Highly acclaimed studies by McDaniels, Quinones and others agree that anyone brand new on the job is not likely to be a high performer compared to those with more experience performing certain tasks. However, beyond those new to the job, experience in terms of total tenure does not correlate to performance.
So how new is a new MSL? This is a challenge for many companies to determine. The MSL often comes into the job having had many years of academic, clinical, and other work experience.
A study conducted by Innovara confirmed that most healthcare companies consider a “new” MSL one who has up to one year on the job. This year does not include prior experience as an MSL, and it is irrespective of prior academic, knowledge, or job experience. When asked how long it takes for the MSL to be “higher performing”, these same companies generally note that it takes between 2 to 3 years. What has or has not been happening in those first three years? What specific learning, skills, or tasks are driving value in their jobs? What are wasting time and effort? Most companies were not sure.
We asked the top pharmaceutical companies what they considered to be intermediate and higher level skills and tasks, by competency, that they expected from better performing MSLs or looked for when recruiting experienced MSLs. Next, we correlated both overall tenure on the job and experience with specific tasks that MSLs felt contributed to their performance (value) in their jobs. Consistent with above-mentioned performance research, Innovara found a low correlation between overall tenure and tasks that are most highly valued on the job. Rather, an MSL’s experiences in specific tasks reflecting specific skills that are most valued by the MSL in his/her job are likely to be better predictors of the MSL’s performance.
Research also shows that using engineered learning principals that design formal training to be more experiential, initial knowledge acquisition can be achieved within months, not years. These could include working on real job challenges and cases in a formal applied workshop, structured on-the-job learning, or specifically targeted self-development activities. More critical is to “use it or lose it”—companies need to ensure that acquired knowledge is immediately applied on the job, ideally within 30 days.
In our research, Innovara determined that most programs and processes for MSL onboarding focus most heavily on knowledge acquisition. This is a fundamental, yet all too common, mistake. Knowledge itself is not a competency—a competency is the demonstration of knowledge through skill that produces a desired outcome (such as a changed behavior by the MSL).
Let’s consider an analogy to a patient with diabetes. Once diagnosed, he/she should be educated on diabetes. Does that automatically manifest in behavior changes needed to improve diabetes control? Beyond understanding what causes diabetes, the patient needs to learn, adapt, and apply skills that will result in good self-management with practice. He/she will be guided throughout by (ideally) a certified diabetes educator and other professionals. Moreover, he/she needs reinforcement of these behaviors to keep the him/her motivated, skillful and engaged in managing his/her diabetes.
The same is true for MSL competency development. When designing MSL onboarding, companies should not ask, “What do MSLs need to know?” Instead, we should ask:
- Which learning goals, linked to formal training and other experiential learning on the job, will lead to the acquisition of skills and behaviors that drive highest value for the customer and patient, as well as company?
- How can these be engineered to accelerate MSL development and productivity?
When onboarding MSLs, it is not enough to simply break down desired skills into observable/describable tasks. The company must plan to foster the ability to apply, reinforce, and measure the value of these skills in diverse situations and with diverse customers. Instead of learning by trial and error, companies need to apply LEAN principles and engineered learning methods to optimize MSL performance, i.e. in 6 months, instead of 2 – 3 years. In this process, it is equally critical to evaluate knowledge and experiences or skills that don’t drive value. In lean terms, these would be defined as “waste” and should be eliminated.
