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The differences between medical science liaisons and researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a medical science liaison and a researcher. Additionally, a medical science liaison has an average salary of $145,718, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.
The top three skills for a medical science liaison include patients, medical affairs and MSL. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.
| Medical Science Liaison | Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $145,718 | $67,145 |
| Hourly rate | $70.06 | $32.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 57,208 | 30,498 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A medical science liaison (MSL) is a scientific professional who facilitates a working relationship between healthcare companies and leading physicians, researchers, and clinicians. Also referred to as key opinion leaders (KOL), medical science liaisons represent their company to the decision-makers in the medical community as well as to investors and government regulatory agencies. They analyze clinical trends and monitor the scientific literature for new developments in the medical community. Medical science liaisons also prepare medical samples and data to investigate the causes of chronic diseases, pathogens, and toxicity.
A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Medical science liaisons and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Science Liaison | Researcher | |
| Average salary | $145,718 | $67,145 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $359,000 | Between $37,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jackson, TN | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Saint Luke's Health System | Renaissance Learning |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a medical science liaison and a researcher in terms of educational background:
| Medical Science Liaison | Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between medical science liaisons' and researchers' demographics:
| Medical Science Liaison | Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 23.4% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |