Medical Affairs’ core function is: based on scientific evidence, building trust relationships and transmitting scientific information between Healthcare Professionals (HCP), regulatory authorities, and internal business teams. MA is not sales (no direct commercial negotiations) — instead acting as “scientific ambassadors” building long-term academic collaboration relationships with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders — top physicians), providing drug data interpretation, supporting Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT), etc.
## Core MA Position Types
**MSL (Medical Science Liaison)**: the most common MA entry role, covering KOL visits and academic support within a territory. Requirements: typically medical, pharmaceutical, or life science master’s degree or above (some foreign pharma requires MD/PhD). Responsibilities: regularly visiting top hospital KOLs within the region, conveying latest clinical data, collecting clinical needs feedback, supporting IIT applications. Salary: entry-level MSL approximately RMB 250,000-400,000/year (foreign pharma); 3-5 years’ experience approximately RMB 400,000-800,000.
**Medical Director**: MA team management level, responsible for therapeutic area strategy development, medical education program design, regulatory submission medical support, etc. Typically requires MD or PhD background plus 5-10 years of experience; salary approximately RMB 1,000,000-3,000,000.
**RWE (Real World Evidence) Researcher**: as Real World Data’s importance in drug approval and market access rises, RWE is becoming an emerging MA sub-function requiring clinical knowledge + epidemiology/biostatistics foundation.
## Career Transition Entry Path
**Direct fresh-graduate MSL application**: medical/pharmaceutical/life science master’s or above → directly apply to foreign pharma companies’ MSL positions (Pfizer, Novartis, AstraZeneca, J&J, Roche are primary employers). Interview focus: scientific knowledge background + communication skills + KOL relationship-building willingness — no commercial KPI assessment. **Residency-period transition**: during 3-year residency, secure pharma MA internship (some pharma companies have fresh-graduate MA training programs); after residency completion, direct MA transition, with clinical frontline experience strengthening competitiveness.
See [Medical Career Pivot Overview](https://sunqi.org/medical-career-pivot-overview-en/) and [DXY Medical Career Resources](https://www.dxy.cn/).
