Overwhelmed by the Scientific Literature? An AI Tool to Help MSLs

Drowning in papers? Is there a huge stack of publications you need to read on your desk right now? You’re not alone. As an MSL, you’re juggling non-stop KOL meetings, endless internal meetings, and admin work, all while trying to keep up with the constant flood of new publications. It feels impossible to stay on top of everything, but you still need to be that trusted source for your KOLs. The reality? You don’t have hours to spend reading every paper from top to bottom. So, how do you make sure you’re never caught off guard in a KOL/HCP meeting because you don’t know a paper? 

If you are overwhelmed by the scientific literature, one option is to use AI to help stay on top of papers. Let’s dive into:

✨ The challenges of staying on top of the literature

✨ What to look out for when using AI tools to review papers

✨ AI can save you loads of time and add more value to your KOLs

Ways MSLs Stay on Top of Literature

Here are some ways MSLs try to keep up:

  • Journal Alerts and Email Subscriptions: Signing up for email alerts from journals is a good way to get new publications right in your inbox. On the downside, those alerts can quickly pile up, and before you know it, you’ve got hundreds of unread emails.

  • Reading Abstracts Only: Some MSLs skim abstracts instead of reading full papers. While it saves time, it often misses key data and details buried in the main text.

  • Relying on Peers: Sometimes, MSLs rely on colleagues or internal summaries to get the latest updates. While this can be helpful, it’s not always consistent, and you might miss important papers.

  • Continuing Medical Education (CME): Some MSLs use CME to stay informed, but this has its own challenges. CME courses can help keep you updated, but they don’t always provide the level of detail you need for every new publication. Plus, fitting these courses into an already packed schedule can be tough. On top of that, CMEs might not always align perfectly with the latest publications or your specific therapeutic area.

What would you add to this list? How do you stay on top of the literature?

The struggle to keep up is real, and the need for more efficient tools is more important than ever. This is where AI has the opportunity to shine. What if an MSL could save massive amounts of time by using AI to help summarize the key takeaways, clinical implications, questions KOLs may have, and more?

 

The Power of AI for Reviewing Papers (and What to Look Out For)

 

AI can be incredibly powerful for reviewing papers and helping put them into context, but there are a few things to look out for. AI tools can save a massive amount of time by summarizing articles, extracting key points, and even providing clinical implications. But you can’t rely too heavily on AI-generated summaries, because they can sometimes get things wrong or even make things up. That’s why it’s so important to double-check the work.

AI is great for speeding up the review process, but always keep in mind that it’s not infallible. Make sure to verify important details against the original text, especially when preparing for KOL/HCP conversations. AI can also struggle with providing proper context for complex topics, so it’s crucial to use it as a helper, not a replacement for critical thinking.

One way to make the most of AI tools is by using them to identify sections of text that are most relevant to you, like highlighting key findings or important data points. However, it’s up to you to dive deeper, verify the context, and ensure the information is accurate before using it in discussions with stakeholders. AI can make you more efficient, but your expertise is required to make the AI trustworthy.

A Cool AI Tool to Help MSLs Speed Up Publication Review

If you are considering using AI to help stay on top of the scientific literature, check out SciSpace. It’s designed for working with data and publications. Here’s how SciSpace can help MSLs change their scientific publication game:

  • Summarize Papers: Forget having to read through every section in detail. SciSpace offers section-wise summaries that get you straight to the core of each publication. It’s perfect for those rushed moments before a KOL meeting when you need to do a quick review.
  • Chat with PDFs: It’s great to dig deeper into a specific aspect of the study/data. You can chat with the PDF itself, ask questions, and receive citation-backed answers. It’s like having a discussion with the paper. The application for pre-meeting planning is awesome. Ask it what KOLs might ask about the data. Or ask how to best present this to nurse practitioners. Use it to help level up your storytelling game (get more storytelling help here). 
  • Quickly Understand Complex Concepts: Sometimes you’ll find a particularly complex section in a publication or not be familiar with a method, acronym, etc. SciSpace’s “Explain” feature breaks these down so you can quickly understand and convey them to your HCPs and KOLs when needed. 
  • Efficient Note-Taking and Organization: Keeping your notes organized is key to retaining information and saving time later on. SciSpace offers built-in note-taking features so you can store key points and ideas for future reference. It’s great for aligning with your company’s insight themes. Or organizing by TA, a key clinical trial, or relevant categories. 
  • Highlight Key Areas: This is for all the people out there who love highlighting. With the highlighter tool, you can mark specific sections of the text that are most important, making it easier to come back and review key points without re-reading the entire paper.

If you are interested in trying out the advanced features in SciSpace and want to save money, use my coupon code:

  • Save 20% on monthly plans with MEDVALUE20
  • Save 40% on annual plans with MEDVALUE40

How AI Can Help MSLs Deliver Value

By speeding up the review process, tools like SciSpace help MSLs provide the most current and relevant data to HCPs, leading to more productive interactions and insights down the road. Instead of getting bogged down by the reading process, you can spend your time focusing on how to communicate data in ways that resonate with HCPs and KOLs. It’s about enabling you to be more strategic in your interactions, not just reactive (and not having to say let me get back to you on that).

Conclusion: Overwhelmed by the Scientific Literature – Try AI

 

The life of an MSL is busy, and staying up-to-date on the literature shouldn’t add stress. It should be a strategic tool for MSLs. Tools like SciSpace allow you to spend less time reading and more time engaging. Ready to make your literature workflow easier? Give SciSpace a try and see how it can help you be more strategic with your time and during scientific exchange.

  • Save 20% on monthly plans with MEDVALUE20
  • Save 40% on annual plans with MEDVALUE40

 

Overwhelmed by the Scientific Literature An AI Tool to Help MSLs

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