Xiaoxu (Jacqueline) Yao

Please tell us about your current role and employer.

I am a Medical Science Liaison at Viatris.

As an MSL, I serve as a scientific bridge between the company and healthcare professionals, focusing on scientific exchange, medical insights, and evidence-based communications.

Viatris is a global healthcare company committed to providing access to high-quality medicines worldwide. I currently support pre-launch medical activities for cenerimod in the China Clinical and Medical Affairs team.

What does a typical day in your current role look like?

On a typical day, I engage in scientific exchanges with key opinion leaders and clinicians, mainly discussing clinical data, disease insights, and evidence-based medical information related to cenerimod. I also prepare scientific materials, attend medical conferences or online exchanges, collect field medical insights, and collaborate with internal teams to support pre-launch medical strategy and medical education activities.

How do you feel the learning experience on your course helped to prepare you for your career?

The best aspects of my Master of Health Economics and Health Policy at the University of Birmingham were the strong combination of theoretical rigour and real-world application.

The programme deepened my understanding of health economic evaluation, health technology assessment (HTA), market access and healthcare policy frameworks, which are highly relevant to pharmaceutical medical affairs.

I also benefited greatly from its research-oriented teaching, case studies based on international healthcare systems, and insights into evidence-based decision-making in healthcare, all of which have strongly supported my work as an MSL in clinical and medical strategy.