Pharmaceutical/Medical Sales: We've got what you need!

Essentially, when you have a job as a medical/pharmaceutical sales representative, you give hospitals, practices, institutions, and clinics the materials they need to care for their patients. Depending on your employer, the materials could be medical equipment, medical parts, diagnostic services, equipment repair contracts, instruments, drugs, dressings, etc.

A job in medical/pharmaceutical sales frequently requires a person to have at least two years of experience in the medical/pharmaceutical sales field and/or in customer service (with a background in medical supplies, wholesale distribution, etc.), and/or in a clinical medical/healthcare field. Sales reps must be comfortable learning about and explaining technical/scientific material and be able to keep abreast of trends and innovations. A Bachelor's degree is usually required. Pay is usually a base salary plus commission (plus other benefits, depending on employer), which can result in a very attractive income.

Sales reps must be energetic, self-motivated, organized, entrepreneurial, and people-oriented. Since sales reps enjoy autonomy in their work, and may even be based out of a home office, they must be self-directed and good time managers. Sales reps usually travel and cover a territory with their work, which requires air travel and/or driving. As a result, sales reps need to have clear and valid drivers' licenses and insurance. Many sales reps are given a company car. Sales reps must be able to build and maintain relationships and be able to prospect, follow-up, and close sales. They require strong verbal and written communication skills.

There are few different sales roles:

• Medical Marketing/Sales: Medical sales reps must either develop their own sales territory or manage and build new clientele within a given territory (e.g., do market research, make contacts, do cold calls, do follow-up). Sales reps market and sell their company's products, updates, and/or services, and handle complaints. They often perform product demonstrations and inservices and may assist with monitoring QA. Sales reps are generally involved in developing their own sales and marketing plans and materials.

• Pharmaceutical Marketing/Sales: Pharmaceutical sales reps must either develop their own sales territory or manage and build new clientele within a given territory (e.g., do market research, make contacts, do cold calls, do follow-up). Their main role is to increase awareness and market share by promoting/marketing their employer's products to physicians, pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare organizations. This job requires the ability to create and conduct presentations and demonstrations, conduct onsite visits, attend booths at conferences, provide inservices, etc., to physicians, pharmacies, and health organizations.

• Hospital Marketing/Sales: When employed by a healthcare facility, a sales/marketing rep sells the hospital's services to referring entities, e.g., marketing the rehabilitation or extended-care services to a referring doctor, case manager, discharge planner.

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