This document provides a summary of a benchmarking study conducted by Best Practices, LLC on medical education structures, resources, and activities at major biopharmaceutical companies. Some key findings include: - Most companies (over 75%) take a centralized approach to organizing their medical education functions. Nearly half centralize in the US. - Companies heavily rely on outsourcing, delegating 86% of program development and all program deployment to vendors. - Respondents were primarily directors or senior directors of medical education functions, with some managers. Insights were drawn from leaders across various roles and geographies.

1. Best Practices, LLC Strategic Benchmarking Research
Best Practices in Medical Education Program Strategy:
Establishing the Right Structures, Resources and Activities
to Optimize Biopharmaceutical Education Groups

2. Page | 2
Table of Contents
 Executive Summary pgs. 3-13
 Research Overview pg. 4
 Participating Companies pg. 5
 Medical Education Landscape pg. 6
 Changes In Medical Education Within The Last 2-3 Years pg. 7
 Key Recommendations pg. 8
 Key Findings & Insights pgs. 9-12
 Dual Focus of Medical Education pg. 13
 Structure & Activities pgs. 14-19
 Professional Education Investment Level & Funding Sources pgs. 20-31
 Professional Medical Education Staffing & Benchmark pgs. 32-43
 Changing Trends & Directions For Medical Education pgs. 44-50
 Benchmark Class Demographics pgs. 51-55
 About Best Practices LLC pgs. 56-57

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Medical Education Benchmark Research: Objectives,
Methodology & Topics
In an ever-changing industry where patient compliance, efficacy and safety are of the utmost importance, medical education
plays pivotal role in informing physicians & health care professionals about the latest medical knowledge. Best Practices, LLC,
undertook this benchmarking study to inform those that lead medical education functions on the proper size, resourcing, and
structure for this function or group.
Topics Covered
Research
Methodology
Research
Overview
 Medical Education group structure and
activities performed
 The funding channels utilized by Medical
Education groups
 Staffing benchmarks for Medical Education
groups
 Benchmark Medical Education resources,
investmentallocation and budgetallocation
by region and program type.
 Trends in grants to professional
societies/associations for accredited and
non-accredited education programs
 Future trends in Medical Education staffing
& investment
Best Practices, LLC engaged 15 leaders from 13
top biopharmaceutical companies through a
benchmarking survey.This report captures
insights from the pharma industry.
 New compliance, transparencyrules and
regulationshave tempered the sponsorship of
some medical education programs by pharma
companies, as well as some third-party
providers of such services.
 This benchmarking study investigatesemerging
Medical Education trends at pharmaceutical
organizations regardingfunding, program
types. It also informs Medical Affairs & Medical
Education function leaders on the proper size,
resourcing, and structure for this function or
group.

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Benchmark Class:
This study engaged 15 leaders supporting medical education at 13 leading life sciences companies. More than 50% of
participants are at the level of director/ senior director and around 20% of participants are managers. More than 80% of
participants were from the United States.
Universe of Learning: 13 Companies Participated In Study

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Medical Education Landscape Varies Greatly Across Sectors
Medical Education requirements, standards and “boundaries” are in a state of flux. There are significant differences based
on region, size of company, therapeutic area and Medical Device / Bio-pharm perspectives.
Factors Shaping MedEd Perspectives
Europe
Requirements
FDA & Safety
Pressures
Political
Pressures
Developing
Markets
Political
Pressures
U.S.
Requirements
Clinical &
Medical
Science
Litigation Structural
Forces
Creating
Changes
CME
Clinical Education – Disease
State Awareness
Medical Education – Product
Specific
Medical Tech
Biopharma
Size of
Company
Region of World
Medical
Device
Therapeutic
Area
Operating
under CIA

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Key Findings & Insights : Structure & Activities
The following key findings and insights emerged from this study.
 Medical Education Structure Is Predominantly Centralized
 More than three-fourths of pharma companies centralize their medical education structure; 46% of
them have located their centralized medical education group in the United States.
 Medical Education is a part of professional affairs/medical education at 40% of pharma companies.
Professionally, medical education is a part of a larger medical affairs group at 93% of pharma
companies.
 Benchmark Companies Rely Heavily On Outsourcing
 Pharma companies heavily rely on outsourcing for developing and deploying medical education
programs. They outsource 86% of medical education program development to vendors, while they
depend totally on vendors for program deployment and delivery.

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Q. ProfessionalMedical EducationStructural Approach:Please indicate which structure best describesthe organizationalapproach of your medical education
function and organization. (Choose one)
Medical Education Centralized in Headquarter Country Or U.S.
Market
% Respondents
Nearly 80% of companies use a centralized structure to organize their Medical Education groups. This is a significant shift from
2011 when only 58% took a centralized approach. It also appears that many companies have abandoned the idea of a hybrid
structure as 27% used this approach in 2011 and none stated that the do now.1
Centralized in
headquarters country
33%
Centralized in U.S.
Market (where U.S. is
not the headquarters
country)
46%
Regional
headquarters in U.S.
& Europe
7%
Decentralized by the
product or
therapeutic area
7%
Other
7%
N=15
Professional Medical Education Structural Approach:
1PSM-269 ProfessionalMedicalEducationExcellence:Structures,Resources,Services
& PerformanceLevels to OptimizePharmaceuticalEducationGroups,2011

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Pharma Relies On Vendors To Create & Deliver Programs
% Respondents
Q. What percentage of your programs are generated through each of the following talent pools (Each row should add up to 100%).
N=7
Pharma participants usually use vendors to develop and deploy medical education programs.
In-company % Outsourced %
75th Percentile 0% 100%
Mean 14% 86%
Median 0% 100%
25th Percentile 0% 100%
Medical education program
development
Outsourced %
100%
100%
100%
100%
Medical education program
deployment/delivery
In sourced / Outsourced

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Q. Contact Information: Please provide the following information, which will be used for classificationpurposesand to ensure that you receive your copy
of the study deliverable.
Universe Of Learning: Insights Drawn From Host Of Pharma
Experts
% Respondents
This research features insights from a range of leaders in medical education functions. More than half of respondents serve as a
director / sr. director roles, while around 20% of participants serving as manager.
N=15
Other: Research Scientist,Team Lead, Independent
Grants for Learning & Change, MSL Excellence
Director/ Senior
Director
60%
Manger
20%
Other
20%
Participants Designation

10. About Best Practices LLC

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Best Practices®, LLC is an internationally recognized thought leader in the field of best practice
benchmarking®. We are a research, consulting, benchmark database, publishing and advisory firm that
conducts work based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior
economic performance by leveraging the best business practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of
world-class companies.
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(Phone): 919-403-0251
www.best-in-class.com
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