Welcome to Information Overload

It’s your first day as a MSL. You’ve landed your dream job. But then, boom, you’re handed:

• A massive folder with 100+ research papers
• Hours of compliance training
• A CRM system you’ve never seen before (BTW what’s a CRM?)

Overwhelmed yet? You’re not alone.

For MSLs, learning a TA can feel like drinking from a firehose. The expectation? Become a disease state expert fast. The reality? Most MSLs are stuck sifting through mountains of PubMed searches, internal decks, and journal articles with no clear roadmap.

But what if there was a faster, smarter way to learn?

Enter Google’s Deep Research: your shortcut to becoming an instant disease state expert.

My friend and fellow AI lover, Vivek Mukhatyar, messaged me about this tool and said I needed to check it out. When Vivek tells me to look at something AI related, I listen. You guys are going to love this!

Why Traditional TA Training Fails MSLs

The typical MSL onboarding experience is a mess of:

• Endless PDFs & PubMed Searches: No prioritization, just information overload.
• Hours of Webinars & Internal Decks: No real clarity on what’s mission-critical.
• Siloed Learning: MSLs struggle to connect scattered pieces into a bigger picture.
• High Pressure to Sound Like an Expert Fast: All while trying not to sound like a complete idiot in front of top KOLs

Traditional methods aren’t built for speed or the actual realities of the daily work of MSLs. AI is.

Don’t Get Yourself in Trouble: Follow AI Compliance Rules

AI is a game-changer for MSLs, but before you start relying on it, make sure you know your company’s rules. Most pharma and biotech companies have strict policies on AI use and you don’t want to be the one who accidentally violates compliance.

A few key things to keep in mind:

• Check your company’s AI policy before using tools like Deep Research or ChatGPT. Some companies allow it, others don’t.
• AI isn’t always right. Always verify AI-generated insights with real, credible sources before using them in conversations.
• Never put confidential or proprietary info into AI tools. What goes in could be stored or used elsewhere.
• If you’re unsure, ask. Your compliance team exists for a reason. Better to check than risk a major issue.

AI can make you faster and smarter, but only if you use it responsibly. Stay compliant, stay credible, and don’t be the MSL who gets a company-wide policy rewritten.

How AI Can Turn MSLs into Instant Disease State Experts

Becoming an expert in a new disease state or TA isn’t just about reading a few papers—it’s about building a cohesive, structured understanding that you can use in real-world conversations with KOLs.

Traditionally, this means:

• Hours of literature searches: sifting through PubMed, Google Scholar, clinical trial registries, and guidelines.
• Manually compiling key findings into a summary, ensuring nothing critical is missed.
• Comparing and synthesizing across multiple sources: peer-reviewed papers, real-world data, and regulatory updates.
• Organizing it all into a structured, usable format that makes sense to you.

This process could take days or even weeks and even then, it’s easy to miss something important.

Now, AI Does It in Minutes

Google’s Deep Research changes everything. Instead of spending hours piecing together fragmented data, MSLs can now generate a structured, well-sourced report on their disease state or TA in minutes.

Here’s how Deep Research transforms the process:

• AI Searches and Compiles the Trusted Sources: Instead of manually hunting for the right papers, AI automatically pulls high-quality, peer-reviewed literature, regulatory updates, etc into a comprehensive research report.
• Find the Most Relevant Info for KOL Discussions: AI helps surface what truly matters. Not just data and facts, but how it may align with current treatment paradigms and HCP decision-making.
• See the Bigger Picture: Deep Research can help identify trends, gaps, and areas of debate so MSLs can walk into KOL meetings with a strategic, high-level understanding of the landscape.
• Generate a Ready-to-Use Report: AI organizes findings into an easy-to-read, structured summary, complete with source links for verification and deeper exploration.

Rather than spending hours manually compiling reports, MSLs now get a polished, citation-backed research summary in minutes, giving them a competitive edge and making them instant disease state experts. Double-checking everything is still required, though!

What Is Deep Research (and How Is It Different from ChatGPT)?

Deep Research is Google’s AI-powered research tool designed to browse the web like a human researcher—only much faster. Over the course of a few minutes, it searches, finds relevant pieces of information, refines its queries based on what it’s learned, and repeats the process multiple times. The result? A comprehensive report of key findings, complete with linked sources so you can easily dive deeper.

Which One Should You Use?

• Use ChatGPT or a similar tool when you need to brainstorm, get help with writing, or quickly extract key information from papers.
• Use Deep Research when you need a full, structured analysis with sourced data to support discussions with KOLs. Like when you wish you had a graduate level research assistant to help you compile a report. 

Both tools can be useful, but knowing when to use each will make you a faster, more strategic MSL.

Deep Research Prompt for MSLs

Vivek wrote this prompt for those who have access to Deep Research and want to leverage AI for rapid disease state mastery. Watch the video to see it live in action. You can copy-paste and update with your info directly into Deep Research:

“Context & Role:

You are an expert academic researcher and investigative analyst with extensive
experience in [YOUR FIELD OR DISCIPLINE]. Your task is to perform deep research on a complex topic by integrating information from multiple high-quality sources (peer-reviewed journals, authoritative reports, and reputable websites). Your analysis must be
thorough, objective, and should reveal new insights by connecting ideas across
disciplines.

Objectives & Instructions:

Define the Research Scope:

• Clearly articulate the research question or topic.
• Identify any specific aspects, timeframes, regions, or theoretical frameworks to consider.

Methodology:

• Conduct a comprehensive search for relevant literature, expert reviews, and current trends.
• Analyze and compare key findings from at least three reputable sources.
• Identify gaps, contradictions, or emerging trends in the data.

Synthesis & Analysis:

Summarize the main insights, supporting evidence, and counterarguments. Evaluate the credibility of each source and note any potential biases or limitations. Offer an integrative synthesis that not only answers the initial research query but also suggests possible future research directions or applications.

Formatting & Output:

Present your findings in a clear, logical structure with bullet points, subheadings, and
concise summaries. Include proper citations and references for all key sources used.
Provide a brief conclusion that highlights the significance of the research and outlines
next steps.

Final Deliverable:
Based on the instructions above, generate a detailed research report that includes:

• An introduction setting out the research objectives and context.
• A structured literature review with summarized findings.
• A critical analysis of the data, including identified research gaps.
• A clear, evidence-based conclusion with suggestions for further investigation.

Your Specific Research Topic:
[INSERT YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION OR TOPIC HERE]“

We ran this exact prompt for dermatology and itch. Check it out:

Here is another more MSL-specific one to try:

“Context & Role

You are a medical science liaison (MSL) specializing in [INSERT DISEASE STATE]. Your task is to conduct deep research using peer-reviewed journals, clinical guidelines, and regulatory data.

Objectives

1. Understand the Disease Landscape

• What are the current treatment guidelines?
• What are the major unmet medical needs?
• How do KOLs view the current standard of care?

2. Analyze Key Clinical Data

• Summarize landmark clinical trials and new data from the last five years.
• Compare efficacy, safety, and real-world evidence across treatments.
• Identify gaps or controversies in the data.

3. Synthesize Emerging Trends

• What new therapies are in development?
• Are there regulatory or market access challenges to adoption?
• How is patient care evolving in this disease space?

Formatting & Output

• Concise, structured summaries with bullet points.
• Proper citations from validated medical sources.
• Final synthesis: How do these insights impact medical strategy, KOL engagement, and MSL discussions?”

The best part about this prompt is you can modify it as you need. Did we forget something? Just add it in and then tell us!

Get more prompting tips in my AI guide. Download by putting entering your info below 👇.

Beyond TA Training: Other Ways Deep Research Helps MSLs Work Smarter, Not Harder

AI-powered Deep Research isn’t just great for learning a new disease state, it’s an MSL superpower for:

• Pre-Congress Prep: AI identifies trending topics & must-read abstracts.
• Competitive Intelligence: Track pipeline shifts, competitor strategies, and KOL sentiment.
• KOL & HCP Profiling: Quickly understand their research focus, clinical viewpoints, and influence.

If you don’t want to fork over the money for Deep Research, check out some of these other AI use cases for MSLs:

Conclusions: Learn Faster, Speak Smarter, Make an Impact

Learning a new therapeutic area doesn’t have to be painful and overwhelming.

With Deep Research, MSLs can cut weeks off their learning curve, develop true expertise, and confidently engage with KOLs faster than ever.

Your challenge: Try using the Deep Research prompt above for your next TA deep dive. Then, let us know: How much time did you save?

Level up with my AI for MSL Excellence Team Training

Don’t let your team fall behind when it comes to AI. Contact me about team training on AI.

In this training, the team will learn how to:

• Use AI to work faster and smarter
• Generate high-impact KOL profiles
• Apply AI responsibly in Medical Affairs
• And more