from Asia who were Board Certified, so I decided to complete the program. I hope this article was useful to help you choose which MSL certification is right for you. The Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs is meeting the daily challenge of expanding and level-setting the knowledge base of medical affairs professionals throughout the industry. In regard to the value they deliver to our field however, the fees are within acceptable budget for training and development, and far less than what one may pay to participate in other Medical Affairs industry programs. And those with pharmacy doctorates sometimes feel that while a PharmD credential shows off ones scientific research chops, its not specific enough to medical affairs to demonstrate the industry knowledge necessary or the ability to excel within a pharmaceutical or medical device company. is grabbing the attention of politicians and policymakers. I have worked in medical affairs for 3 years and I still felt like I learned a lot. Does anyone know about this combination? clinical medicine, and experts from the pharmaceutical industry. Toll Free: +1 (855) 255-7137, Rio de Janieiro St 212, Suite 151 Sao Paulo, SP 01240-010 Brasil, 202, Jai Omkar, Plot No. Yes, we have more time on our hands right now! We are going to break down the pros and cons of each. The MSL-BC program is a very new certification (released in February 2020). #BCMAS #PACS #PRC Board Certifications in Life SciencesACMA in the Newsmedicalaffairsspecialist. My comment part 1: The topic of standardization in Medical Affairs is timely and important. I thought it was interesting considering an acquaintance of mine (a former-MSL now in a non-field MedAffairs role) mentioned he didn't know anyone that cared for that certification. Post title says it all. The ACMA is a globally accredited & recognized organization, they have offices in the U.S., India, Europe, South America and the UAE. ProctorU is utilized by both organizations for proctoring of the exam and both are completed under timed conditions following an identity verification process. Is this certification respected and recognized? But how do you choose the right MSL Certification for you? One thing that really stood out was that these industry professionals include Vice Presidents of Medical Affairs, Chief Medical Officers, Medical Science Liaisons and other industry professionals. I very much agree that awareness of the discipline as a whole (of medical affairs) leads to higher levels of contribution. Consists of 140 multiple-choice questions. for the exam. Many of the comments here are false and misleading. an accreditor of medical affairs professionals and pharmaceutical sales representatives A business opportunity with a 50/50 chance of succeeding. Thats becoming more difficult to do as medical affairs becomes increasingly strategic, increasingly larger as a function within the industry and increasingly competitive. The BCMAS program is a perfect resource for industry professionals, transitioning academics or anyone seeking to gain and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of healthcare landscapes, therapeutic development and regulatory infrastructure. The MSL-BC includes only the certification exam and the onus is on the learner to try and find material to help them prep for the exam. ACMA Podcast is focused on establishing benchmarks of excellence in training for the One credentialing note of differentiation here: there is an amount of verbal diarrhea when it comes to whos the first this or which company has the only that, and both credentialing bodies claim to be the worlds first and/or only fill in the blank. Board Certification for Medical Science Liaisons: Implications for the The Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist or BCMAS is a credential that goes right up there next to your name after MD, DO, PhD or PharmD. These cookies do not store any personal information. In fact, I completed my PhD in a little over 4 years. ACMA works with experts around the world to develop country- and region-specific content within the BCMAS curriculum using advanced geo-redirect technology features. The ACMA is the only organization committed to the medical science liaison profession, which has been featured in mainstream media such as ABC News, Forbes and the Boston Herald. The BCMAS curriculum is comprehensive spanning 20 modules covering all areas of medical affairs. Background Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Professionals come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The BCMAS certification has been around since 2015 and the credential is very well recognized and widely used. Thats an important differentiator for BCMAS. The preparatory modules allowed me to learn new things Such a great foundation for someone new to pharma. Therefore, the chances of failing the exam are higher. Hold an MD, PharmD, PhD, DO, MBBS, DNP, NP, PA, BPharm, PsyD, or other relevant degree from an accredited college, university or institution. The biggest standout feature is the exam structure. While some MSLs view MSLS as a valuable resource, it's worth noting that they are not accredited by any outside body. in our pharmacy industry. The MSL-BC credential is still very new, and it remains to be seen how widely adopted it becomes. The ACMA provides training and certification programs for the pharmaceutical & healthcare industries. Tel: +1 (201) 688-2230 **application fee must be paid with a credit card or PayPal in US Dollars. Our MSL professional development and training solutions are based on real-world experience from professionals with world class MSL experience. In comparison the BCMAS credential is already being used by professionals from around the world because its been around for several years and industry leaders recognize BCMAS. MSLs are focused on building relationships with key experts To be fair, I will gladly prepare and sit for the MSL-BC if the MSLS would like a follow up article after the fact please contact me. Johnson & Johnson Medical Science Liaison Jamie M. Dettler-Leonard, PhD, BCMAS from provides her review of the BCMAS program on the Pharmacy Podcast Network discussing why BCMAS was worth pursuing. Those professionals working within clinical development, research & development and are transitioning to a medical affairs role. I spoke to one of their members on their website chat and he was down to earth, he showed me the benefits of the program along with some benefits you attain after completing the program. Of these, 125 questions will be used to calculate your test score. Those professionals working within clinical development, research & development and are transitioning to a medical affairs role. I believe it in. I just began looking into this and realize the potential of. (Article updated to include link to part 2). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The BCMAS provided me with a thorough knowledge of medical affairs operations, the life BCMAS helped me have everything in place and helped me expand my knowledge base beyond the product knowledge. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Any insight will be greatly appreciated. . $700. Additionally, they also have a dedicated team of advisors to help MSLs every step of the way. The other challenge is if you have a higher chance of failing; you are then paying twice for the exam which eventually adds up and make it very similar in pricing to BCMAS (which allows 4 exam retakes in the initial cost). The average medical science liaisons salary is $136,000. Hi Not sure if you saw this recent PR release: I'm connected on social media with the founders of the org. Everything including the exam fee is ~$1000. I guess you can argue that. What do the study materials cost? Why Certify with BCMAS - Home | ACMA The ACMA welcomes all points of view but we believe it's important to separate fact from fiction. I work for the ACMA social media staff and was made aware of these threads on reddit. Now in virtual format. You will have a total of 4 hours to complete the exam. Certainly time well spent! Accreditation Council for Medical AffairsStandard of Excellence #BCMAS medicalaffairsspecialist. The remaining 15 items serve as pretest questions, and do not affect your final score. Take the first steps toward achieving the gold standard in the pharmaceutical industry. Just talked to some of my colleagues in regulatory affairs who are anywhere from SM to SVP in their respective companies, mostly Temple (. Thoughts on BCMAS? : r/MedicalScienceLiaison - reddit An important caveat is that, unlike the BCMAS program, with MSL-BC the additional cost to retake the exam can be as high as $400. Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) Recertification ACMA received IACET accreditation, whose processes helped us build a rigorous curriculum. A displaced senior pilot-with 100,000 hours of heavy airline transport time, earning $150,000 a year-would have a hard time finding an equivalent highpaying job in school teaching. With this credential, your organization substantiates its commitment to quality care and improved patient outcomes. 5 Myth Busters: MSL Board Certification - Medical Affairs I can briefly share my experience with the ACMA program which I found quite worthwhile: I will update this community should that change. The lowest rating is NEMA 1 . BCMAS allows up to 3 hours for their four-section exam which includes multiple choice, true/false, select all that apply and case study formatted questions totaling between 90-100 questions. The BCMAS program is the most comprehensive educational program for medical affairs professionals and unlike other training programs that may be available; it is the only one that is accredited. The BCMAS certification is internationally recognized, and achieving the BCMAS . Medical science liaisons (MSLs), MSL manager/directors. As the U.S. grapples with the deadly opioid epidemic and public outrage over drug costs, This means that as an MSL, you will consistently reach out to people with the intent to educate them about your company and its products. The BCMAS helped me to tie together my story as a candidate.. Achieving the highly respected Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) Accreditation from ACMA provides this proof. With a curriculum that includes best practices across the organization, the ACMAs aim is to reinforce an integrated, cross-functional approach to medical affairs that makes medical affairs to be viewed as a true partner by other departments. The ACMA has Live 24/7 Chat support feature. Please contact us for more information, or view the scholarships information page. Growing need for medical affairs certification. MSL-BC is a professional standard developed only for MSLs and MSL managers. 10 Essential IT Certifications for 2023 | Coursera The Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs' (ACMA) BCMAS certification fee (more on that later) comes along with. The remaining 15 items serve as pretest questions, and do not affect your final score.