CMPP: Behind the Exam Curtain

Medical affairs brings together many teams with different areas of expertise, but too often those teams work in silos.In this episode, Rob sits down with Kirk Shepard, medical affairs leader and co-founder of MAPs, the Medical Affairs Professional Society. They discuss how to strengthen collaboration at every level and strategically prepare teams to work together as they integrate new technological changes. They also talk about the increasingly important role medical publication and communication professionals will play in creating that culture of collaboration.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

How involved should patients be in the research and publication process for medical journals? Some medical professionals argue that patients can provide invaluable insight into certain diseases they are battling which may not be fully understood by doctors. In this episode, Rob speaks with Steve Clark, patient advocate and founder of Strive for Five and Beyond. They discuss the importance of patient centricity and how involving patients and their caregivers early in the creation process can help shape the future of medical publications.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

For medical publication professionals, “strategy” is more than a series of well-executed tactics. It means understanding where you want to go, why you want to get there, and how publication supports broader scientific objectives.In this episode, Rob sits down with Amanda Tollen, Global Business Director, Medical at Avalere Health, and Hicham Naimy, Director of Scientific Publications at Takeda. They discuss what it really means to be strategic in medical publication planning, how to align agency and client teams, and where AI can support strategic thinking.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

For medical publication professionals, social media may not always seem like an obvious part of a publication plan. But many health care providers are already using social media to find medical news, learn about studies, and discover publications. In this episode, Rob sits down with Katie Veleta, Senior Scientific Director at Fingerpaint Medical, and Amelia Stymacks, their Senior Manager of Digital Strategy.They discuss why social media matters for publication professionals, how it can be integrated into publication planning, which channels and metrics to consider, and how teams can get started while building the right internal processes and guardrails.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

Getting the CMPP credential is an important milestone for publication and medical communication professionals. But if you've ever thought about sitting for the exam, you may have unanswered questions about it.In this episode, Rob sits down with Claudia Piano and Danita Sutton, who are both involved in overseeing and supporting the CMPP certification exam. Together, they discuss the rigorous process behind exam development, explain how scoring works and share practical advice and resources to help candidates prepare with confidence.For more information on the CMPP exam please listen to From Credibility to Career Growth: The CMPP Advantage.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

As organizations adopt artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, the pressure to move faster has never been greater. But lasting change isn't just about implementing new tools for the sake of it. It's about creating the space to think strategically and ensure innovation doesn't come at the expense of trust, quality, or sound decision-making.In this episode, Rob sits down with leadership coach and systemic consultant Michael Siller to discuss why slowing down is essential when adopting new technology, and how it could actually be the key to getting results faster. Together, they explore how leaders can navigate complexity, build trust during periods of change, and create the conditions for thoughtful, responsible innovation in medical publications and communications.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

Creating resources for field medical teams isn’t just about sharing new data. It’s about understanding how that information is used in the real world. While we have more ways than ever to share scientific information, the real challenge is understanding what resources are most useful when field teams are engaging with healthcare professionals.In this episode, Rob sits down with Sarah Snyder, Co-CEO of MSL Mastery, to discuss what field medical teams really need from publication professionals. Together, they explore how the MSL role is evolving and how medical communications teams can better support field colleagues in having meaningful conversations with healthcare professionals.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

For many publication and medical communication professionals, joining a smaller biotech or pharmaceutical company can be an exciting career move, but it also comes with a very different set of expectations. In this episode, Rob sits down with Robin LeWinter, Global Head of Medical Affairs at JCR Pharmaceuticals, to discuss what it's really like to build publications and medical communications with limited resources. Together, they explore the unique opportunities and challenges that come with a career in small pharma.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/

Artificial intelligence has already transformed how scientific information is created, reviewed, and consumed. As AI tools become more deeply integrated into medical publishing and clinical practice, many of us are asking the same question: How can we take advantage of these technologies while maintaining trust, transparency, and scientific rigor? In this episode, we explore both the opportunities and the challenges that come with AI’s growing role in medical communications.Joining us for this conversation is Raja-Elie Abdulnour, Editor-in-Chief of NEJM Clinician and Chief Clinical Innovation Officer at NEJM Group. Together, we discuss how AI is being used across editorial workflows, why disclosure and accountability matter, and what role editors play in safeguarding scientific honesty and rigor. To access the published paper, Can AI Say “I Don’t Know”?, referred to in this episode, please click here.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/Disclosure: NEJM Group has licensing agreements with several AI companies, including OpenEvidence, Abridged, and Perplexity.

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking an important yet often misunderstood component of effective publication planning: the Publication Steering Committee (PSC).We’re joined by industry leaders Cindy Toste, Senior Director of Publications at GlaxoSmithKline, and Paul Ricigliano, Senior Director and Head of Oncology Global Publications at Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.Together,  we explore what makes a PSC truly successful,  from establishing clear governance and managing cross-functional dynamics to defining roles across medical affairs and clinical teams. Cindy and Paul also share real-world lessons on how to navigate disagreement, maintain momentum, and ensure decisions don’t stall progress.Whether you're forming your first PSC or optimizing an existing one, this episode offers practical guidance on turning conflict into collaboration, and collaboration into meaningful publication outcomes.To join ISMPP, visit our website at https://www.ismpp.org/This episode is generously sponsored by Avalere Health.