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Dalila Masic, Regional Medical Director for T1D Immunology at Sanofi, joins OnPoint to break down the five levels of AI adoption her team uses, from simple information lookups to strategy that shapes patient outcomes. She and Scott dig into what it actually takes to build AI fluency on an MSL team, not just adopt a tool. You'll hear how a team goes from "10 minutes a week" experimenting with AI to using it to predict a KOL's communication style before a first meeting, and why Dalila believes the MSL's future depends more on emotional intelligence than on being the fastest source of information. The five levels of AI adoption: consume, create, augment, orchestrate, and transform Why "garbage in, garbage out" is the most common AI mistake in Medical Affairs How AI is elevating, not replacing, the MSL role Using a four-color personality framework to match communication style to each KOL Building a working AI prototype in 30 minutes with no coding background About Dalila Masic: Dalila Masic, PharmD, is Regional Medical Director for the T1D Immunology MSL team at Sanofi. She began her industry career as a cardiovascular MSL before moving into a home-office role in medical omnichannel strategy, then returned to the field to lead a regional MSL team. She is one of Sanofi's internal GenAI ambassadors and has spoken publicly on AI adoption in Medical Affairs, including at Fierce Pharma Engage. Connect with Dalila Masic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalilamasic/ OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. Hosted by Scott Thompson, OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. Subscribe to the Acceleration Point YouTube channel for more episodes and other content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJvTQahyDapOdbhyQVhiNyQ Episode Chapters: [00:00] From Critical Care Pharmacist to Regional Medical Director [04:00] Sanofi's AI Adoption Journey Begins [08:31] The Five Levels Framework: Consume and Create [14:18] Augment: From Information Carrier to Scientific Thought Partner [16:41] Reading the Room: Color Energies and KOL Communication [24:24] Orchestrate and Transform: AI's Most Advanced Levels [37:07] What Comes After Efficiency: Repurposing MSL Time

Craig Granowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, has done something almost no one else in the industry has — he has held senior leadership roles on both the commercial and medical sides of the pharmaceutical enterprise. He started as a sales rep, rose through marketing and general management to lead a $2.5 billion business, and then made a deliberate move into Medical Affairs — where he built global organizations at Schering-Plough, Merck, Amarin, and Lexicon. That dual vantage point is what makes this conversation different. In this episode, Scott Thompson sits down with Craig to explore what Medical Affairs looks like when you have sat in every seat. The result is one of the clearest frameworks we have heard for understanding where Medical Affairs sits in the organization — not the center, not the foundation, but the common glue that holds R&D, Commercial, and every major external stakeholder together. In this episode: Why Craig describes Medical Affairs as "the common glue" — and what that means for how MA leaders should position their function internally The three attributes he looks for in every Medical Affairs professional: curiosity, tenacity, and courage — and why genuine curiosity drives the other two How to assess the health of a Medical Affairs organization from the inside, starting with cross-functional meetings The leadership challenge of building trust while stressing the system with audacious goals — without losing the harmony you built Why in the era of AI, the most human leaders will be the most effective — and what AI simply cannot conceive of Connect with Craig Granowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-granowitz-a43878101/ Connect with Scott Thompson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/medical-excellence/ OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. 00:00 — Introduction: Craig Granowitz and the View From Every Seat 03:18 — Starting in Sales: What a Sales Rep Really Learns 09:00 — From Marketing to Medical: The Career Pivot That Changed Everything 28:00 — Medical Affairs as the Common Glue of the Organization 32:36 — How Do You Know If Medical Affairs Was a Good Investment? 35:20 — Curiosity, Tenacity, and Courage: The Three Attributes That Define Great MA Teams 39:03 — What a Healthy Medical Affairs Organization Looks Like From the Inside 43:00 — Building Trust While Stressing the System: The Leadership Balancing Act 53:56 — In the Era of AI, the More Human You Are, the Better

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott sits down with Nandini Sabharwal, Field Medical Director at Pfizer, to explore how Medical Affairs teams can move past the hype and start building real, practical AI skills. Drawing from her experience as a clinical pharmacist and MSL, Nandini shares how using AI first in everyday life creates confidence, fluency, and momentum that directly translate into work. The conversation focuses on how teams can start now, stay compliant, and use AI to expand, not replace, their impact.  Nandini is a seasoned Medical Science Liaison with over five years of Medical Affairs experience spanning various therapeutic areas. She spearheads the Internal Medicine Field Medical AI workstream, focusing on initiatives that bridge AI innovation with field medical operations, such as using AI to enhance medical engagement and insight generation. She is an enthusiastic pioneer of integrating AI in customer-facing teams, emphasizing the importance of upskilling, democratization of AI skills, and cross-functional collaboration with other field teams for AI advocacy. Connect with Nandini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nandini-sabharwal/ [00:00]  Why AI Is Becoming a Core Skill in Medical Affairs  [01:30]  Why MSLs Are Already Equipped to Use AI Effectively  [04:10]  Using Personal AI Use Cases to Build Confidence and Fluency  [11:20]  Safe and Compliant AI Use in Pharma and Medical Affairs  [18:30]  How NotebookLM and LLMs Accelerate Scientific Learning  [24:10]  Practical AI Workflows for MSLs: Planning, Insights, and Efficiency  [34:50]  Expanding Medical Affairs Impact with AI Without Losing the Human Element

In this episode, Scott sits down with Nick Taylor, Head of Gilead’s IT Innovation Lab, to unpack how he has led enterprise-wide adoption of Copilot and built AI solutions now used by nearly 30,000 employees. Nick shares the mindset, methods, and practical realities of teaching teams to use AI well, from personal productivity to enterprise-scale agents. Together, they discuss: • How Nick moved from IT architecture to leading AI innovation across Gilead • What early pilots revealed about real-world AI adoption • The small wins that drive big productivity gains • How teams should think about governance, compliance, and risk • The shift from personal AI use to team- and enterprise-level AI • What Medical Affairs teams should expect in the next 3 years of AI maturity Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ntaylornc OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.  OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. [00:00] – Welcome and Introduction [02:00] – Early Copilot Pilots and the Small Wins That Sparked Enterprise Adoption [06:40] – Building Genie: Gilead’s Enterprise AI Assistant [08:35] – Security, Compliance, and Fixing Broken Data Hygiene [14:45] – The Four Levels of AI Maturity in Medical Affairs [18:55] – Personal AI Mastery: Prompts, Roles, and Nick’s ‘Board of Advisor’ Agents [28:35] – Scaling AI Across Pharma and Why You Can’t Outsource Thinking

2025 wasn’t just another year of progress for Medical Affairs. It was a year of transformation. In this special OnPoint: Medical Excellence Podcast episode, Scott Thompson looks back across the conversations, leaders, and moments that defined the past year and distills them into six themes that are reshaping how Medical Affairs teams operate, lead, and create impact. This is not a rewind. It’s a synthesis of what changed, why it matters, and how the most forward-thinking teams are already applying these lessons. In this episode, you’ll hear how Medical Affairs leaders are: Turning AI from a buzzword into a practical skill used every day Moving from alignment on paper to true cross-functional integration Redefining impact by measuring belief change, not activity volume Driving transformation by starting small, proving value, and scaling intentionally Building omnichannel maturity through coordinated, focused steps Elevating the modern MSL role from sharing data to changing scientific beliefs Throughout the episode, Scott connects insights from leaders across the industry to show how everything connects: AI, excellence, impact, omnichannel, and mastery all working together to improve outcomes for patients. If you’re responsible for Medical Affairs strategy, field excellence, insights, or transformation, this episode brings the year into focus and offers a clear lens for what comes next. OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.   [00:00] – The Year of Transformation [01:29] – Stop Waiting for Big AI. Start Now [03:34] – Integration Is Excellence [05:56] – Measure What Changed, Not What You Did [08:09] – Start Small. Prove Value. Scale. [11:04] – Maturity Is Built One Coordinated Step at a Time [13:37] – What Should the Modern MSL Be Mastering? [16:42] – Everything Connects

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott sits down with Joyce Lo, Director of Medical Omnichannel Strategy at Blueprint Medicines. Joyce shares her perspective on modernizing Medical Affairs engagement through digital and customer-centric channels. Together, they explore how omnichannel can expand reach, personalize education, and deliver measurable impact across the Medical Affairs landscape.  Together, they discuss: • Defining omnichannel for Medical Affairs and why it matters today. • How to set clear goals before selecting channels or tactics. • Navigating compliance and legal considerations in digital engagement. • The role of segmentation and the customer journey in building strategy. • Measuring outcomes beyond channel metrics to real-world impact. • Collaboration across Medical, Marketing, and Commercial to achieve true omnichannel. Connect with Joyce on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-lo-pharmd/   OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.  OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence  [00:00] – Welcome and Introduction [01:00] – What Omnichannel Really Means for Medical Affairs [04:00] – Setting Goals Before Choosing Channels [07:00] – Navigating Compliance and Regulatory Guardrails [10:00] – Measuring Impact Beyond Open Rates [14:00] – Customer Journeys and Segmentation [19:00] – Why Omnichannel Must Be Cross-Functional [22:00] – First Wins and Lessons Learned [28:00] – Scaling MSL Impact Through Omnichannel [34:00] – The Role of AI and Next Best Action [40:00] – Building the Skills and Mindset for Omnichannel Success

In this OnPoint Podcast episode, Joe Giuliano joins Acceleration Point CEO Scott Thompson to reflect on his nine-year journey leading Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics—and the bold transformation he spearheaded before his recent retirement.  From rethinking Medical Affairs’ role to building belief-driven strategies and enabling digital capabilities, Joe shares hard-earned lessons and practical insights for leaders ready to drive real change.  Together, they discuss: • What a real Medical Affairs transformation looks like from the inside • Why starting small can lead to enterprise-wide change • Building belief-based engagement and aligning field and strategy • Using data and AI to drive influence, not just measure activity • Aligning Medical and Commercial with clear, complementary roles • The critical role of leadership vision in successful change management Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-giuliano-b364476/ You can learn more about his company, Rare Medical Affairs, by visiting his website at https://www.raremedicalaffairs.com/about-rma or by emailing him at [email protected].  OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.  OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence  [00:00] Introduction and Welcome [00:39] Joe's Career Journey [02:44] The Concept of Transformation [05:12] Implementing Digital Tools [07:52] Overcoming Challenges [16:14] Achieving Success and Measuring Impact [30:56] Collaboration and Team Dynamics [41:29] Future Plans and Closing Remarks

In this episode of OnPoint, Scott hosts seasoned Medical Affairs leader Paul Minne to explore one of the industry's most persistent challenges: defining and measuring impact. With over two decades of experience leading field medical teams across biotech and pharma, Paul brings bold ideas and practical solutions for how Medical Affairs teams can move from traditional activity metrics to truly influencing and measuring changes in clinical practice. Together, they discuss: Why defining “impact” in Medical Affairs remains elusive The problem with traditional metrics like call volume and KOL reach Moving from tactical execution to strategic influence Early indicators that signal meaningful changes in clinical practice Why activity and outcomes aren’t mutually exclusive—and how they can align The role of AI in scaling insight generation and field strategy Building purpose-driven MSL teams that create measurable value Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulminne/ OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence   00:00 – Introduction: Why Measuring Impact Still Matters 02:05 – Why Is Impact So Hard to Define in Medical Affairs? 08:00 – The Real Purpose of Medical Affairs 14:10 – Beyond Metrics: What Should We Really Measure? 18:30 – A Hybrid Model: Activity vs. Strategic Impact 26:20 – How MSL Teams Can Shift Clinical Beliefs 38:00 – AI, Alignment & the Path to the Third Pillar

Medical Excellence is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of high-performing Medical Affairs organizations—but what does it mean, and how can it be implemented in practice? In this episode, Scott Thompson is joined by two industry leaders, Michael Kahn and Chris McNabb, who bring hands-on experience in building and leading Medical Excellence functions at Spark Therapeutics and Bayer, respectively. Together, they discuss: • Defining Medical Excellence and how it differs from medical operations • The role of Medical Excellence in enabling field teams and improving strategic alignment • Key lessons learned from building and scaling Medical Excellence functions • Balancing innovation (like AI) with foundational operations • Organizational structure, stakeholder engagement, and team development • The future of Medical Affairs and where Medical Excellence fits in Connect with Michael on LinkedIn:   / kahnmichael   Connect with Chris on LinkedIn:   / chris-mcnabb-ph-d   OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.  OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence  [00:00] – Introduction & Meet the Guests [02:30] – Defining Medical Excellence: More Than Operations [06:00] – Building the Function: Standardization, Scope & Strategy [12:00] – Gaining Buy-In & Aligning Stakeholders [20:30] – Balancing Innovation with Operational Foundations [31:00] – Team Structure: Big vs. Small Organizations [46:30] – The Future of Medical Affairs & Closing Thoughts

Following a standing-room-only session at the 2025 MAPS Annual Meeting, Acceleration Point CEO Scott Thompson sits down with three industry leaders who are shaping how Generative AI is being applied inside Medical Affairs today—not in theory, but in practice. Wendy Fraser (Merck), Annamaria Crisan (Pfizer), and Rishi Ohri (Astellas Pharma) share real-world examples, critical lessons, and hard-won truths from piloting Gen AI across Field Medical teams, Medical Information, HEOR, and Omnichannel. They discuss personal productivity, process improvement, clinical risks, compliance pitfalls, and how to build trust—both with your technology and your teams. If you're exploring how to scale Gen AI within a regulated environment, this is your roadmap. 🔹 Key Takeaways: • Start with Low-Risk, High-Impact Use Cases • Human-in-the-Loop is Essential for Quality & Trust • Prompt Engineering is a Leadership Priority • Compliance Buy-In Starts with Demonstrating Quality • Modular, Fit-for-Purpose AI Beats “One Size Fits All” Connect with the guests on LinkedIn:  Wendy Fraser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-fraser-86316710 Rishi Ohri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishiohri Annamaria Crisan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamaria-crisan-b0018a17 [00:00] Why Gen AI? Why Now? [04:00] Defining the Problems to Solve [08:00] Three Buckets of Use Cases [12:00] Real Examples: What’s Working (and What’s Not) [28:00] Risks, Trust & Compliance in a Regulated World [36:00] Scaling Gen AI Without Breaking Workflow [47:00] Upskilling & What Leaders Are Learning Next

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott Thompson welcomes Teri Michelini of Sanofi and Parker Richardson of Astellas Pharma to explore the evolving relationship between Medical Affairs and Commercial teams in pharma. As traditional silos and firewalls give way to transparency and strategic orchestration, what does true collaboration look like—and you get there without compromising compliance? Teri and Parker draw from decades of experience to share real-world strategies for harmonizing roles, aligning messaging, and leveraging omnichannel innovations. From cross-functional planning and trust-building to creating scalable, tech-driven journeys for HCPs, this episode offers powerful insights for any medical leader looking to bridge the gap. 🔹 Key Takeaways: • Why compliance shouldn’t mean silence • Practical frameworks for strategic alignment • Real-world examples of collaborative success • Reframing trust, risk, and accountability • How omnichannel strategy unifies—not divides—teams Connect with Teri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-michelini-aaa9204 Connect with Parker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerrichardson OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.  OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence  [00:00] Breaking Down the Firewalls [06:00] Redefining Collaboration with Guardrails [12:00] Strategy Before Execution [20:00] From Ownership to Orchestration [30:00] Enabling the Shift: Mindsets, Metrics & Micro-steps [38:00] Personal Growth to Lead the Change

In this episode, Scott Thompson sits down with Rachel Couchenour, a seasoned medical affairs leader with deep experience navigating the unique challenges of small and emerging biotech companies. Together, they dive into what it really means to be a team of one—or a small team—in a resource-constrained organization. Rachel shares wisdom from her journey transitioning from big pharma to startups, highlighting both the missteps and the wins. From prioritizing medical affairs activities to building strategic partnerships and creating cross-functional alignment, she offers invaluable insights for professionals looking to make an impact in lean, high-stakes environments. Whether you're contemplating a move to a smaller company, building out a medical affairs function from scratch, or looking to do more with less, this episode is full of practical advice and inspiring takeaways.   Key Themes: Prioritizing when everything feels urgent Building scientific narratives before deploying field teams How small teams can drive omnichannel impact Stretching budgets through smarter agency collaboration Leading without structure—and loving it Redefining career growth beyond traditional ladders   Bonus: Learn about “Flossy the Focused Flamingo” and how stuffed animals are shaping team culture!   Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelcouchenour/   OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.   [00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome [00:47] Navigating Small and Emerging Biotechs [02:10] Key Pillars of Medical Affairs [04:06] Challenges and Strategies in Small Teams [08:03] Effective Stakeholder Engagement [10:59] Resource Management and Prioritization [32:13] Career Development in Small Organizations

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott Thompson sits down with Vicky Jones, Global Head of Field Medical at Annexon Biosciences. With a ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-jones-dvm-36707119/⁠   OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.   OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the ⁠Acceleration Point YouTube channel⁠. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence #FieldMedical   [00:00] Welcome & Introduction [01:00] Vicky Jones' Journey into Medical Affairs [05:30] The Evolving Role of Field Medical & MSLs [10:40] Structuring & Growing a High-Impact MSL Team [20:15] Key Skills & Leadership Lessons for Medical Affairs [35:00] Final Takeaways & Advice for Medical Affairs Professionals

In this OnPoint podcast episode, host Scott invites Brant, Head of Field Medical at Mallinckrodt, to discuss the complexities of Insights Generation in medical affairs. Brent emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, collaboration, and the evolving role of AI in gathering, analyzing, and reporting insights. Key topics include the necessity of having a dedicated Insights Lead, the significance of multi-channel data collection, and the impact on organizational efficiency. The episode also highlights the value of continual training, feedback loops, and showcasing the tangible results of insights. Brant and Scott share actionable strategies for improving insight programs and preparing teams to adapt to changing technologies and methodologies. Connect with Brant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brant-jarrett-636a1435/ Resources mentioned in this episode: MAPS Webinar: Putting the AI into Innovative Medical Affairs Teams: https://medicalaffairs.org/putting-ai-innovative/ Blog: Three Skills Medical Insight Leads Must Master: https://accelerationpoint.com/3-key-skills-medical-insight-leads-must-master/ OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence #FieldMedical #InsightGeneration   [00:00] Welcome and Catching Up [00:57] Introduction to Insight Generation [02:22] Challenges in Insight Generation [05:56] Strategies for Effective Insight Collection [19:32] Continuous Improvement in Training [20:13] The Paradox of Practice [25:17] AI's Impact on Insights [30:56] Maximizing the Value of Insights

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott interviews Wendy Fraser about her experiences and insights in scaling the Medical Excellence function at Merck. They discuss the scope of responsibilities, the complexities of managing global medical affairs, and the innovative practices that enable scientific exchange excellence. Wendy shares the importance of building cross-functional relationships, employing consultative approaches, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The conversation also touches upon the challenges and successes of 2024, future directions for Medical Affairs, and the critical role of continuous engagement and feedback from global teams. Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-fraser-86316710/ OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel. #MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence   [00:00] Introduction and Welcome [00:14] Understanding Merck's Medical Excellence [04:01] The Role of Scientific Exchange [08:02] Balancing Global Consistency and Local Autonomy [10:18] Building an Inspired Shared Vision [17:45] Experimentation and Safe to Fail Culture [31:46] Future of Medical Affairs and MSLs