Transforming Medical Communications

Insight Drop: How XR and Storytelling Are Rewriting Medical Education

Medical Communications isn’t about clarity, it’s about impact. In the latest episode of Transforming Medical Communications, host Wesley Portegies sits down with Sabrina Guigan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-mcguigan/], Medical Communications expert, to explore how extended reality (XR) and multisensory engagement can turn traditional congress booths into high-impact educational experiences that stand out, deepen clinical understanding, and drive measurable outcomes. In this episode, you'll learn how to: * Leverage extended reality (XR) technology to improve medical learning * Engage multisensory learning styles * Successfully measure the impact of immersive educational experiences * Build cross-functional collaboration  Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy. Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions. This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment. If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you.  Reserve your session → Schedule now https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting  [https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting ] Previous guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios Pharmaceuticals Check out our three most downloaded episodes: * The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building Trust [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-side-of-medical-communications-building-trust/id1707158942?i=1000683768707] * From Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your Audience [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-research-to-reach-how-sermo-kudos-and-figshare/id1707158942?i=1000691399981] * Modernizing Your MedComms Approach [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modernizing-your-medcomms-approach/id1707158942?i=1000699019993] Transforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=confessions-of-a-b2b-marketer] Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Beyond Impact Factor: How Pfizer Measures Real-World Engagement

In Medical Communications, success isn’t about tracking metrics; it’s about mastering them. In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by MedComms strategist, J.R. Meloro [https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-r-meloro-7759b7b/], to discuss why mastering smarter metrics is no longer optional for Medical Affairs leaders; it’s a necessity. Learn how to move beyond outdated metrics and implement smarter, more meaningful measurement strategies. Metrics should be your roadmap to better decisions, but only if you know how to use them effectively. The future of Medical Affairs depends on how well you track and act on data; those who don’t evolve will fall behind. We’ll talk about how to: * Shift from traditional metrics to ones that reveal true content engagement and impact. * Use article-level metrics to measure the real-world reach of your research. * Make smarter decisions by tracking field content usage down to the slide level. Before you hit play, ask yourself: Are you measuring what matters, or just what’s easy to track? Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy. Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions. This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment. If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you.  Reserve your session → Schedule now https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting  [https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting ] Previous guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios Pharmaceuticals Check out our three most downloaded episodes: * The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building Trust [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-side-of-medical-communications-building-trust/id1707158942?i=1000683768707] * From Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your Audience [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-research-to-reach-how-sermo-kudos-and-figshare/id1707158942?i=1000691399981] * Modernizing Your MedComms Approach [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modernizing-your-medcomms-approach/id1707158942?i=1000699019993] Transforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=confessions-of-a-b2b-marketer] Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Insight Drop: Strategic Thinking Over Execution: Redefining Agency Value in MedComms

Execution is everywhere in Medical Communications, but is your agency helping you think? In this solo episode of Transforming Medical Communications, host Wesley Portegies draws from the 2025 State of MedComms survey to explore what pharma teams truly want from their agency partners. And the answer isn’t more slide decks. It’s strategy. Wesley breaks down the five capabilities that Medical Affairs leaders expect from modern agencies, ranging from scientific depth to digital fluency, and explains why empathy, insight, and operational awareness are just as important as technical skill. He also shares a practical example that reveals the difference between a transactional vendor and a true thought partner, and offers clear steps to activate more strategic collaboration. Whether you’re a Medical Affairs leader briefing an agency, this episode offers a timely shift in mindset, from output to impact. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: *  Recognize the five qualities that define a true thought partner *  Brief agencies with context, not just deliverables *  Create space for challenge, insight, and innovation *  Measure value beyond the slide deck *  Move from tactical output to strategic influence Before you hit play, ask yourself: Is your agency just doing the work, or helping you make smarter decisions? Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy. Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions. This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment. If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you.  Reserve your session → Schedule now https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting  [https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting ] Previous guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios Pharmaceuticals Check out our three most downloaded episodes: * The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building Trust [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-side-of-medical-communications-building-trust/id1707158942?i=1000683768707] * From Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your Audience [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-research-to-reach-how-sermo-kudos-and-figshare/id1707158942?i=1000691399981] * Modernizing Your MedComms Approach [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modernizing-your-medcomms-approach/id1707158942?i=1000699019993] Transforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=confessions-of-a-b2b-marketer] Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Insight Drop: The 3 Trends Shaping MedComms in 2025

MedComms is overdue for a reboot. Static PDFs. Oversized decks. Siloed teams. No feedback loops. These outdated practices are slowing teams down and wasting valuable resources. In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transforming-medical-communications/id1707158942], Wesley Portegies [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleyportegies/] shares bold insights from the State of Medical Communications 2025 survey and breaks down three urgent trends that pharma leaders can’t afford to ignore. From dismantling silos to killing the static PDF once and for all, this episode offers a practical roadmap to modernize how Medical Affairs teams create, deliver, and measure content.  You’ll learn how to: * Break down silos and align across medical, commercial, and affiliate teams * Build content that’s interactive, modular, and actually gets used * Track affiliate adoption and stop wasting global efforts Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy. Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions. This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment. If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you.  Reserve your session → Schedule now https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting  [https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting ] Previous guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios Pharmaceuticals Check out our three most downloaded episodes: * The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building Trust [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-side-of-medical-communications-building-trust/id1707158942?i=1000683768707] * From Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your Audience [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-research-to-reach-how-sermo-kudos-and-figshare/id1707158942?i=1000691399981] * Modernizing Your MedComms Approach [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modernizing-your-medcomms-approach/id1707158942?i=1000699019993] Transforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=confessions-of-a-b2b-marketer] Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.

Medical Affairs Is Winning on Social—Here’s How

Medical Affairs is evolving, but are we evolving with it? In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, host Wesley Portegies sits down with Kimberly Eskridge-Rose [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-eskridge-rose-b1789780/overlay/about-this-profile/], a pioneering voice in digital transformation for Medical Affairs. Together, they discuss what it takes to move from cautious experimentation to a scalable and cross-functional social media strategy. You’ll learn why the real risk isn’t being on social media, it’s not being there when misinformation takes the stage. Kimberly shares how her team made the leap from watching stakeholders online to building an integrated presence on platforms like X and BlueSky, how they secured compliance buy-in without friction, and why you don’t need all the answers before you start. This is more than a case study. It’s a playbook for how Medical Affairs can own the conversation, responsibly, strategically, and at scale. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: * Build a compliant and multi-channel presence that meets stakeholders where they are * Partner with compliance as a co-creator, not a blocker * Turn social listening into a strategic advantage * Use early wins (and metrics) to scale internal buy-in * Move from reactive to proactive digital content planning Before you hit play, ask yourself: Are you waiting for the perfect plan—or building trust in real time? Cut Through the Noise. Elevate Your Strategy. Guiding Medical Affairs strategy across Medical Communications, Field Medical, or Medical Affairs Training? Wesley Portegies, host of Transforming Medical Communications, is opening up a few exclusive 30-minute consultancy sessions. This is a candid, insight-rich opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, pressure-test your approach, and explore fresh solutions to complex MedComms challenges—from scientific engagement to operational alignment. If you’re shaping the future of Medical Affairs at your organization, this conversation is for you.  Reserve your session → Schedule now https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting  [https://calendly.com/d/gc7q-khv/consultancy-meeting ] Previous guests include: Sissy Easo-Joseph at GSK, Barbara Bish at Janssen, Drew Provan at Queen Mary University, Rebecca McCracken at Agios Pharmaceuticals Check out our three most downloaded episodes: * The Human Side of Medical Communications: Building Trust [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-human-side-of-medical-communications-building-trust/id1707158942?i=1000683768707] * From Research to Reach: How Sermo, Kudos, and Figshare Expand Your Audience [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-research-to-reach-how-sermo-kudos-and-figshare/id1707158942?i=1000691399981] * Modernizing Your MedComms Approach [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modernizing-your-medcomms-approach/id1707158942?i=1000699019993] Transforming Medical Communications is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so [https://www.fame.so/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=masters-of-community-with-david-spinks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=bcast&utm_campaign=confessions-of-a-b2b-marketer] Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the guest are their own and do not represent any past or current employers.