Resources
Books, training, and services worth your time
A curated shortlist per category — the books people in these fields actually recommend, the professional bodies worth knowing, the fellowship programmes that offer a structured way in, and services that can sharpen your resume before you apply.
Books & Field Guides Affiliate
- Cobert's Manual of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance4th edition — a leading, current patient safety and pharmacovigilance reference.
- Fundamentals of Clinical TrialsFriedman, Furberg & DeMets — the classic clinical trials text.
- MSL Career Guide & Field Reference ManualSamuel Dyer's field guide for breaking into Medical Affairs.
- Fundamentals of US Regulatory AffairsRAPS' core text for regulatory strategy and submissions.
- Medical Writing: A Guide for CliniciansRobert B. Taylor's guide for clinicians moving into writing.
Career & Resume Services Affiliate
- Professional Resume ReviewA free expert review to see how your resume reads to an industry recruiter.
- Coursera: Clinical Research SpecializationsUniversity-backed courses covering GCP, trial design, and regulatory basics.
- LinkedIn Learning: Pharma & Biotech CoursesShort, practical courses on regulatory writing, MSL skills, and more.
Professional Bodies & Fellowships
- RAPSRegulatory Affairs Professionals Society — the field's main professional body and publisher.
- IFAPPInternational Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians — the body for Medical Monitors and Medical Directors.
- AMWAAmerican Medical Writers Association — training, mentoring and the field's main network.
- ISoPInternational Society of Pharmacovigilance — the leading body for Safety Science training and community.
- MSL SocietyProfessional accreditation and community for Medical Science Liaisons.