Medical Excellence is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of high-performing Medical Affairs organizations—but what does it mean, and how can it be implemented in practice? In this episode, Scott Thompson is joined by two industry leaders, Michael Kahn and Chris McNabb, who bring hands-on experience in building and leading Medical Excellence functions at Spark Therapeutics and Bayer, respectively.

Together, they discuss:

• Defining Medical Excellence and how it differs from medical operations

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn:   / kahnmichael  

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. 

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

#MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence 

[00:00] – Introduction & Meet the Guests

[02:30] – Defining Medical Excellence: More Than Operations

[06:00] – Building the Function: Standardization, Scope & Strategy

[12:00] – Gaining Buy-In & Aligning Stakeholders

[20:30] – Balancing Innovation with Operational Foundations

[31:00] – Team Structure: Big vs. Small Organizations

[46:30] – The Future of Medical Affairs & Closing Thoughts

Following a standing-room-only session at the 2025 MAPS Annual Meeting, Acceleration Point CEO Scott Thompson sits down with three industry leaders who are shaping how Generative AI is being applied inside Medical Affairs today—not in theory, but in practice.

Wendy Fraser (Merck), Annamaria Crisan (Pfizer), and Rishi Ohri (Astellas Pharma) share real-world examples, critical lessons, and hard-won truths from piloting Gen AI across Field Medical teams, Medical Information, HEOR, and Omnichannel. They discuss personal productivity, process improvement, clinical risks, compliance pitfalls, and how to build trust—both with your technology and your teams.

If you're exploring how to scale Gen AI within a regulated environment, this is your roadmap.

🔹 Key Takeaways:

• Start with Low-Risk, High-Impact Use Cases

Connect with the guests on LinkedIn: 

Wendy Fraser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-fraser-86316710

[00:00] Why Gen AI? Why Now?

[04:00] Defining the Problems to Solve

[08:00] Three Buckets of Use Cases

[12:00] Real Examples: What’s Working (and What’s Not)

[28:00] Risks, Trust & Compliance in a Regulated World

[36:00] Scaling Gen AI Without Breaking Workflow

[47:00] Upskilling & What Leaders Are Learning Next

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott Thompson welcomes Teri Michelini of Sanofi and Parker Richardson of Astellas Pharma to explore the evolving relationship between Medical Affairs and Commercial teams in pharma. As traditional silos and firewalls give way to transparency and strategic orchestration, what does true collaboration look like—and you get there without compromising compliance?

Teri and Parker draw from decades of experience to share real-world strategies for harmonizing roles, aligning messaging, and leveraging omnichannel innovations. From cross-functional planning and trust-building to creating scalable, tech-driven journeys for HCPs, this episode offers powerful insights for any medical leader looking to bridge the gap.

🔹 Key Takeaways:

• Why compliance shouldn’t mean silence

Connect with Teri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-michelini-aaa9204

Connect with Parker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerrichardson

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs. 

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

#MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence 

[00:00] Breaking Down the Firewalls

In this episode, Scott Thompson sits down with Rachel Couchenour, a seasoned medical affairs leader with deep experience navigating the unique challenges of small and emerging biotech companies. Together, they dive into what it really means to be a team of one—or a small team—in a resource-constrained organization.

Rachel shares wisdom from her journey transitioning from big pharma to startups, highlighting both the missteps and the wins. From prioritizing medical affairs activities to building strategic partnerships and creating cross-functional alignment, she offers invaluable insights for professionals looking to make an impact in lean, high-stakes environments.

Whether you're contemplating a move to a smaller company, building out a medical affairs function from scratch, or looking to do more with less, this episode is full of practical advice and inspiring takeaways.

Key Themes:

Bonus: Learn about “Flossy the Focused Flamingo” and how stuffed animals are shaping team culture!

Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelcouchenour/

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

[00:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome

[00:47] Navigating Small and Emerging Biotechs

[02:10] Key Pillars of Medical Affairs

[04:06] Challenges and Strategies in Small Teams

[08:03] Effective Stakeholder Engagement

[10:59] Resource Management and Prioritization

[32:13] Career Development in Small Organizations

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott Thompson sits down with Vicky Jones, Global Head of Field Medical at Annexon Biosciences. With a ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-jones-dvm-36707119/⁠

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms, including the ⁠Acceleration Point YouTube channel⁠.

#MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence #FieldMedical

[00:00] Welcome & Introduction

[01:00] Vicky Jones' Journey into Medical Affairs

[05:30] The Evolving Role of Field Medical & MSLs

[10:40] Structuring & Growing a High-Impact MSL Team

[20:15] Key Skills & Leadership Lessons for Medical Affairs

[35:00] Final Takeaways & Advice for Medical Affairs Professionals

In this OnPoint podcast episode, host Scott invites Brant, Head of Field Medical at Mallinckrodt, to discuss the complexities of Insights Generation in medical affairs. Brent emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, collaboration, and the evolving role of AI in gathering, analyzing, and reporting insights.

Key topics include the necessity of having a dedicated Insights Lead, the significance of multi-channel data collection, and the impact on organizational efficiency. The episode also highlights the value of continual training, feedback loops, and showcasing the tangible results of insights. Brant and Scott share actionable strategies for improving insight programs and preparing teams to adapt to changing technologies and methodologies.

Connect with Brant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brant-jarrett-636a1435/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

#MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence #FieldMedical #InsightGeneration

[00:00] Welcome and Catching Up

[00:57] Introduction to Insight Generation

[02:22] Challenges in Insight Generation

[05:56] Strategies for Effective Insight Collection

[19:32] Continuous Improvement in Training

[20:13] The Paradox of Practice

[25:17] AI's Impact on Insights

[30:56] Maximizing the Value of Insights

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott interviews Wendy Fraser about her experiences and insights in scaling the Medical Excellence function at Merck. They discuss the scope of responsibilities, the complexities of managing global medical affairs, and the innovative practices that enable scientific exchange excellence.

Wendy shares the importance of building cross-functional relationships, employing consultative approaches, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The conversation also touches upon the challenges and successes of 2024, future directions for Medical Affairs, and the critical role of continuous engagement and feedback from global teams.

Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-fraser-86316710/

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

#MedicalAffairs #MedicalExcellence

[00:00] Introduction and Welcome

[00:14] Understanding Merck's Medical Excellence

[04:01] The Role of Scientific Exchange

[08:02] Balancing Global Consistency and Local Autonomy

[10:18] Building an Inspired Shared Vision

[17:45] Experimentation and Safe to Fail Culture

[31:46] Future of Medical Affairs and MSLs

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott interviews Matt Nelson, Head of Global Medical Excellence and Innovation at Amicus Therapeutics. Matt shares his journey in leading change within organizations, starting from his tenure at Biogen, to his current role at Amicus.

They discuss the importance of establishing foundational systems and procedures before implementing broader strategic initiatives. Matt shares challenges faced during these transformation phases, such as resource allocation and gaining alignment within the team.

The conversation also touches on the significance of measuring the impact of medical affairs activities and maintaining strategic focus to drive organizational success. Matt emphasizes the need for effective communication and building champions within the team to support change initiatives.

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-nelson-pharmd

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

OnPoint is available on several podcast platforms including the Acceleration Point YouTube channel.

#MedicalAffairs #medicalexcellence

[00:47] Matt Nelson's Background and Career Journey

[05:28] Challenges in Implementing Change

[09:22] Foundations for Organizational Change

[13:46]Measuring Impact and Strategic Alignment

[19:54] Building Champions and Effective Communication

[33:46] Personal Insights and Future Goals

[41:59] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Pascal Vande Gucht, Medical Affairs Digital Lead at UCB, joins Scott Thompson to discuss the critical steps Medical Affairs teams must take to stay ahead by 2030.

Pascal shares his vision on leveraging digital technologies, data analytics, and insights to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and improve patient outcomes. Learn how Medical Affairs can implement omnichannel strategies, measure impact, and drive clinical practice change to remain a key strategic pillar within pharma.

Connect with Pascal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-vande-gucht

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

#MedicalAffairs #DigitalTransformation #2030Vision #DataAnalytics #MedicalExcellence

Omnichannel expert Justin Kulovsek joins Scott Thompson and shares how Medical Affairs teams can simplify their approach when it comes to Omnichannel. Learn how to effectively engage HCPs, KOLs, and other key audiences without overcomplicating your efforts.

Justin shares practical tips on leveraging existing tools and creating personalized, impactful content across channels like email, CRM, social media, and more. Whether you're just starting your omnichannel journey or looking to optimize your strategy, this episode offers valuable insights to drive medical excellence.

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinkulovsek or visit: https://www.omnichannelconsultant.com

OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast, delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

#MedicalAffairs #Omnichannel #HCPengagement #MedicalExcellence #DigitalStrategy