Guide to Becoming a Physician Liaison
The healthcare world is an ever-changing and exciting industry full of opportunity and various positions. One of the unique career opportunities in the healthcare marketing world is that of physician liaison marketing.
What does a physician liaison do?
A physician liaison is a designated and trained physician ambassador hired to create highly engaged physician referral networks.
Physician liaisons help physicians, medical practices, and hospitals systems grow their physician referrals resulting in a growth of patients, high revenue procedures, and an overall increase of practice revenue.
The role of a physician liaison is a new position outside the traditional office environment that involves working closely with physicians and building connections.
Hospitals have been utilizing physician liaisons for years to help them connect with local, referring physicians. Many private practices, understanding the value of physician liaison marketing, have decided to implement a physician liaison marketing program.
With so much exciting career opportunities and the possibility of growing more candidates are seeking roles as a physician liaison.
But how do I become a physician liaison?
You are interested in becoming a physician liaison, but not sure where to start? Well, there are many different paths you can take to becoming a physician liaison.
So let’s, get right to it…
How do I become a physician liaison?
Enroll in a physician liaison training program
If you want to break into the world of physician liaison marketing, the best way is to enroll in a physician liaison training program.
Learn about Physician Liaison University.
Physician liaison training will provide you the tools, resources, and actionable steps it takes to become a physician liaison.
You can learn how to confidently market to physicians to convert patients, track marketing, measure ROI, and so much more!
These crucial insights are some of the most critical factors to physicians and hospitals looking to implement a physician liaison marketing program successfully.
If you have completed a physician liaison training program, you can bring these skills, experience, and professional know how to a physician liaison program.
Pros:
– Gain unique skills to the physician liaison role
– Avoid common missteps
– Resume booster
– Have the required knowledge, tools, and resources to become a productive physician liaison
– Improve chances for becoming a senior physician liaison
Cons:
– Requires commitment to complete training
Start strong and gain that competitive edge by completing a professional physician liaison training program.
Experience working in the medical practice space.
A great way to get your foot in the door is to leverage your time and experience working with physicians and medical practices.
If you have work experience as an MA, patient coordinator, patient scheduler, scribe, practice manager, or have clinical training and more can be fantastic starting points for your career as a physician liaison.
The knowledge gained on the job in these positions allows the potential physician liaison to understand the patient experience, patient in-take & outtake, working with physicians and providers, and other helpful insight that will be useful as a physician liaison.
Pros:
– Experience working with medical practice
– Experience with day to day operations
– Ability to relate and be natural with referring practice staff members
– Clinical knowledge & experience
Cons:
– Do not have marketing experience
– Must transition into in-field work environment v. traditional practice setting
For many potential physician liaisons currently working in the medical practice space, the idea of expanding their career into physician liaison marketing is exciting.
Many are ready to learn the effective steps and action items they can take to become productive physician liaisons and perfect candidates for a physician liaison training program.
Experience in pharmaceutical and medical Sales
Some physician liaisons begin their career in the medical sales and pharmaceutical sales arena. As medical sales representatives, these potential liaisons gain in-field sales experience working with medical practices and physicians.
Though medical sales can be a fantastic experience, it is essential to understand that it is not a substitute for physician liaison training.
Pharmaceutical sales and physician liaison marketing have similarities but are very different roles with different relationships and directives. It is essential to understand that physician liaisons are practice and physician ambassadors not selling, advertising or promoting products, practices, or treatments.
The goal of a physician liaison is to build genuine ” service” based relationships between providers, resulting in highly engaged physician referral networks.
The Pros:
– Experience marketing to physicians and practices
– Experience in the non-traditional office environment
– Experience in a professional healthcare environment
– Established healthcare network
Cons:
– Physician relationships are based on “sales,” not “service.”
– Physician liaisons tend to make less then reps
– Requires new training, so there is a learning curve
– Maybe a bridge job until a better medical sales opportunity becomes available
There are a lot of advantages to hiring experienced reps, but there are always some critical factors to be aware of to ensure physician liaison marketing is the direction you would like to explore. A way to merge the worlds is to receive formal physician liaison training to learn how to leverage the experience but make the needed adjustments to become an all-star physician liaison.
Hire from within the practice
Hiring from within is similar to step one if you are currently working with the medical practice, physicians or hospital in a different role but are ready for a new position as a physician liaison.
Sometimes the best way to work into a physician liaison position is to gain experience by working with the practice and familiarizing yourself with physicians.
Physicians find comfort in working with someone with a proven track record and have a connection to the practice.
Pros:
– A deep understanding of the day to day of the medical practice
– A deep understanding of the clinic, physicians, staff, and treatments
– Comfortable working with the physicians
Cons:
– Requires replacement hires
– Without proper replacement can lead to dual roles, leading to overwhelming workloads and stagnant marketing
– May need time to adjust to new in-field setting
If you’re currently working in a medical practice or healthcare system but looking to grow into a physician liaison position boost your resume by enrolling in physician liaison training, so you have completed the needed training and have the acquired experience to be successful.
Recent graduates seeking marketing opportunities
Are you a recent college graduate ready to seek a career opportunity in the healthcare or marketing industry, then physician liaison marketing may be the perfect fit!
Recent graduates are eager and ready to develop the skill sets they need to create a career that will help them grow professionally.
Physician liaisons are required to have professional training. Enhance your resume by working in a position in which you can acquire further education and training that will give you a step ahead in the healthcare industry.
Physician liaisons gain real-life marketing experience and grow a vast personal network of healthcare and marketing professionals.
Pros:
– Full-time plus benefits
– Can build a program from the ground up
– Resume booster
– Receive professional training
– Experience working with physicians and marketing professionals
Cons:
– Non- traditional office environment
– Requires a learning curve
– Entry level pay
The truth is like any new position as a recent graduate; this involves training, and there is a lot to learn, but can lead to exciting career opportunities.
As you can see, many different paths can lead you to the exciting career of a physician liaison.
The primary key to becoming a physician liaison is to take the available opportunities to receive physician liaison training and gain useful experience to better your chances.
It always helps to get involved and grow your healthcare network to create individual value that you can add to a physician liaison program and for your personal career growth. Connect with current liaisons and healthcare professionals and don’t be afraid to find ways to discover new information.
Keep up all the hard work, and if you radiant enthusiasm and determination, you will succeed!
