Medical Science Liaison: Shannon Payne

Shannon R. Payne, Ph.D.

How did you choose your career? Was this an easy or hard process for you? If you struggled, how did you overcome these struggles?

Choosing my career was an extremely difficult process for me. I originally wanted to do marine research, but I flunked my diving certification (I had never failed a test before!). At the same time I failed my diving course, I was taking an obligatory course in genetics and fell in love with the field. I went to graduate school because I am a curious person by nature and delighted in using the formality of genetics to ask questions about biology, but I'm not sure I had a clear idea of where I intended to go with my degree. I made naïve assumptions about the guidance and support I would receive in finding the next step of my career and ended up without a lot of direction. I was a few years into my postdoctoral fellowship before I realized that I needed to take full responsibility for my career and began making use of all resources available. I was lucky in that my institution had progressive infrastructure for supporting postdoctoral fellows in career development.

In addition to institutional resources, I used all available social resources as well. I asked everyone I knew with any work connections to the field of biology to introduce me to a few friends in that segment of the industry and set about arranging informational interviews. There is nothing so revealing as asking people how they spend the average (not the best, the average) work day!

What kind of training, both formal and informal, did you receive to prepare you for your career? If applicable, how did you select where to attend graduate school? How did you choose your postdoc? How about any additional training? How did you choose what additional training to pursue and how did you choose where to do it?

My formal training consisted of a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. In between, I completed an accidental M.S. due to a poor department choice in my first year of graduate school and wanting to salvage something from my time there.

In terms of choosing my graduate school and my postdoc, I may not be the best example. Of course, I strove for excellence in research and reputation when putting together my selection list, but in the end I made my final decisions almost on impulse. For graduate school, I probably should have chosen another university given my focus at the time on plant pathology, but I made my decision to attend the University of Washington when I caught my first glimpse of Mt. Rainier on a sunny day in April. My postdoc was also chosen on instinct based on a lunch meeting I had with my potential advisor. I wish I were more rigorous in such critical decisions, but I do believe that following your heart can lead you in the direction you want to go — even if you don't yet know it! I love my current career as a Medical Science Liaison and my past training has been a perfect path to what I am doing now, but if I had tried to chart that path from the outset I probably would have made a mess of it.

How competitive and/or rigorous was the training for your career?

Acceptance into my graduate degree program was competitive and the training was rigorous with my graduate department taking special pride in the quality of education and career preparation given to its trainees. That said, I think anyone who is committed, or more accurately stubborn, can complete the programs. They were challenging, not impossible.

In general, how much did the training cost? Was the investment worth it?

The costs for my graduate training were not high in terms of capital expenditure since most respected science graduate programs will provide nominal support in terms of tuition and a meager stipend, in contrast to medical or business schools. The costs in terms of delayed income were high, however. It is a little disheartening to be earning the equivalent of minimum wage into your late twenties when your friends from college have had "real" jobs for years. I can now say, without qualification, that it was worth it, but I'm not sure I always felt that way.

How long did it take you to train? Was it shorter or longer than anticipated? If you had any setbacks, how did you deal with them?

I think I'm still training! Graduate school was six years for me, given that I switched labs and departments after two years. My postdoctoral fellowship also lasted six years, but I think that could have been a couple years shorter if I had been more efficient and focused on where I was going. At the end of my postdoc I knew that I no longer wanted to do bench science and wanted to have a more direct impact on translation of research to the clinic through working in the biotechnology industry, but short of acquiring another degree such as an M.B.A., I needed to prove myself first. So I took my first industry position as a scientist in a small biotechnology company essentially as the next phase of my training, knowing that I did not want to be a bench scientist indefinitely. As the company grew, I offered my services in all areas where I thought I had something to offer. I was very lucky in a small company that I had a lot of exposure to different aspects of business and was able to grow along with the company. The training never really stops!

What was the process like to apply for your first job after your training was over? Was it easy or difficult? How did you cope with any difficulties? Did that differ from subsequent jobs you've had?

It was a difficult trial and error process. In the beginning, I applied for positions for which I wasn't qualified and failed to highlight my qualifications for positions where I could have been a good fit. The informational interviews that I conducted helped me significantly in refining my resume and focusing on the best fits. I am deeply indebted to the many individuals who met with me, reviewed my resume and offered suggestions out of the goodness of their hearts. I try to pay it forward whenever I have the opportunity.

What advice would you give to someone interested in following a similar career path?

Do what you love and everything else will follow. Also, don't be afraid to take "detours" as sometimes you end up in happily unexpected places.

What would you have done differently in preparing for your career?

Initially, I would have asked more questions of current students/fellows about the amount of support, career and otherwise, that potential research advisors and departments typically provide before making decisions. As it was, sometimes I got lucky and sometimes I did not. It is clear that the degree of dedication that advisors and departments have to the success of the individuals they train varies tremendously. Toward the latter part of my training, I would have taken advantage of the generous career development support that my institution offered much earlier. It's like not contributing to your 401k plan when you have an employer match — you're just turning down free money! Many institutions have a student-postdoctoral advisory committee that focuses on career development and advocates for the interests of trainees. See what is available at your institution and get involved for education, networking and just plain fun!

How much do you like what you do? Why? Is it what you imagined it would be? If not, how have you adapted?

It's far more exciting and rewarding than I could have imagined. I work far more hours than I would have predicted and that bothers me less than I expected. I love what I do, capital letters, bold font. I spend time every week, if not every day, trying to solve the puzzle of translating basic research that I believe will save lives into a viable product in the marketplace. How do you prove to yourself that it works? How do you demonstrate that to physicians? Do the health economics make sense? How do you change clinical practice? The moving parts are numerous and the guidelines are constantly shifting; it's one of the greatest challenges I have known and I love it.

How do you achieve career-life balance? Is this easy or hard to do? How many hours do you typically work per week?

I think career-life balance is always a challenge. I work anywhere from eight to twelve hours a day, rarely more than that (although when you travel, you are typically available constantly). I also work for a company with headquarters overseas, so I often need to be available at odd hours. I believe in the product I am supporting, so when there are deadlines, I do what I need to do to meet them. Part of my career-life balance is running with a group of women, many of them fellow researchers, early in the morning a few times a week — it serves as my morning constitutional and therapy session all in one. I guess the key is to have something that reminds you there is life outside the office/lab and puts any career difficulties in perspective, be it family, running or mahjong.

What strategies have you figured out over time to help you succeed?

Always work hard and give your best regardless of what others may do. Ask questions and don't be afraid to look stupid — most people are flattered when you ask them for advice. Work as a team and search to find the "win-win" even if it takes a little extra effort to find that path. Finally, don't be afraid to be the voice of dissent — disagreeing respectfully is not only a right, it is a responsibility.

How do you see your field changing in the next 5–10 years

My field will change drastically over the next five to ten years. It is hard to predict how the recent healthcare reform act will take shape, as it depends on the path of implementation, but it will transform how healthcare is delivered in the United States. In my role as a Medical Science Liaison, there will be increasingly more stringent regulations on interactions between industry and researchers and clinicians. It will be more important than ever to produce the highest quality scientific evidence and facilitate that evidence speaking for itself. We will need scientifically trained communicators with a clear understanding of, and dedication to, working within the regulatory framework in order to educate researchers and clinicians on forthcoming products.

Anything else you would like to share?

Enjoy the journey!