Medical Sales Representative Job Description

Pharmaceutical sales representatives work on behalf of drug and medical supply companies, building client-pharma relations as a means to maximizing both prescription and medical equipment sales of a particular product line. Drug companies currently target biomedical scientists, doctors and pharmacists, but this client base is expanding to others in the health industry as well. Extensive travel in set territories is the norm for building and maintaining these relationships with new and well-established clients and is rewarded with a base salary and commissions on closed sales.

Necessary Attributes

• The ability to communicate effectively and articulate scientific material (otherwise known as pharmaceutical detailing) to clients is crucial for any medical sales rep. Just as important is the ability to utilize any personal or business tidbits garnered from client conversations in personalizing effective sales pitches. Drug companies therefore look for presentable, personable and confident individuals. Methodical organization skills are also necessary for what is oftentimes a hectic schedule of meetings and dinners, where reps make it a point to remember and pass on relevant client information to drug companies in an effort to maximize sale potential.

Educational Requirements

• Pharmaceutical companies, especially smaller ones, are increasingly requiring a bachelor's degree for entry-level pharmaceutical sales rep positions. Because of the technical nature of the business, in-depth understanding of complex health sciences are necessary. Potential candidates should consider a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmaceutical science, which focuses on areas such as anatomy, biology, chemistry, immunology, physics, physiology and toxicology. Pharmaceutical marketing management, marketing or business administration are other useful course areas of study.

Considerations

• The pharmaceutical industry has been fairly recession-proof; however, over the past few years many drug reps have been let go as companies have attempted to cut down on expenditures and increase profit margins. Big pharmas are also increasing their implementation of eDetailing, utilizing the web to get promotional marketing campaigns out to clients while decreasing the typical one-on-one meetings. Drug companies are also showing more interest in high-level decision makers (prescribing advisory committees, for example) in the health industry as clients rather than just physicians.

Perceptions

• The notion of doctors being bought off with gifts and expensive dinners has led many to be skeptical of the client-pharma relationship. There's a conflict of interest if doctors are swayed to prescribe drugs or utilize medical devices from drug or medical device companies just for the relationship perks. This has created a negative perception of pharmaceutical sales reps to the public and the health industry. While drug reps do provide informative product information, the skepticism surrounding these relationships has cast a negative view of physicians being in bed with the big pharma companies. Knowing this, reps need to be prepared to handle these relationship concerns with doctors.

Training, Closing Sales and Salaries

• Pharmaceutical rep new hires can expect three to six weeks of training from their employer, which covers in-depth product knowledge in relation to anatomy, biology and pharmacology. Territory management, selling and presentation skills suitable for pharmaceutical sales, accounting for product samples, FDA regulations and compliance with FDA guidelines when promoting products are also covered. One area left out, however, is the art of closing the deal. All drug reps should learn how to close a sale to improve sales performance. According to PayScale's June 2010 national salary data, salaries for pharmaceutical representatives range from $58,192 to $82,680. When including bonuses, profit sharing and commissions, total pay ranges from $74,651 to $107,595.