New DWA Healthcare Communications Group Chief Medical Officer Bridges Medicine and Marketing

CARMEL, Ind., Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Deborah Wood, President and CEO of DWA Healthcare Communications Group, has announced Murali Gopal, MD, as the new Chief Medical Officer for the corporation and leader for the Group's Medical Science and Education Division (MSED). Dr. Gopal, a practicing psychiatrist and clinical researcher, has a strong background in providing medical support for business planning and the development of marketing and medical education materials. Dr. Gopal's business experience has served him well with regard to presenting scientific information at domestic and global medical meetings, providing counsel at advisory boards, and working with thought leaders to develop programs and studies designed to further the field of psychiatry. He has received multiple awards and recognition from medical associations and industry for his work and has published several papers on the treatment of major depressive disorder. Since 2000, he has also served as a delegate for the American Psychiatric Association in numerous capacities.

Dr. Gopal served as Medical Director of several psychiatric healthcare facilities, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. With a medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, he has practiced medicine in the field of psychiatry for a number of years, seeing patients in a multitude of psychiatric settings, including nursing homes, child and adolescent homes, mental health clinics, and private practice before joining a major pharmaceutical company. He received his Bachelor of Science in psychology from Penn State University and completed his residency training in psychiatry at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine.

Beyond having experience conducting clinical trials and preparing FDA submission documents, Dr. Gopal has been intricately involved in business planning and forecasting, as well as integrating medical expertise and scientific data with marketing goals and ensuring their alignment. His technical skills include trial protocol development, new product planning, scientific data planning and interpretation, medical writing and editing, project planning and management, and team leadership. "His extensive experience in the regulatory, scientific, legal, and marketing arenas will help advance the MSED team creatively through the highly charged field of medical communication. We believe this move to hire Dr. Gopal as an officer and senior member of leadership demonstrates our continued commitment to the integration of business planning with medical science," said Ms. Wood.

DWA Healthcare Communications Group is a recognized leader in the development and dissemination of innovative education and rigorous scientific exchange for healthcare professionals with the ultimate goal of improving patient wellness. The DWA corporate group includes Avant Healthcare Marketing, a noncertified education provider, and CME Enterprise, an independent nationally accredited CME provider. DWA provides an ACCME-approved organizational structure, superior strategic planning, scientific expertise, turnkey program management, and a multilevel compliance program. Please click here for more information.

SOURCE DWA Healthcare Communications Group