The "Elevate" by MAPS Podcast

MAPS Chief Medical Officer Charlotte Kremer sits down with Dr. Bjorn Oddens, Senior Vice President, Value and Implementation at Merck, for a candid conversation on the career-defining moments, hard-won lessons, and mentors that shaped his path — plus his view on where Medical Affairs is headed over the next decade. About the Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS)The Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) is the leading global authority and community for Medical Affairs professionals, uniting over 18,000 members across 400+ organizations in Pharmaceutical, Biotech, MedTech, and related industries. Founded in 2016, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing careers and elevating the Medical Affairs profession worldwide. 🌐 Learn more: https://medicalaffairs.org/ 📚 Explore the Knowledge Center: https://medicalaffairs.org/knowledge-center/ 🤝 Join MAPS: https://medicalaffairs.org/join-maps/ 📅 Upcoming Events: https://medicalaffairs.org/events/ Annual Meetings: https://medicalaffairs.org/meetings/Members gain access to: World-class education — professional development resources, webinars, podcasts, and white papers in our Knowledge Center Robust networking — direct connections with Medical Affairs peers and thought leaders around the globe Impactful events — regional chapter meetings, MasterClass training, and flagship Annual Meetings Critical industry insights — benchmark reports and research that inform strategic decision-making Cutting-edge best practices — competency framework that drives functional leadership in Medical Affairs Whether you're an emerging professional, an established Medical Affairs leader, or a senior executive, MAPS offers the community, resources, and career development tools to help you grow, lead, and thrive. 

Drawing on philosopher C. Thi Nguyen's concept of "value capture" (the way metrics can quietly supplant the goals they were meant to measure), this podcast explores how the wrong scorecard doesn't just fail to capture Medical Affairs' (MA) value, it can actively distort it — diverting energy and resources away from what matters most.We'll discuss why the path forward isn't a sweeping overhaul, but a series of deliberate, incremental steps grounded in a framework of genuine MA impact. Crucially, we make the case that Medical Affairs must stop waiting to be measured and start taking ownership of how that measurement is defined — ensuring a patient-centric focus remains at the core of it all.

Join Dr. Aarathi Cholkeri-Singh, Executive Director & Chief Medical Officer – North America, Karl Storz and Veeva experts for a practical discussion on establishing and scaling a high-impact medtech medical affairs function, even during hiring freezes. We’ll share real-world strategies for navigating EU MDR requirements and building diverse teams that drive clear business value across various organizational structures. Finally, we will share new report findings on the function’s current state to help you quantify your strategic contribution, accelerate enterprise growth, and transition from functional execution to a core leadership pillar.

Welcome to Episode 4 of the SciTech Critical Evaluation of Literature and AI Series: “Smarter Summaries, Better Decisions: AI Across Medical Affairs"Medical Affairs teams handle a flood of scientific data, so how can AI help turn complexity into clarity? Join experts from the MAPS Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain to discover how AI tools evaluate evidence for diverse functions, from field teams to HEOR and publications.In this session, you’ll learn practical strategies for creating concise, decision-ready summaries and explore why context and clinical relevance must guide every AI-driven workflow. If you want to leverage AI to evaluate evidence, podcast is for you!Learning Objectives:Describe how AI tools adapt evidence evaluation for different Medical Affairs functionsExplore how field medical, medical communications, publications, medical information, and HEOR teams can prompt the same data set differently to generate outputs tailored to their specific needs.Demonstrate strategies to create concise, decision-ready summaries using AILearn practical prompting and structuring techniques that convert complex scientific literature into clear, stakeholder-specific deliverables that support better strategic and scientific decisions.Explain why context and applicability are essential in AI-enabled evidence workflowsUnderstand how role-specific context, intended use, and decision impact must guide both the prompting and interpretation of AI-generated outputs.Hear more from the Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain through their position paper: "Safeguarding Scientific Rigor in the Critical Evaluation of Literature"

Welcome to Episode 3 of the SciTech Critical Evaluation of Literature and AI Series: “Humans + AI: Making Sense of Scientific Papers at Scale"AI can read hundreds of scientific papers in minutes, but can it truly understand them? Join experts from the MAPS Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping literature review in Medical Affairs.In this session, you’ll learn what AI can and cannot do with scientific content, uncover practical applications of leading tools like CoPilot and Notebook LM. We’ll also tackle common risks such as hallucinations and lack of context, and share strategies to validate AI outputs while keeping clinical judgment front and center. If you want to harness AI without losing the human touch, this webinar is for you!Learning Objectives:Understand what AI can—and cannot—do with scientific literatureExplain how AI processes papers using NLP and LLMs, and why clinical judgment remains essential.Explore practical applications of leading AI toolsReview the capabilities, pros, and cons of tools like CoPilot and Notebook LM for Medical Affairs workflows.Recognize limitations and risks in AI-driven literature reviewIdentify common issues such as hallucinations, lack of context, and strategies to validate AI outputs.Hear more from the Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain through their position paper: "Safeguarding Scientific Rigor in the Critical Evaluation of Literature"

Welcome to Episode 2 of the SciTech Critical Evaluation of Literature and AI Series: “Literature Never Sleeps: Staying Ahead Without Burning Out"Literature never sleeps and neither do the challenges of keeping Medical Affairs teams up to date.Join experts from the MAPS Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain to discover practical strategies for managing the deluge of data. We’ll explore how AI can accelerate evidence synthesis while highlighting its limitations and the critical role of human judgment. If you’re looking for smarter ways to stay current, this podcast is for you!Learning Objectives:Identify key challenges in keeping Medical Affairs teams currentUnderstand the impact of preprints, grey literature, bibliometrics, and predatory journals on evidence appraisal.Evaluate the role and limitations of AI in literature reviewRecognize how AI can accelerate evidence evaluation while appreciating the need for human judgment and safeguards against errors.Apply best practices for confidentiality and critical assessment of AI outputsLearn practical steps to ensure secure data handling and train teams to validate AI-generated insights effectively.Hear more from the Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain through their position paper: "Safeguarding Scientific Rigor in the Critical Evaluation of Literature"

Welcome to Episode 1 of the SciTech Critical Evaluation of Literature and AI Series: “Evidence Unlocked: Separating Gold from Gravel"Not all evidence is created equal, so how do you separate gold from gravel? Join experts from the MAPS Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain for a fast-paced session designed to simplify critical appraisal for busy professionals. In just a few minutes, you’ll learn how to navigate the hierarchy of evidence and apply practical frameworks. We’ll also share a step-by-step approach for rapid evaluation, helping you assess robustness, and clinical relevance without getting lost in complexity. If you want to make smarter, faster evidence-based decisions, this podcast is for you!Learning Objectives: Understand the hierarchy of evidenceExplain the differences between randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, real-world data, and preprints, and why they matter for evidence quality.Recognize key frameworks for critical appraisalIntroduce GRADE, PRISMA, and CONSORT as practical tools for evaluating robustness, reproducibility, and clinical relevance.Apply a rapid evaluation approachProvide a simple, step-by-step method for quickly assessing scientific literature without compromising rigor.Hear more from the Scientific & Technical Knowledge Domain through their position paper: "Safeguarding Scientific Rigor in the Critical Evaluation of Literature"

In the final part of this 3-part series, experts from the MAPS Leadership and Management Domain wrap up their discussion on understanding change. How does it impact our teams, and how can our leaders guide their teams through change?Through this episode, Medical Affairs professionals may gain a better understanding of why change feels so hard right now and learn about what we can do to support each other and really thrive during these times of uncertainty.

Medical affairs teams are implementing AI tools to take advantage of the transformative efficiencies they bring, and successful AI adoption requires responsible AI governance, including managing copyright risk. In this podcast, Lauren Tulloch, Vice President and Managing Director, CCC, addresses the unique challenges facing medical affairs professionals whose daily work with scientific articles and other published content increasingly intersects with AI and complex copyright considerations. Tulloch will guide listeners through the tangled legal landscape around AI, discussing court cases and proposed regulation. She will also debunk common copyright misconceptions and provide actionable insights for navigating copyright compliance in an AI-driven world. Listeners will learn about what to consider when choosing, designing, and deploying AI-powered solutions, and Tulloch will also lay out practical strategies for managing copyright risk while taking advantage of the efficiencies and other benefits AI promises. 

In Part 2 of this 3-part series, experts from the MAPS Leadership and Management Domain continue this discussion on understanding change. How does it impact our teams, and how can our leaders guide their teams through change?Through this episode, Medical Affairs professionals may gain a better understanding of why change feels so hard right now and learn about what we can do to support each other and really thrive during these times of uncertainty.