---
title: 7 Tips for Running an Advisory Board in Pharma [Free Download]
description: CTC shares five best practices that every medical education manager should implement when running a successful medical advisory board.
---

[Resource Hub ](https://ctc.agency/resource-hub)

# [7 Tips for Running an Advisory Board in Pharma [Free Download]](https://ctc.agency/resource-hub/7-tips-for-running-an-advisory-board-pharma)

 Written by [Brennan Smith](https://ctc.agency/resource-hub/author/brennan-smith) | May 9, 2025 12:17:10 AM

Putting together an advisory board? You’ve come to the right place. At CTC, we’ve been delivering expert advisory board solutions for over 30 years. Here are 7 quick tips to immediately add value to your next project: 

## **1. Start with the End in Mind **

- Clearly define objectives and desired outcomes. 
    - What does success look like? How will it be measured?
    - Are you refining a clinical development plan? Interpreting trial data? Identifying educational gaps?
- Outcome-driven objectives will shape everything from advisor selection to agenda design.
- Clear goals ensure insights are actionable and aligned with internal strategy.

## **2. Recruit the Right Mix of Advisors**

- Aim for diversity in experience, geography, gender, age, specialty and mindset.
- Diversity of thought (pluralism) leads to richer discussion, reduces bias, and avoids echo chambers.
- Include both early-career and seasoned KOLs to gather a range of perspectives.

## **3. Invest in Pre-Meeting Preparation**

- Share a concise pre-read with background data, meeting goals, and key questions - advisors offer more valuable insights when they're well-informed.
- Use a pre-meeting survey to gather individual feedback.
- Strong pre-work maximizes live meeting time for deeper discussion and complex problem-solving.  

## **4. Facilitate Thoughtfully**

- Use open-ended questions and call on specific advisors to initiate conversation.
- Engage quieter participants and manage dominant voices.
- If a KOL is moderating, ensure they're prepped on the content and meeting objectives.
- Advisors appreciate clarity. Be direct.
- Consider agency support to develop high-impact discussion questions.

## **5. Run Creative Workshops**

- Integrate creative workshop formats to boost engagement.
- Workshop insights often differ from plenary discussions.
- Breakout rooms (virtual or in-person) allow more voices to be heard and energize the agenda.
- For virtual boards, prioritize strong moderation and interactive elements like polling.

## **6. Capture and Analyze Insights**

- Capture notes in real-time, focusing on key action items.
- Follow up with a brief internal email summarizing the most important takeaways.
- Create a professional meeting report with key themes, critical insights, and strategic recommendations.
- Synthesize insights into clear next steps: 
    - How can the advisors' direction inform tactics and strategy?

- Keep the report concise and digestible. 

[CTC has an example advisory board report that you can download for free as a template! ](https://ctc.agency/services/advisory-boards) 

## **7. Thank the Advisors and Debrief**

- Send a personalized thank-you message to advisors.
- Debrief internally and with your agency partner to determine next steps.

Want to elevate your next advisory board? Let's talk. At CTC, we help pharma teams design and deliver high-impact engagements that drive strategy forward.

[View full post](https://ctc.agency/resource-hub/7-tips-for-running-an-advisory-board-pharma)

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