actively build your way into medical affairs.
Whether you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or just unsure how to reposition yourself for a future in pharma, this episode provides the clarity, context, and encouragement you need to take your next step.

In this episode of The Pharma Medic Podcast, we dive into the rollercoaster that is the modern job search—especially for those navigating careers in Medical Affairs and the broader pharma world. Inspired by a recent panel discussion at King’s College London, I reflect on the honest, sometimes frustrating realities of trying to land the right role in today’s hyper-competitive market.
From being ghosted after applications, to investing hours crafting tailored cover letters only to never hear back, many of us have experienced the emotional toll that comes with trying to get noticed—and hired. This episode is a candid and comforting guide for anyone who's ever felt stuck, overlooked, or just plain exhausted by the job hunt.
But we don’t stop at the frustration—we explore strategy too. One of the key takeaways from the panel discussion was this: it’s not just about your resume or your LinkedIn profile. It’s about how you show up. It’s about your presence—the value you bring in how you engage, comment, and contribute to the conversations that matter in your field.
We talk about how engagement on LinkedIn—insightful comments, thoughtful questions, and adding perspective to industry posts—can do more for your visibility than polishing your summary line for the 15th time. Your profile matters, of course. But the way you think and show up? That’s what people remember.
I also unpack a lesser-discussed reality: sometimes, roles are posted publicly because of policy or regulatory requirements, but the hiring team already has an internal candidate in mind. It’s not personal. It’s procedural. And yes, it stings. I’ve been there, and in this episode, I share what to do when it happens—and how to still use your application to stand out by offering the unique value of an “outsider’s” perspective.
We’ll also dig into the framework hiring managers often use to evaluate resumes in those first 15 to 20 seconds. Spoiler alert: they’re not reading your life story. They’re asking four key questions:

What role are you targeting?
What results have you delivered?
What skills and strengths do you bring?
Can you repeat your success in this role?
And all of that? Needs to be clear in the top third of your resume.
I’ll walk you through how to structure your resume to make an immediate impact—starting with a target job title, top three skills, a short personal branding statement, a showcase of key achievements, and a strengths section tailored to the role.
Finally, I reflect on the value of not internalizing rejection. If a role asks for specific experience—say, affiliate experience in a certain region or regulatory submission exposure—and you don’t have that, it doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It just means the fit wasn’t quite there. That’s not a measure of your potential. That’s alignment, not inadequacy.

This episode is a reminder that your journey is unfolding, even if it doesn’t look like it today. Whether you’re rewriting your resume for the third time, considering a bold pivot, or just trying to stay hopeful—this one’s for you.
Tune in to hear stories, strategies, and the mindset shifts that will help you not just survive the job search, but find your way through it—one conversation, one comment, one brave next step at a time.