Navigating Industry: Tips for Successful Relationships and Partnerships

Dermatology is no longer confined to the physician-patient interaction in a busy clinic, private practice office, or academic center. It now encompasses a growing and robust industry consisting of pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic brands, and medical device manufacturers and with that come unique professional opportunities and obligations. To this end, I recently attended YoungMD Connect’s “Working with Industry” webinar, featuring Mona Shahriari, MD, FAAD, and Natasha Atanaskova Mesinkovska, MD, PhD, giving an inclusive talk on the role of industry partnerships, how to approach these opportunities, and how residents and attendings could effectively collaborate with industry partners. 

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Clearing Up Misconceptions

This talk was enlightening because it not only clarified misconceptions I had about partnering with industry, but also showed a step-wise approach to reaching those goals. One takeaway is understanding the various ways one could partner with industry, including becoming a key opinion leader (KOL), joining advisory boards, conducting clinical trials, and becoming a speaker. I better understood the differences between these partnership avenues and both Drs. Mesinkovska and Shahriari shared their experiences in each of these tracks, which was very insightful. Another takeaway was good practical advice on how to approach these opportunities, with an emphasis on bolstering one’s CV to include anything from lectures, publications, media presence, committee memberships, and volunteer work. 

They also described the importance of constantly networking. This means attending conferences, but not just large conferences such as the AAD. They noted it is advantageous to attend smaller regional and statewide conferences, which often have more structure and a better opportunity for one-on-one interaction with industry sponsors. They said that perhaps the most important aspect of getting started is being knowledgeable of new literature and well acquainted with the company’s drug pipeline. This, in addition to meeting with medical science liaisons (MSLs) and publishing case reports about the company’s drugs, will increase the chances of getting onto that company’s radar. 

Another key takeaway from the talk was how to successfully deal with contract negotiations. This was helpful because this topic is never discussed in the open, which often leads to physicians making mistakes during their first few collaborations. Both dermatologists mentioned how they had made mistakes early in their careers with contracts, such as signing in-perpetuity and not realizing their image/likeness would be used for more than a specific drug’s commercialization. 

The presenters also touched on the notion of “influencing” within dermatology and whether it was possible to be a KOL and a derm influencer at the same time. While I often thought these terms were interchangeable, they are in fact very different, and it can be very difficult for one to master both spheres. 

I learned that before even following any of the above steps, it’s important to make a goal and understand what your mission in partnering with industry is for, because it is very challenging to juggle various professional roles while also having a family and continuing a dermatology practice. Partnering with industry may seem glamorous from the outside, they cautioned, but it often entails frequent cross-country flights and hectic schedules, which are often behind-the-scenes. 

This YoungMD Connect webinar was undoubtedly a valuable learning experience for me and the viewers, as it provided a roadmap for understanding and navigating industry collaboration as a dermatology resident and future practitioner. It was reassuring and inspiring to speak with dermatologists who are successful in this area. As I move forward in my dermatology career, I feel better equipped to engage with industry and understand how I can make my unique mark in this unique specialty. 

Rohan R. Shah, MD

• Resident Physician, Capital Health Medical Center
• Dermatology Resident-in-training, Penn State’s Milton Hershey Department of Dermatology

YoungMD Connect (YMDC) is an editorially independent platform. YMDC would like to extend its gratitude to Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as a 2024 gold platform sponsor. Sponsorships help us bring these valuable workshops to our members.