Are You Contemplating a Career in Medical Sales
During the mommy talks in my son’s school, we exchange information on which vitamin brands are popular, what pediatricians usually recommend and which brands are on the outside when it comes to popularity. One mom asked me “why is this brand popular among moms? Is it really good?” I laughed and answered, “Maybe. But I’m betting the medical representatives for that brand are aggressive.”
Most of the marketing for high end baby medicines, or any other medical supplement for an illness, is through word of mouth. We rely on the expertise of our doctors and they in turn are dependent on the marketing of the medical companies’ sales personnel.
I have had training as a med rep in the past, a long, long time ago when I was a new grad from a prestigious university. It’s funny how my experience there did not sway me to take up that career for the long term. I think it has something to do with the way that job goes.
You need very little knowledge of medicine to be a medical representative, although a background in the health field will let you enjoy the stressful medical terms training. You only need to be articulate and… personable. That means you have to be above average in looks and more than a bit eager to adapt to the quirky natures of some doctors. Although my course was related to the natural sciences, I still needed training for the things I don’t really know (frankly, I just learned about best colon cleanse recently while browsing the net), but for the most part, you just have to be able to persuade the doctors to write the drug you’re promoting on prescription sheets.
A medical sales representative is employed by a pharmaceutical company and it is these sales reps’ job to call on physicians and pay them visits to give them free samples of the drugs that the pharmaceutical company carries. Medical sales representatives are employed by pharmaceutical companies as a means to deliver targeted marketing to physicians who have the power to prescribe these medications to their patients. This way, pharmaceutical companies can push the sales of their products through the doctors that prescribe them to the patients that need them.
To those of you contemplating a career in med sales, or if you’ve ever wanted to be a medical representative, here are some pointers:
Be wary of who you give samples to. First of all, give more samples to doctors that are likely to promote your product. You can feel that a doctor likes your product after the initial meeting. Some may be prescribing a drug already and they’re not likely to switch, but if they’re worth it (they are in demand and sought after, or these doctors are highly specialized), by all means be generous with samples.