Left clinical practice for an MSL role and now I miss patient care
I was a practicing optometrist for about 10 years and genuinely enjoyed seeing patients, but I eventually became overwhelmed by the long hours, productivity metrics, and overall demands of clinical practice. I decided to pursue an MSL role, which definitely wasn’t easy. Now I’ve been in the role for about 4-5 months, and I’ve realized that I truly, deeply miss patient care. I also don’t feel like this role has given me the work-life balance I expected. Even when I’m technically off, I’m thinking about whether I’ve scheduled enough encounters, whether certain doctors have responded, and what I still need to accomplish. I feel like I’m either working or worrying about work.
The lack of structure has also been harder for me than I anticipated. I knew the schedule would be very self-directed, but knowing that and actually living it are two different things. I’m realizing I may just function better with defined work hours and a clearer separation between work and personal life. I’ve also struggled with how blurry the line between sales and Medical Affairs can feel, and I find myself constantly reminding people that I’m an OD and not a sales rep.
I know clinical practice had its own problems, and I don’t want to romanticize it, but this experience has made me realize how much I value structure, direct patient interaction, and feeling like I actually helped someone that day. Part of me wonders if I should stick it out for a year, but another part of me feels like the things I dislike are fundamental parts of the role and probably won’t change.
For those who have been in Medical Affairs longer, did you eventually adjust, or did you know pretty early on that it wasn’t for you? Has anyone left after only 4-5 months? Is it terrible to leave this early, especially after the company has invested so much time and energy into training you?