Medical Affairs professionals play a key role in life sciences. From Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) to Directors of Medical Affairs, these experts connect science with strategy, helping to shape product development, education, and engagement.

But while demand for talent in this space is growing, competition is too. Hiring managers and talent acquisition teams often have dozens, sometimes hundreds, of resumes to review. To stand out, it’s important your resume clearly shows your value, experience, and impact.

Here are six things they like to see on a strong Medical Affairs resume, plus a few tips to help you improve your chances in a competitive market:

Be Clear About Your Job Titles and Scientific Focus

A strong resume should be clear, not confusing.

When reviewing Medical Affairs candidates, hiring teams want to quickly understand:

• What therapeutic areas or diseases you’ve worked in

• If you were field-based (and in which region), office-based, or hybrid

• Whether you supported pre-launch, launch, or post-marketing activities

• Who you engaged with (KOLs, community HCPs, or both)

This helps them assess whether your background aligns with the needs of the role. Be specific, and avoid company-specific job titles that may not be widely understood.

Show the Impact of Your Scientific Work

It’s not enough to say you worked with KOLs or supported medical strategy. Hiring managers want to understand what changed because of your work.

Try adding bullet points that highlight:

• How many KOLs you worked with, and what insights you gathered

• Whether those insights led to changes in trial design, educational programs, or launch planning

• Outcomes, such as improved study enrollment or better engagement

For example:

"Gathered insights from 35+ oncology KOLs, resulting in a revised Phase III trial protocol that improved enrollment timelines by 20%.”

Make the Resume Easy to Skim

Most hiring managers spend less than 40 seconds on a first pass through a resume. Format matters.

• Put your most recent and most relevant roles at the top

• Use bullet points, not large blocks of text

• Keep it clean, simple, and focused on what matters

Ask yourself: could someone skim your resume and quickly understand what you’ve done and where you’ve added value?

Keep It Consistent and Credible

Your resume should reflect the industry’s language and expectations. A few things to keep in mind:

• Use standard job titles (e.g., “Medical Science Liaison” vs. “Scientific Advisor”)

• Avoid vague buzzwords like “results-oriented” or “dynamic” unless backed up by facts

• Stay consistent with your formatting, dates, and structure throughout

Credibility is key. Show your work, and let your experience speak for itself.

Use the Right Keywords

Keywords help your resume get picked up in both human and AI reviews. Some examples that matter in Medical Affairs include:

• “Scientific exchange”

• “KOL engagement”

• “Medical strategy”

• “Advisory boards”

• “Publications”

• “Evidence generation”

• “Launch readiness”

Tailor these to the job description where possible. Not sure what keywords to include? I have a full keyword list I’d be happy to share, just reach out to me here.

Highlight Education and Credentials

Make sure your academic background and certifications are easy to find. Especially for roles in the U.S., hiring managers want to know:

• Do you have a PharmD, PhD, MD, or MSc?

• Are you board certified or fellowship trained?

• For global roles: do you hold any international medical credentials?

Put this in a dedicated section near the top or bottom of your resume, just don’t hide it.

My Final Thoughts

Medical Affairs professionals offer a unique mix of scientific depth and strategic thinking. But in a crowded market, that value needs to come through clearly, and quickly, on your resume.

If you’d like someone to review your resume, help you tailor it for a specific role, or send over a list of keywords that reflect today’s Medical Affairs market, I’d be happy to help.

Reach out to me directly to book a short call or connect on LinkedIn.

📧 riya.sharma@seclifesciences.com

💻 Riya Sharma