In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott sits down with Nandini Sabharwal, Field Medical Director at Pfizer, to explore how Medical Affairs teams can move past the hype and start building real, practical AI skills. Drawing from her experience as a clinical pharmacist and MSL, Nandini shares how using AI first in everyday life creates confidence, fluency, and momentum that directly translate into work. The conversation focuses on how teams can start now, stay compliant, and use AI to expand, not replace, their impact. 

Nandini is a seasoned Medical Science Liaison with over five years of Medical Affairs experience spanning various therapeutic areas. She spearheads the Internal Medicine Field Medical AI workstream, focusing on initiatives that bridge AI innovation with field medical operations, such as using AI to enhance medical engagement and insight generation. She is an enthusiastic pioneer of integrating AI in customer-facing teams, emphasizing the importance of upskilling, democratization of AI skills, and cross-functional collaboration with other field teams for AI advocacy.

Connect with Nandini on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nandini-sabharwal/

[00:00]  Why AI Is Becoming a Core Skill in Medical Affairs 

In this episode, Scott sits down with Nick Taylor, Head of Gilead’s IT Innovation Lab, to unpack how he has led enterprise-wide adoption of Copilot and built AI solutions now used by nearly 30,000 employees. Nick shares the mindset, methods, and practical realities of teaching teams to use AI well, from personal productivity to enterprise-scale agents.

Together, they discuss:

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ntaylornc

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] – Welcome and Introduction

2025 wasn’t just another year of progress for Medical Affairs. It was a year of transformation.

In this special OnPoint: Medical Excellence Podcast episode, Scott Thompson looks back across the conversations, leaders, and moments that defined the past year and distills them into six themes that are reshaping how Medical Affairs teams operate, lead, and create impact.

This is not a rewind. It’s a synthesis of what changed, why it matters, and how the most forward-thinking teams are already applying these lessons.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Medical Affairs leaders are:

Throughout the episode, Scott connects insights from leaders across the industry to show how everything connects: AI, excellence, impact, omnichannel, and mastery all working together to improve outcomes for patients.

If you’re responsible for Medical Affairs strategy, field excellence, insights, or transformation, this episode brings the year into focus and offers a clear lens for what comes next.

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] – The Year of Transformation

[01:29] – Stop Waiting for Big AI. Start Now

[03:34] – Integration Is Excellence

[05:56] – Measure What Changed, Not What You Did

[08:09] – Start Small. Prove Value. Scale.

[11:04] – Maturity Is Built One Coordinated Step at a Time

[13:37] – What Should the Modern MSL Be Mastering?

[16:42] – Everything Connects

In this episode of the OnPoint Podcast, Scott sits down with Joyce Lo, Director of Medical Omnichannel Strategy at Blueprint Medicines. Joyce shares her perspective on modernizing Medical Affairs engagement through digital and customer-centric channels. Together, they explore how omnichannel can expand reach, personalize education, and deliver measurable impact across the Medical Affairs landscape. 

Together, they discuss:

Connect with Joyce on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-lo-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 

[00:00] – Welcome and Introduction

In this OnPoint Podcast episode, Joe Giuliano joins Acceleration Point CEO Scott Thompson to reflect on his nine-year journey leading Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics—and the bold transformation he spearheaded before his recent retirement. 

From rethinking Medical Affairs’ role to building belief-driven strategies and enabling digital capabilities, Joe shares hard-earned lessons and practical insights for leaders ready to drive real change. 

Together, they discuss:

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-giuliano-b364476/

You can learn more about his company, Rare Medical Affairs, by visiting his website at https://www.raremedicalaffairs.com/about-rma or by emailing him at [email protected]. 

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

In this episode of OnPoint, Scott hosts seasoned Medical Affairs leader Paul Minne to explore one of the industry's most persistent challenges: defining and measuring impact. With over two decades of experience leading field medical teams across biotech and pharma, Paul brings bold ideas and practical solutions for how Medical Affairs teams can move from traditional activity metrics to truly influencing and measuring changes in clinical practice.

Together, they discuss:

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulminne/

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: Why Measuring Impact Still Matters

02:05 – Why Is Impact So Hard to Define in Medical Affairs?

08:00 – The Real Purpose of Medical Affairs

14:10 – Beyond Metrics: What Should We Really Measure?

18:30 – A Hybrid Model: Activity vs. Strategic Impact

26:20 – How MSL Teams Can Shift Clinical Beliefs

38:00 – AI, Alignment & the Path to the Third Pillar

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