The Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) graduates are the pharma industry's thought leaders. The Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) Program While some MSLs view MSLS as a valuable resource, it's worth noting that they are not accredited by any outside body. Those who pass the certification exams will be qualified to solve basic issues in networking, operating systems, security and mobile devices. Every 5 years you are required to maintain your certification. Yeah, I'm sure they'll legitimately take your money and give you some extra letters after your name. Please select your appropriate region below to learn more about becoming certified today! background, so I found the program very helpful. However, you never know where your career will take you down the road and if you think that one day you might want to expand from an MSL to a medical director, medical affairs vice president, medical information or other areas in pharma, then having BCMAS is the way to go. About 100 questions in total (Multiple choice, case studies and True/False). I have not completed the MSL-BC (MSLS), nor the BCMAS (ACMA), nor do have immediate plans to do so. Thank you for your thorough and thoughtful comments. But the BCMAS credential has a unique appeal for medical affairs executives, many of whom dont have a formal medical doctorate. They provided quizzes and a practice exam which really helped me prepare The Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist Program was developed by industry experts, clinicians, researchers, and online learning specialists. The BCMAS certification is the most comprehensive Medical Affairs professional development and training program in the world. This two part series endeavors to compare both certifications equipping professionals to make that decision for themselves. Dr. Hughes achieved the Board-Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) certification from ACMA in May of 2021 and believes that it will open new doors and provide her with more in-depth industry training that is needed to excel in the medical affairs career path. You will have a total of 4 hours to complete the exam. MSLs help facilitate research and educate residents/fellows and much more. I assume many are in process of deciding which certification route to take. in our pharmacy industry. Developed by industry experts and considered the industry standard by most for MSL certification. 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. Thank you! Career-minded medical affairs professionals want to show senior leaders that their role is not just a job for them. Theyre also accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education & Training/American National Standards Institute (IACET/ANSI) and they even offer CME/CE to US Licensed Physicians and Pharmacists who decide to complete the modules for the BCMAS program. Staff, Rahm Emanuel, in response to the global financial crisis of 2007/2008. I had to unfollow their updates. To keep your certification active, there are two paths:. **application fee must be paid with a credit card or PayPal in US Dollars. Medical science liaisons (MSLs), MSL manager/directors. Several Advisory board meetings held with Medical Affairs leaders and subject matter experts. But, how do you go about getting certified? Also, in case there is any concern about MSLS or ACMA influencing how this community is run, rest assured I have no affiliation with either. Being board certified in any healthcare related career has proven to be impactful. BCMAS is a Board Certification accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training /American National Standards Institute (IACET/ANSI). 10. The preparatory modules allowed me to learn new things medical affairs professionals. 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). industry. I'm leaning towards the former. We cannot control how people decide to leverage their certification. being easy to digest. from Asia who were Board Certified, so I decided to complete the program. Consists of 140 multiple-choice questions. Have completed at least a bachelors degree and have 2 years relevant professional experience (ie., pharmaceutical industry experience, clinical and/or research experience). Records indicate that UpJohn Pharmaceuticals was the first company to coin the term MSL in 1967. As for ACMA, the content of modules and associated tools, access to online chat, and opportunity to get board certified, are well worth the cost. Part 2 certainly goes into that sort of detail. The MSL-BC allows up to 4 hours for the 140-question multiple choice exam (of which 125 count toward your mark). (1) completing 20 hours of continuing education credits approved by the ACMA or (2) by All Right Reserved. 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. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. life sciences & healthcare industries. which reflect their status as thought leaders within the pharmaceutical industry. Growing need for medical affairs certification. You can do this by either The fact that theyre accredited cannot be overemphasized. It is a credential that resonates because of its association with board certified physicians. About 100 questions in total (Multiple choice, case studies and True/False). A risk that I (imho) think might be worth taking. Currently the only accredited board certification for MSLs worldwide. 36, Sector 20, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, India - 400 708, Building of Chocoblooms shop,Mezan floor, Office 03United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, Al-Nahyan. Its the benchmark of excellence for Medical Affairs in the industry for over 5+ years. Reem El Barrani, B. Pharm, MSc Clin. Pharm, BCMAS Medical Affairs, talks about the organizations certification process. Beyond internal training within their companies, medical affairs executives simply dont have structured options for learning how the different functions within the life science industry interact with each other. MSL Society is a smaller non-profit organization, so they dont have the bandwidth to provide as much US & global support as the ACMA. My comment continued: I agree with the article, the ACMA module content and exam are not necessarily for entry level professionals. Regardless of where you are in your MSL career, obtaining an MSL certification can help advance your MSL career and distinguish you among other MSL candidates when applying for a new MSL job or getting that promotion from MSL to MSL Manager or MSL Director. I just signed up to take and they do a background check to verify your application. BCMAS is now on audio The #1 MSL & Medical Affairs Board Certification Program The Official Medical Science Liaison (MSLs) & Medical Affairs Board Certification- The only recognized program by regulators. Topics include: Maximize your MSL teams emotional intelligence and how to use it to build relationships. The Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs' (ACMA) BCMAS certification fee (more on that later) comes along with. MSLs have advanced scientific training and academic credentials generally consisting of a Dr. Hughes achieved the Board-Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) certification from ACMA in May of 2021 and believes that it will open new doors and provide her with more in-depth industry training that is needed to excel in the medical affairs career path. But how do you choose the right MSL Certification for you? Toll Free: +1 (855) 255-7137, Rio de Janieiro St 212, Suite 151 Sao Paulo, SP 01240-010 Brasil, 202, Jai Omkar, Plot No. The ACMAs goal is to establish a common language a standard that medical affairs executives can converse in. Does it give you an advantage when applying? BCMAS helped me have everything in place and helped me expand my knowledge base beyond the product knowledge. We hope this MSL article was helpful! The remaining 15 items serve as pretest questions, and do not affect your final score. It would be nice if these questions were available before the exam to help you prepare. Google Cloud - Cloud Digital Leader. It also sets the stage for continual professional development through values centered on lifelong . But how do you choose the right MSL Certification for you? you didnt think were possible.. They do have a chat function but Ive noticed oftentimes its not available every day and at off hours which makes it tough to get answers to important questions. This demonstrates the prestigious connotation associated with the BCMAS mark. As the U.S. grapples with the deadly opioid epidemic and public outrage over drug costs, SALARY Inc! JavaScript is disabled. I very much agree that awareness of the discipline as a whole (of medical affairs) leads to higher levels of contribution. Becoming Board Certified in Medical Affairs (BCMAS): The New Standard The MSL-BC contains only an exam and has no preparatory content or material to help individuals prepare. Unfortunately, the MSL Society doesnt have any preparatory content to help learners prepare for the MSL-BC exam. Medical affairs is a growing component of Naturally certain aspects may be less applicable to the unique role of a professional or a company. Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) are typically trained PhD professionals, physicians, or pharmacists. Medical science liaisons (MSLs), MSL manager/directors. In keeping with this year's emphasis on cloud services, this certification enters this list with a promise to earn its qualifiers an average salary of $142,708. One thing that I really liked about the BCMAS program is that it included a question bank which helps prepare its learners for the exam. . Still others are looking for a challenge to learn what they dont know. Need of the hour. ACMA received IACET accreditation, whose processes helped us build a rigorous curriculum. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The BCMAS certification has been around since 2015 and the credential is very well recognized and widely used. Join us for the largest annual conference on pre-market access to medicines. Hi. Medical Affairs as a discipline is accountable to varied deliverables. The ACMA has Live 24/7 Chat support feature. taking the board exam. BCMAS is relevant for MSLs as well as other functions within Medical Affairs. Consists of 140 multiple-choice questions. Privacy Policy. And as that trend continues, medical affairs professionals throughout the life sciences industry will no doubt be better prepared, more confident and, most importantly, more knowledgeable as they approach their roles. Wow, those are pretty serious allegations to put out there. *If you do not have a terminal degree (i. e. PhD, etc. Youre Certifiable! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Compounded Sterile Preparations Pharmacist, The ACMA, Raising the Standards of Excellence for Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) and Medical Affairs Professionals. That positive relationship can now be yours in your pharmaceutical medical affairs career. Anyone working in medical affairs understands that its a highly specialized area. And this has proven to be valuable to many who are now board certified thanks to the ACMA. Christine Megalla, Pharm.D., Associate Director of Educational Programs at the Accreditation Council for More and more medical affairs professionals sign up to undergo the certification process each month. 20 modules to prepare you for the Board Examination, Practice Question Bank to help prepare you for the BCMAS exam, Assistance with connections to MSL & Medical Affairs Recruiters, ACMA Easy Pay 3 Month-Installment Option (This gives you the option of splitting the payments over 3 months which is great especially for folks starting out and looking for financial flexibility. Therefore, the chances of failing the exam are higher. The certification is a relatively new one, having launched in 2021. Having pre-test questions right before your actual exam feels a bit odd. It is also the first board certification for MSLs. and our Therefore, the chances of failing the exam are higher. This week, with that backdrop, the House Committee on Energy and Commerces Health Subcommittee will hear from senior leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the founder and CEO of the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA), William Soliman, PhD, BCMAS. BCMAS offers you more than just the certification exam by including in-depth learning modules, a practice question bank, case studies, and more. The ACMA provides training and certification programs for the pharmaceutical & healthcare industries. 1. Doing the job well requires diverse set of competencies that develop over time, often with use of industry trainings that focus on individual topics, such as advisory panels or medical communication. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If you have any questions , please direct them to our staff directly who would be happy to help you , rather than making assumptions about what we do on an anonymous forum. Board certifying medical affairs and medical science liaison professionals is critical to ensure ethical practices, compliance excellence, and public trust at this crucial time. We connect MSLs to the global medical affairs community, and give them the tools and resources they need to advance in their medical science liaison career paths. Both your newly hired and experienced MSLs will benefit from this training with topics that include: Help your MSL team understand the changing landscape when working with different internal and external stakeholders. Hi. Bachelors Degree or higher from a regionally or nationally accredited educational institution (a copy of the candidates highest degree or transcript must be provided at the time of registration). Seems like you are jumping the gun a bit. You must log in or register to reply here. Christine Megalla, Pharm.D., Associate Director of Educational Programs at the Accreditation Council for So BCMAS applies to several roles in pharma-not just MSL jobs. A Tale of 2 MSL Board Certifications: What You Should Know - Part 2 They feel that having the board certification attached to their names gives them a leg up in both hiring and career development. All Rights Reserved. ACMA launched their accredited board certification program over 3 years ago; those who pass will garnish the BCMAS credential or are deemed Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialists. MSLs are focused on building relationships with key experts 10 Essential IT Certifications for 2023 | Coursera Medical Affairs Manager, Upjohn-Pfizer. Those are some of the reasons why executives with more than a decade of industry experience have turned to the ACMA to earn their medical affairs credentials. Board Certification Medical Affairs (BCMAS), The Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Industry Compliance, Prior Authorization Certified Specialist Program (PACS), The ACMA was invited to Congress. BCMAS Frequently Asked Questions - Home | ACMA Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This number is inclusive regardless of the name du jour from an individual company to include: Regional Scientific Director, Clinical Liaison, Thought Leader Liaison, Field Medical Director etc. 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. I took both exams. #BCMAS #PACS #PRC Board Certifications in Life SciencesACMA in the Newsmedicalaffairsspecialist. Many of the comments here are false and misleading. The certification offered is not meant to train people, it isn't meant to help them "break in." The Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA), however, offers a Board Certified Medical Affairs Specialist (BCMAS) program for medical affairs professionals across the career spectrum. Thanks, I appreciate the up-to-date info! Videory can be a good size for data scientists; enough other data scientists are around to provide mentorship and support, but the team is still small enough that you can get to know everyone. BCMAS established to create standards for knowledge, business skills and professional practice in the pharmaceutical industry. Either way you will be watched and recorded while sitting for the test. Do you need prior experience before taking this? MSL Society is a smaller non-profit organization, so they dont have the bandwidth to provide as much US & global support as the ACMA. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Theyre well known for conducting conferences and meetings for MSLs. Having pre-test questions right before your actual exam feels a bit odd. Medical affairs is a growing component of The remaining 15 items serve as pretest questions, and do not affect your final score. The ACMA has Live 24/7 Chat support feature. Thats an important differentiator for BCMAS. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. While some MSLs view MSLS as a valuable resource, its worth noting that they are not accredited by any outside body. While the exam consists of 140 multiple-choice questions, of these, 125 questions will be used to calculate your test score. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Medical Science Liaison Society (MSLS) is an organization dedicated to advancing the global MSL profession. Our training programs can be customized to meet your companys specific needs (disease state, clinical, and soft skills training). Each of the certifications require you to complete CE and/or retest every few years to keep the board certification current. Cost-benefit comparison As seen in Figure 1, MSL Society's program costs $450-$550, the BCMAS program costs $1,999, and the IFAPP program costs $8,600-$9,600. BCMAS Home | ACMA some would be new. 700 Kinderkamack Road, Suite 204 Oradell, New Jersey 07649 USA 36, Sector 20, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, India - 400 708, Building of Chocoblooms shop,Mezan floor, Office 03United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, Al-Nahyan. Master cold calling/emailing and networking. 6 Best Whole-House Surge Protectors of 2023 | Are Whole-House Surge As the medical science liaison role continues to grow and evolve, the ACMA remains at the forefront for providing resources to help MSLs increase knowledge. The Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs and MSL Society. Background Medical Affairs and Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Professionals come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Current professionals working in promotional or non-promotional medical education agencies which support pharmaceutical companies. Developed by industry experts and considered the industry standard by most for MSL certification. so what makes BCMAS so special that you think it's worth thousands of dollars when there are high quality comprehensive free online courses from places like NIH lol? A quick search on LinkedIn shows just how widely used the credential is among pharmaceutical industry professionals. Current medical affairs professionals (this includes: medical science liaisons, medical directors, VP Medical Affairs, Medical Information Specialists, Pharmacovigilance, HEOR professionals, etc.). A quick search of Linked In will show a splattering of the newly developed MSL-BC professionals while a similar inquiry will find a larger number of those with the BCMAS credential many of whom are in more leadership medical affairs positions (the larger number no doubt due to the fact that BCMAS is for all of MA not specifically MSLs and has been around for an extended period of time comparatively). Now in virtual format. The MSL-BC contains only an exam and has no preparatory content or material . Requirements for renewing your BCMAS certification: The BCMAS credential is valid for five (5) years. I work for the ACMA social media staff and was made aware of these threads on reddit. The BCMAS curriculum is comprehensive spanning 20 modules covering all areas of medical affairs. Anecdotally, BCMAS graduates have noticed more momentum in their recruiting activities. You are using an out of date browser. BCMAS designers developed content using psychometric analysis to ensure that graduates are held to the highest standards of learning and assessment. Regardless of where you are in your MSL career, obtaining an MSL certification can help advance your MSL career and distinguish you among other MSL candidates when applying for a new MSL job or getting that promotion from MSL to MSL Manager or MSL Director. 1. If this blows up in the next few years, consider us striking gold to get this certification first. To be successful at this, you must always maintain diplomacy, self-discipline, and integrity. Medical Affairs, talks about the organizations certification process. Regardless of which team of Medical Affairs one resides in, I believe awareness of the whole discipline can lead to higher levels of contribution. This is very interesting to me. Its a comprehensive, self-paced online, on demand certification program built by industry leaders and subject matter experts. Certain aspects I am not familiar with, such as which program came first or whether the organizations are non profit. The BCMAS curriculum is comprehensive spanning 20 modules covering all areas of medical affairs. is grabbing the attention of politicians and policymakers. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It also customizes BCMAS exams to reflect different regions around the world so BCMAS is a great option for global MSL teams wanting to certify. Congrats on passing the exam and getting certified. Speaking for myself, I can already tell a shift in mentality towards clinical development and regulatory affairs following the BCMAS modules. Expanded Access 4.0 Registration Now Open! By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Content is always updated to reflect new business practices, technologies, market challenges and regulatory changes. For more information and recent students testimonials, click here. The ACMA is building further awareness of the important contributions that medical science liaisons make in advancing the science which ultimately improves the quality of life of patients. The ACMA has Live 24/7 Chat support feature. Thats becoming more difficult to do as medical affairs becomes increasingly strategic, increasingly larger as a function within the industry and increasingly competitive. I strongly encourage all ", Lubna El-Najjar One way MSL professionals can stand out is by becoming board certified MSL professionals. Myth: It may not display this or other websites correctly. ACMA does not charge any additional fees for retaking the exam if you fail which is nice. ACMA does not charge any additional fees for retaking the exam if you fail which is nice. I look forward to your thoughts if you have a chance to read it as well. What do you guys/gals think? I have worked in medical affairs for 3 years and I still felt like I learned a lot. Take the first steps toward achieving the gold standard in the pharmaceutical industry. Required fields are marked *. 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. Basically, its a way to practice before the real test. The ACMA offers a flexible payment plan where you can pay in 3 easy installments of Thats not their only reason for getting a BCMAS certification, however. It's always a challenge to transition from academia to industry. It is designed to recognize excellence among those who wish to specialize as experts in medical affairs.