PA Robert McKenna is a biopharmaceutical pioneer and served for more than 30 years in various MSL and Director roles at Merck prior to his new role; so he brings a wealth of healthcare experience to his DMSc cohort. McKenna served as a Medical Science Liaison and MSL manager from 1988 until his retirement from his last role as Director of Field Medical Affairs for Radius Health in September 2020. He states “I am now pursuing a career in academia because I believe in the importance of sharing my experience with the next generation of PAs.” McKenna serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of Accreditation at Marshall B. Ketchum University.
“Had the DMSc online option existed earlier in my career, I definitely would have pursued it,” he says. He notes the relevance of the DMSc in his MSL career. “The industry standard regarding education has changed; most biopharmaceutical companies now require that MSLs have a terminal degree. And as a hiring manager of MSLs for many years, I found the individuals who were most successful in those roles were those who had a deep understanding of how to read and interpret the medical literature, how professional medical societies work, and importantly, clinical experience.”
He continues, “It’s that clinical experience that allowed the MSL to understand and empathize with the clinical leaders and medical scientists MSLs interact with and understand what the science means in terms of what the patient is likely to experience. I developed a deep understanding of evidence-based practice, the biopharmaceutical regulatory environment, and how therapies progress from the manufacturers to the patient through experience and on-the-job training. However, had there been a doctoral-level program that addressed these issues along with MSL field-craft, my career would undoubtedly have been accelerated.”
McKenna says he was thrilled to find Lynchburg’s DMSc, the first of its kind developed specifically for PAs. “Those who’ve earned a DMSc early in their career will have more options than I did, even with all my experience. This terminal degree for PAs will open so many doors.”
