Medical Affairs Certificate Program
Gesundheitswesen

Medical Affairs Certificate Program

Elevating Medical Affairs Professionals in Switzerland to the next level

A modern Medical Affairs professional working in Pharma, Biotech or Medical Device Industry, needs to successfully maneuver between a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders as well as country specific regulations.
The Medical Affairs Certificate Program is unique: 

  • Built with leaders across the Swiss Medical Affairs community
  • Accredited/endorsed by ECPM (ECTS points) and SwAPP 
  • The first of its kind, Swiss-specific, hands-on professional training for Medical Affairs


“A great Medical Affairs associate to me is someone who has, obviously besides the scientific and medical expertise, a profound patient- and HCP-orientation, is a great communicator and orchestrates interpersonal and cross-functional relations prudently”.
- Dr. Daniele Andreutti, General Manager OM Pharma Suisse SA


 

Swiss Medical Affairs Certification Program powered by shqa. Designed by Medical Directors of Swiss Pharmaceutical Affiliates. The Medical Affairs certification program addresses exactly the needs of you as an individual contributor and the needs of your employer.

The shqa Medical Affairs Certificate Program‘s volunteer-based steering committee consists of diverse leaders across the Swiss Medical Affairs community. Our committee is integral to the development, sustainability and progression of the program. The committee advises on future strategy & direction and critically reviews the content development. Moreover, the members advocate for the shqa Medical Affairs Certificate Program to make it an invaluable Swiss resource for Medical Affairs professionals as long-term goal.
 

Their broad knowledge and extensive experience with the Medical Affairs profession will have a positive impact on the broader Medical Affairs community including helping Medical Affairs professionals and their leaders with their professional growth and development.

Meet the steering committee members:

  • Dr. Anne Le Coz-Iffenecker, MD, Medical Director Biogen Switzerland AG
  • Dr. Caroline Vonder Mühll, MD, Medical Director Bayer Schweiz AG
  • Dr. Mascia Ghielmetti, PhD, Director Medical Affairs EffRx Pharmaceuticals SA
  • Dr. Olivier Schorr, MD, Medical Director Gilead Sciences Switzerland Sàrl
  • Dr. Mindaugas Plieskis, MD, Medical Director Janssen Switzerland
  • Dr. Peter Csutora, MD, Medical Director MSD Schweiz AG
  • Dr. Anna Katharina Moser, PhD, Lead Medical Organizational Development and Change Management, Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
  • Dr. Kathrin Stirnemann, PhD, Head of Medical Customer Engagement, Roche Pharma Schweiz AG
  • Dr. Matthias Langenfeld, MD, Medical Lead Switzerland, Ipsen Pharma Schweiz GmbH

The program is primarily designed for Medical Affairs professionals or those aspiring to become one in Switzerland. A scientific and academical backround is recommended. 


 

As an individual pharmaceutical Medical Affairs professional you gain deep insights and learnings into key aspects of your daily work. Moreover, you profit from experts in the industry, which openly share relevant examples. The pedagogical module concepts encourage you to engage in hands-on work and active exercises to be prepared for your day-to-day work. The network of industry peers you will establish, will continue to serve you as invaluable resource, offering opportunities for sharing experiences, ideation, and camaraderie despite the competitive nature of the pharmaceutical industry.
 

Your employer gains in you a shqa certified Medical Affairs professional, who combines broad, practical knowledge with scientific rigor, business acumen and health care system understanding. It is challenging for companies, to offer such a concise, comprehensive professional education to you as associates in terms of time, money, and resources. This task can be outsourced to shqa. A certified Medical Affairs professional allows the company to economize resources and time, which can be invested on flawless execution of strategical and tactical plans. The company benefits from the expertise of Medical Affairs professionals such as yourself, who can provide a thorough and highly relevant cross-functional impact in a faster manner. Your in depth understanding of underlying reasons for regulations, of financial flows, and of profound knowledge of the HCS stakeholder ecosystem makes you an invaluable, highly effective partner in cross-functional teamwork and prevents considerable risks.

The certification program consists of 7 modules A-G. Modules A-F are required to achieve full Medical Affairs shqa certification; Module G is optional. Modules can be booked individually, in any order. After completion of Modules A-F, you have the opportunity to continue to a shqa diploma. For each module completed, you can apply for both SwAPP accreditation and ECTS credit points (via ECPM University of Basel). 1 ECTS credit point = 30 invested study hours. For ECTS credit points, the respective Module requires a knowledge check offered by shqa.

Modules: All modules follow a hands on, practical approach underlined with industry examples

Module

This Module is a 1 day seminar - 09.09.2025 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Module content
 
  • Regulation of the Healthcare-System in CH
  • Stakeholders and Reimbursement-Systems
  • Approval and Reimbursement of medicines in a nutshell
  • Regulations specific to Medical Affairs
    - VITH and others
    - Medicinal product law
    - Compliance and pharma codex
  • Status Quo of Healthcare in CH
  • Stakeholder-Mapping
  • Business-Case individual
  • Future Developments in Healthcare Policy
  • Vision for the future

Ort

Trafo Baden Kultur und Kongresszentrum

Brown Boveri P. 1 5400 Baden

Lageplan

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Dr. med. Peter Indra MPH

Chef Amt für Gesundheit

Gesundheitsdirektion Kanton Zürich

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Lorenz Borer

Partner

Bluestep AG

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Sylvia Schüpbach

Rechtsanwältin und Partnerin

Pharmalex GmbH

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Caroline Vonder Mühll

Medical Director

Bayer (Schweiz) AG

This Module is a 2 day seminar - 07. - 08.07.2025 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Module content
 
  • Personal attitude / mindset
  • Customer meeting journey
  • Situational analysis
  • Who will sit opposite me?
  • Meeting agenda and goals / setting objectives
  • Target-oriented questions
  • Active listening
  • Basics of decision making
  • Customer needs analysis
  • Insights generation
  • Regulation of the autonomous nervous system and body language
  • Scientific dialogue
  • Recognizing signals
  • Respond to questions
  • Objection handling

Skills and competencies addressed
 
  • Applied psychology of decision making
  • Self awareness (incl. differentiation from others)
  • Attitude - the inner team
  • Character typisation (3/4-color scheme)
  • Systematic of a call/meeting (preparation, getting started, discussion/presentation, closure)
  • Body language
  • Self-regulation in difficult situations
  • Applied communication basics
  • Active listening
  • Objection handling

Ort

See- und Seminarhotel FloraAlpina AG

Schibernstrasse 2 6354 Vitznau

Lageplan

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Dr. Kathrin Stirnemann

Director Medical Customer Engagement

Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG

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Dr. Thomas Wels

CEO

Wels - Omnino Medico

This module is a 1.5-day course of which 1 day takes place on site and 0.5 days as a live webinar

Module content
 
  • Scientific knowledge and understanding 
  • Data generation in Switzerland 
  • Transfer of science into patient care

Skills and competencies addressed

After completion of this module, the participants will have the following … 

  • Knowledge and understanding 
    • Clinical development process & post-approval research -Swiss specific aspects of company-internal headquarter processes 
    • Design and conduct of data generation projects in Switzerland 
      • Legal basics in human research 
      • Swissethics / Swissmedic 
      • Stakeholder / patients / public involvement & GCP 
    • Publication of generated data 
  • And are able to apply in their job 
    • Shaping the role of a local MA organization in the clinical development process & post-approval research 
    • Localization of international data generation / local studies 
    • Generating data in Switzerland that can be published 
    • Transfer of science into patient care - "from science to patient care" 
  • The following related topics/skills are also cross-referenced to other modules 
    • Communication of complex data, module B Medical communication & presentation 
    • Swiss regulatory environment, module A Swiss healthcare system 
    • Stakeholder mapping to be continued, module A Swiss healthcare system 

Ort

Trafo Baden Kultur und Kongresszentrum

Brown Boveri P. 1 5400 Baden

Lageplan

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Dr. Anna Katharina Moser

Medical Lead Alpine

Alexion Pharma GmbH

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Olivier Schorr

Country Medical Affairs Director Switzerland

Gilead Sciences Switzerland Sàrl

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Dr. Thomas Wels

CEO

Wels - Omnino Medico

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Dr. Kathrin Stirnemann

Director Medical Customer Engagement

Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG

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Dr. Christine Aeschlimann

Program Manager Patient Advisory Board

SAKK

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Ina Meyer

Study & Site Operations (SSO) Country Manager Switzerland

Novartis Pharma (Schweiz) AG

This Module is a 1 day seminar - 27.05.2025 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Modul Content
 
  • Leading in a matrix organization & business acumen
  • Planning & reporting (KPIs)
  • Self & time management
  • Resilience

Learning Goals
 
  1. Short introduction: The Role of Medical Affairs (MA) in the Industry:
    • Why is MA essential for the pharmaceutical industry?
      Medical Affairs serves as the bridge between scientific knowledge, clinical practice, and business strategies. This module explores the foundational purpose of MA and its unique contribution to a company’s success.
    • Rationale and Strengths of MA:
      Learn how MA provides scientific leadership, fosters relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs), supports regulatory affairs, and influences decision-making across the company.
    • Practical Leadership within MA:
      Which projects and initiatives require MA to take the lead? Explore the breadth of responsibilities, including product development, clinical trials, disease awareness campaigns, and medical communications.
    • Responsibilities and "Peer Leadership":
      Understand how Medical Affairs professionals lead by influence, not authority. Learn about peer leadership and the collaboration with diverse, cross-functional teams.

  1. What is Leadership?
    Leadership is a dynamic and essential skill, even beyond the medical function. This section dives into key leadership principles and how they apply within the MA context.
    • Mindset for Effective Leadership:
      How do MA leaders develop a mindset that balances scientific rigor with business strategy? Explore how mindset shapes leadership effectiveness.
    • Cross-functional Leadership:
      Learn to lead teams and represent medical knowledge in cross-functional environments where you have no direct administrative authority. Understand how to influence and collaborate across departments such as Marketing, Regulatory Affairs, and Clinical Development.
    • Planning & Reporting (KPIs):
      Gain practical insights into the planning process, setting KPIs, and ensuring alignment with overall business goals.
    • Influencing and Communication Skills:
      Master the art of influence and effective communication, crucial for driving medical strategies and engaging internal and external stakeholders.

  1. Practical Approaches & Case Studies:
    • Project Examples:
      Dive into case studies to understand how MA professionals take the lead. Case studies include:
    • Time Management & Resilience:
      Medical Affairs professionals often juggle multiple priorities. Tap into techniques for effective time management and building resilience to navigate the complexities of the role.

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Dr. Matthias Langenfeld

Medical Lead Switzerland

Ipsen Pharma Schweiz GmbH

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Mascia Ghielmetti

Director Medical Affairs

EffRx Pharmaceuticals S.A.

This Module is a 1 day seminar - 13.03.2025 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Modul Content
 
  • Internal & external strategic partnering
  • Cross-functional cooperation (Pre-Launch / Post-Launch)
  • Medical stakeholder mapping, account planning & reporting
  • Medical territory management – integrated medical affairs plans

Skills and competencies addressed

After completion of this module, the participants will have the following Knowledge and understanding of  

  • Lifecycle of a medicinal product 
  • Medical strategy, integrated business planning and execution: pre-, peri- and post launch 
  • Strategic partnering and long-term oriented scientific engagements 
  • Scientific/medical education (in- and external) and medical activities  
  • Management of studies by medical affairs 

And are able to apply in their jobs 

  • Co-create medical strategy and brand planning 
  • Establish patient journey scenarios Internal and external partnering 
  • Medical leadership without administrative authority – working in a matrix organization/cross-functional 
  • Ownership of all medical activities 
  • To provide internal and external medical education 
  • Collect medical insights and define patient needs 
  • Define data gaps of marketed medicinal products 
  • Knowledge of possible KPIs, outcome measure, surveys 
  • Budget and business acumen 

The following related topics/skills are also cross-referenced to other modules: 

  • Medical stakeholder mapping (Module A – Swiss Healthcare System) 
  • Scientific / medical education (Module B – Medical Communication & Presentation / Module F – Medical Omnichannel Engagement) 

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Dr. Louis-Sebastian Sonntag

Geschäftsführer

Sonntag Lifescience Consulting

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Mascia Ghielmetti

Director Medical Affairs

EffRx Pharmaceuticals S.A.

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Caroline Vonder Mühll

Medical Director

Bayer (Schweiz) AG

This Module is a 1 day seminar - 12.12.2024 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Module content
 
  • What is omnichannel and where does the industry stand, including examples?
  • Why is it also relevant and important for Medical?
  • What are critical success factors and what needs to be considered?
  • How to develop a persona
  • How to design an omnichannel measure

Ort

Trafo Baden Kultur und Kongresszentrum

Brown Boveri P. 1 5400 Baden

Lageplan

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Julian Hohendorff

Geschäftsführer

Transform2Lead GmbH

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Dr. Matthias Langenfeld

Medical Lead Switzerland

Ipsen Pharma Schweiz GmbH

This Module is a 1 day seminar - 03.07.2025 (09.00 - 17.30h)

Modul Content
 
  • Role and integrative matrix role of medical
  • Adding value as Medical Affairs professional
  • My career in medical
     
By the end of this module, the learners will be able to:
 
  1. Understand the Role and Responsibilities of Medical Affairs Professionals
  2. Explain the Integrative Matrix Role of Medical Affairs
  3. Identify Ways in Which Medical Affairs Adds Value to the Organization
  4. Describe Career Pathways and Skill Requirements in Medical Affairs
  5. Apply Knowledge of Medical Affairs to a Real-World Scenario

Dozentinnen & Dozenten

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Mascia Ghielmetti

Director Medical Affairs

EffRx Pharmaceuticals S.A.

Medical Affairs Certificate Program

Wählen Sie jeweils das gewünschte Datum aus.

Sprache

English

Art der Veranstaltung

Zertifikatslehrgang

Alle Module finden als Präsenzseminare statt


Kosten pro Person (exkl. MwSt) ganzer Lehrgang (Modul A-G)

CHF 8'330.– (für shqa Mitglieder)

CHF 12'580.– (für Nichtmitglieder)

In diesen Gebühren sind inbegriffen:
Seminarunterlagen und Teilnahmebestätigung - 1 Übernachtung im Einzelzimmer bei Modul B
Corinne Wild
Gerne berate ich Sie persönlich!

Corinne Wild

+41 41 500 07 89