Why MSLs Struggle with Presentation Delivery

This isn’t a science problem. This is a delivery problem and no one is talking about it.

MSLs get plenty of scientific and compliance training. They’re experts in the data. But they’ve rarely been trained to:

• Pace their delivery
• Use vocal energy to emphasize key points
• Eliminate filler words
• Speak with presence
• Pause long enough for the message to land

The delivery is where credibility is either confirmed or quietly eroded.

And in a role where communication is the tool of the trade, that’s a massive blind spot. Even high-performing Medical Science Liaisons unknowingly adopt delivery behaviors that undercut their message.

This is a clear training gap, and why we started building out tools/ resources/ online courses to help MSLs be more impactful.

Enabling MSLs to Become Powerful Presenters

In the summer of 2024, Sarah Snyder and I built our Art of Presenting online course after seeing too many MSLs give really terrible presentations. They weren’t so bad because they lacked knowledge, but because their voice, tone, and presence didn’t reflect their expertise.

We poured everything into our presentation course: practical tools, real-world strategies, and a structure MSLs could use in any presentation setting.

And it worked.

Our training business continues to grow. We keep working with incredible MSLs. And through Aspire MSL, we help candidates prep for final-round interviews where delivery makes the difference between getting hired and not.

But the deeper we got, the more we realized something big:

→ This problem wasn’t going away. And we needed a new way to solve it.

That’s when we started working on an AI tool that could evaluate real voice recordings against our proprietary 5 Ps framework of powerful delivery.

It would give MSLs feedback and real data they’d never had before. It would spot patterns humans miss and provide the much needed coaching that individual MSLs need but is hard to scale. It would finally bring presentation training to the level that MSLs need.

The 5 Ps: The Vocal Habits That Are Holding MSLs Back

After training hundreds of MSLs, 5 specific habits show up again and again. These are the areas we focus on in the Elite Presentation Lab training program, because they are the most common barriers to impactful communication:

1. Pace – Talking too fast for the message to land
2. Pitch – A flat, emotionless voice even when the data is exciting
3. Pronunciation – Confusing people with drug names and scientific terms
4. Projection – Speaking too softly to command attention or build presence
5. Pauses – Overfilling the silence with “um,” “like,” and other filler words

These vocal delivery issues may seem small, but they create big disconnects when engaging with both internal and external stakeholders.

And the kicker? Most MSLs have no idea these habits are getting in the way.

Powered by AI. Trained on the 5 Ps.

The Elite Presentation Lab includes a proprietary AI tool that listens to your voice and analyzes your performance across the 5 Ps. It’s trained on the exact vocal habits that are holding MSLs back and built specifically for the Medical Affairs field.

It shows you:

• Where your pace speeds up (or where it should)
• How often you use filler words
• Whether your tone is landing with energy or not

It’s like having your own personal voice coach and a presentation trainer in one, finally giving MSLs visibility into how they sound, not just what they say. The best part is that it has useful metrics that MSLs can use to improve. 

A New Presentation Program for MSLs Who Want to Level Up

The Elite Presentation Lab is a 6-month program built for experienced MSLs who want to take their delivery from “good enough” to powerful and persuasive.

Training begins July 11, 2025. Contact me for details. 

Inside the Lab:

• Monthly live training sessions focused on each of the 5 Ps
• Practice activities for real situations MSLs encounter in the field
• Real-time AI scoring and feedback after each voice submission
• Tools to help MSLs sound more confident, credible, and clear no matter the audience

This is high-performance MSL communication training, built for those who are ready to be heard.

Conclusions: The Vocal Habits That Are Holding MSLs Back

We’ve already started delivering this to MSL teams and the feedback has been incredible. Over 90% of MSLs say they immediately feel more confident after completing the training.

Participants love being able to practice on their own terms with an AI that actually understands the nuances of MSLing. They’re getting real-time feedback that’s specific to their voice, not generic advice. And they’re applying what they learn immediately:

→ In field presentations
→ Internal meetings
→ Interview prep

For Medical Affairs leadership, the AI metrics offer something new: clear, quantifiable data into how communication skills are improving across the team. No more guessing if the money invested in training is worth it or not. You’ll see the trends. You’ll track the growth. And the impact won’t stop at delivery.

Better communication leads to deeper connections. Stronger relationships lead to better insights. And better insights drive stronger decisions. It’s a ripple effect and it starts with how your MSLs sound and present.

Launching July 11: Elite Presentation Lab by MSL Mastery

After 100s of requests to provide coaching on this, we are beyond excited to bring this to individuals who want to invest in their executive presence. The Elite Presentation Lab officially launches July 11. Space in the first cohort is limited. Contact me for details. 

If you’re leading an MSL team and want to bring this training to your group, reach out. We’re partnering with Medical Affairs teams to deliver this program with AI-powered feedback, live instruction, and custom rollout options for your field force.

And if you’re an MSL who knows the science but wants your delivery to reflect your expertise this is the training you’ve been missing.

It’s time to stop guessing how you sound and start mastering how you deliver. Your voice is your weapon. Let’s make it powerful.