The 2025 ISMPP Academy was held in Boston on November 13–14, focusing on the theme, “The Hub of Foundation and Application”. This event brought together professionals at all levels of their career development and representing companies from pharma, agencies, biotech, and medical device companies, coming together to learn pragmatic, real-world solutions and best practices.
Human connection took center stage.
The meeting began with the keynote session, “Health Literacy: What it is, Why it Matters, and What can you do about it?”. Speaker, Helen Osborne provided an overview of health literacy and highlighted the barriers faced by diverse populations, including those with hearing loss or language difficulties. Clear, compassionate communication remains at the heart of what we do, and this theme carried throughout the discussions.
Alignment challenges are real, but solutions are within reach.
Polls and panels confirmed that cross-functional silos and unclear ownership continue to slow teams down. Speakers encouraged practical fixes such as shared workspaces, structured onboarding, and regular feedback loops to strengthen collaboration and trust.
AI adoption is advancing, but thoughtful governance is key.
Attendees shared growing optimism about using AI to support efficiency and higher-level strategy. Many organizations are experimenting with use cases, though accuracy, oversight, and cultural adoption remain top priorities. The consensus was clear: AI will augment, not replace, the strategic value of scientific communicators.
Looking ahead, several opportunities stand out:
- Evolving from output-focused metrics to meaningful measures of impact
- Streamlining low-value tasks with AI to focus more on strategic work
- Embedding health literacy principles throughout communication materials
- Strengthening partnerships through shared goals and proactive planning
The Academy’s discussions underscored a simple truth. Even as AI enters the mainstream, the human element remains irreplaceable. Empathy, critical thinking, and trust are the qualities that will differentiate the strongest communicators in the years ahead. The industry is ready to embrace new tools while staying anchored in the values that matter most.
Couldn’t attend ISMPP Academy or want to revisit what you learned?
We’re pleased to offer this year’s AI-powered Strategic Insights Report/Meeting Compendium and Session Summaries as a complimentary resource available to ISMPP members. The compendium is available to non-members for a fee of $95.
The compendium compiles insights from the meeting’s keynote and plenaries into a concise, strategic overview of the trends defining the future of medical publications and communications. Also included is the ISMPP Academy Meeting Summaries. Get the summary from each session in seconds. Read about the top takeaways, highlights, and actionable ideas—all in one quick, easy-to-read view.
Visit the ISMPP Learning Hub to download the following resources from Academy:
“Unlike the larger meetings, the Academy meeting was intimate enough to delve deeply into specific topics, and I learned tools that I can bring back and apply to my day-to-day job.”
~2025 ISMPP ACADEMY participant
Thank you to the ISMPP Academy Faculty
In honor of our esteemed faculty for the ISMPP Academy, ISMPP is proud to donate to the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) in support of their commitment to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our community.
Program Committee Appreciation
We extend a heartfelt thank you to the 2025 ISMPP Academy Program Committee – and to Kerri Palo and Melanie Watson, Co-Chairs of the Program Committee, and Genevieve Cohen, chair of the Abstract & Proposal Review Committee, for their leadership in developing highly-regarded content for medical communication professionals in an interactive setting.
In addition, a special appreciation is due to the entire ISMPP staff and particularly Cassie Cobb, ISMPP Education Content Manager, and Deidra Renahan, for her meeting management.
We are very grateful to our exhibitors for their valued support of the ISMPP Academy! We appreciate your contributions in making this meeting a success.
A sincere thank you to our Media Partner, The Publication Plan.
“I’ve been on the committee for three years and I continue to learn and enjoy more each year. I love the smaller size of this meeting, it gives us a better chance to connect with colleagues.”
~2025 ISMPP ACADEMY participant
______________________________________
Mark Your Calendar for the Upcoming European Meeting and Annual Meeting!
- European Meeting of ISMPP, 26-28 January 2026, London. Registration closes 16 January
- 22nd Annual Meeting of ISMPP, April 20-22, 2026, Washington, D.C. Registration is NOW OPEN!
Discover more from the Map Newsletter
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.