Insights from a study of 135 rare disease physicians, and what it means for your Medical Affairs function.*
Field Medical teams often rely on relationship length, contact frequency, and number of interactions as indicators of strong engagement. But do these drivers truly shape physician trust and influence clinical decision making?
Our recent research asked physicians to rate the trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, integrity) of the most recent Medical Science Liaison (MSL) they engaged with. The findings challenge several long-held assumptions that commonly shape Medical Affairs strategy.
1. The exposure myth: Does more time really build more trust?
Many organizations track KPIs like relationship duration, contact frequency, and total interactions. Yet our data suggests these may not meaningfully shift how much a physician trusts an MSL.
Key strategic questions for your team:
- If frequency doesn’t build trust, how should field efforts be adjusted?
- Which specific trust cue is the strongest predictor of action?
2. Integrity augmented: What actually moves behavior?
Physicians appear to give MSLs an inherent baseline of integrity. As the role is viewed as nonpromotional and science driven, integrity may be more “given,” vs. a true differentiator.
Key strategic questions for your team:
- What meaningfully shifts trust or influence, and how does trust affect physicians’ willingness to act
- Are your field teams equipped to consistently activate those drivers of HCP behavior?
3. Immediate ability: Overcoming the fast, nonconscious filters
Physicians often rely on quick, nonconscious “peer filters” to form an early judgment of an MSL’s capability, long before deeper scientific discussions occur. In essence, clinicians may look for signals that the MSL understands their world.
Key strategic questions for your team:
- How can MSLs send strong ability signals early in an interaction?
- Which domains of expertise matter most for establishing credibility?
Ready to translate these findings into action for your organization?
This research provides a powerful starting point, but the real value comes from applying the insights to your own teams, therapeutic areas, and strategic priorities.
We partner with Medical Affairs organizations to:
- Translate research insights into custom field behaviors and capabilities
- Rebuild or refine Field Medical engagement models and KPIs
- Develop training sessions and workshops on trust, influence, and scientific communication
- Identify the specific trust drivers that matter most for your customer segments
- Revamp Medical Affairs strategy and tactics to ensure foundational trust is captured across all facets
If you’re ready to challenge old assumptions and redesign a field model that truly aligns with how physicians think, we would like to collaborate.
→Contact Brooke Bonet or Ayushman Ghosh to customize a session or project for your team.
*This research was conducted in partnership with Dr. Justin O’Rourke of The Chicago School and will be published in May 2026.
