How to become A Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

In a world that continues to witness a boggling increase in the number of medical products, the Pharmaceutical Sales Representative educates the doctors on their wonder drugs while ensuring their company’s hold on this competitive and humane industry.

• Drug Rep
• Pharma Rep
• PSR 
• Pharmaceutical Representative 
• Pharmaceutical Salesperson

What do Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives do?

A Pharmaceutical Sales Representative would typically need to:

• Meet with targeted doctors, hospital medical teams and pharmacists to persuade them to prescribe or recommend the company’s products
• Schedule appointments to see current/potential clients, which may include pre-arranged meetings or regular cold calling
• Assess the client’s requirements and present them with informational brochures and suitable product samples
• Discuss the latest clinical data and research knowledgeably and utilise expert sales techniques to persuade the client to buy the products
• Provide an efficient after-sales service; work in tandem with the sales team to develop effective strategies 
• Increase the visibility and awareness of the company’s medical and pharmaceutical products; maximise sales growth
• Keep accurate records and documentation of sales and clients for reporting as well as feedback
• Attend medical conferences, sales meetings, training sessions, technical data presentations/ briefings, conference calls and symposium circuits
• Organise medical conferences for the clients; build and maintain a positive working relationship with the medical staff and support administrative staff
• Monitor and analyse the market conditions to identify competitive advantages; keep abreast of latest trends, and adapt strategy accordingly
• Plan work schedules with the area sales team; discuss future targets with the area sales manager
• Develop more effective strategies for increasing opportunities to meet and talk to contacts in the medical and healthcare sector
• Counsel junior colleagues, after gaining adequate sales experience

Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives generally work out a home-based office and a company vehicle. They may need to check in regularly at a regional or local office after spending the better part of the day on the road meeting/attempting to meet around four to eight physicians, healthcare team members, patient advocacy groups, or pharmacists. Your sales territory may cover a large enough area that you might need to spend some nights away from home.

More often than not, Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives put in long hours making sales pitches, attending sales meetings, conference calls or training sessions and socialising with clients. Working hours typically include regular extra hours and some early mornings/late evenings but not weekends or shifts.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, checking out local and national newspapers and inquiring at specialist recruitment agencies.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives are generally employed by:

• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Healthcare Organisations

Professional associations and organisations, such as The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations, are crucial for Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation.

Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications. 

• Stress due to uncertainty over getting a doctor’s appointment and having to pitch effectively within the space of five minutes 
• Stress from having to constantly meet productivity goals and deadlines in an occupation that is often commission-based
• Lack of work-life balance due to job-related social events that usually happen in the evening
• Frustration due to policies regarding government-sponsored health care, price limits on products and non-reimbursement of research costs
• The need to stay alert despite frequent traffic battles in the regularly gruelling commutes between meetings
• The ongoing need to stay abreast of new products
• Encroachment into one’s territory by the competition

A sales apprenticeship or business-to-business sales professional degree apprenticeship may easily translate into a solid job offer. Be on the lookout for summer internships and placements. 

However, every applicant to a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative position should gain pre-entry experience in their local hospital, doctor's surgery, nursing home, or pharmacy to get first-hand experience of how PSRs operate.

Some teaching hospitals also offer work experience in their pharmacology departments, specifically for secondary school students interested in a career as a PSR. It can be a helpful way to gain insight into the profession.

Read about the profession and interview/ job shadow experts working in pharmaceutical sales to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.

Candidates with relevant work experience in nursing or healthcare are always welcome in the pharmaceutical industry. Most companies prefer to employ individuals with a strong field sales background in the medical sales industry.

Applicants with experience in general/retail sales or customer service can hope to land the job by demonstrating a thorough understanding of medical sales and the ability to learn the necessary science and medical information.

A four-year bachelor’s degree in biology, pharmacy, biomedical sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics and organic chemistry may suffice to get you a job as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (PSR). However, it would help to keep in mind that employers prefer applicants with a master’s degree in business or the life sciences mentioned above, especially when the post requires specific, technical knowledge.

Candidates without a science degree can also apply to the position, provided they can demonstrate strong sales experience and the ability to learn about medicines and therapy areas in detail. A business, marketing, advertising or sales degree can also help you enter the field when accompanied by adequate knowledge of medical sales and its practical implementation.

Focus on biology, chemistry, physics, organic chemistry, English, public speaking and economics in high school. 

Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives usually acquire mandatory qualifications in the ethical promotion of prescription medicines.

In some locations, you get to choose the qualification that best suits you - an advanced programme for those who promote medicines to prescribers and an intermediate one for those who encourage medication to individuals who do not prescribe.

The exams are challenging and may be included as part of your in-house training, or you could take a distance learning program from the qualifying organisation. Typically, PSRs must take the examination within the first two years of being employed.

Other locations mandate a national certification that includes training in pharmacology, medical terminology, physiology and pharmaceutical sales regulations. Additional certification in sales and marketing will only prove advantageous.

Certification from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 per cent, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant.

PSRs can acquire licenses through professional organisations but are not mandatory. However, a driving license is a must for all applicants to this position.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives usually begin their career in companies specialising in manufacturing or research & development of medicines and products.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications allow them to move into managerial positions or assume responsibility for a more extensive territory with increased potential income.

A proven track record will also help you move into marketing, liaison, sales training and product or account management. Some prefer to venture into related sales fields such as medical disposables and equipment. Some experienced PSRs progress to working as Field Trainers who train and develop fresh recruits.

Multinational pharmaceutical companies may provide the opportunity to work abroad.

Candidates with a science degree and the ability to sell and meet projected sales targets, in addition to being comfortable with geographical mobility or movement into a specialist area, will have the best job prospects.

Often, clients such as seasoned doctors educate newbie Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives with few contacts and little sales experience on driving a bargain and negotiating. Most doctors can manage to talk the novice PSR into handing out free samples.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential in the healthcare sector for public wellbeing and career progression. PSRs should be able to comprehend the metabolic makeup of the drug, the human trial statistics and side effects and dosage and make effective use of the medical jargon to nail a sale. 

Professionals in this field gain valuable knowledge about the products and therapies, promotion and sales techniques, and industry issues from training programs and professional conferences, usually sponsored by their employer. After that, you may spend time with a more experienced PSR and acquire additional practical knowledge.

CPD embraces several new learning objectives, educational methodologies, and novel technological developments, especially in management. PSRs who wish to understand their products better and become better reps may go for advanced degrees in pharmacy and pharmacology. 

Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade PSRs.

There are always new drugs in the works, and the ability to research relevant scientific studies and analyse their assumptions will prove critical to your professional success.

Origins of The Profession

The discovery of penicillin sparked the development of the global biotechnological invention, synthetic biological agents and the need for competing companies to approach physicians and hospitals directly and interest them in the company’s products.

At this juncture, the multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry recognised the need for qualified Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives who grab and retain the physician’s interest in medicines and medical supplies.

Specialisms

Some PSRs work in therapy areas and specialise in medical products for specific fields such as oncology, diabetes, respiratory health, gynaecology and rheumatology.

The Current Scenario

The increasing uncertainty surrounding all health care issues worldwide is impacting the future of PSRs. The possibility that doctors may need to heed generic standards when developing care management plans will see the rise of cheaper, generic substitutes instead of brand-name products. Consequently, PSRs will have to take a more targeted approach to pharmaceutical sales.

In addition, health care providers are asking PSRs to provide more data about their products’ clinical efficacy and value.

The US is the hub of pharmaceuticals. However, Europe and India are not far behind in building a robust pharmaceutical market.

Bad punchlines and even worse jokes apart, Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives who stick to this gruelling job which demands unmitigated zeal, dedication and willingness to make sacrifices realise the unquestionable clout they wield in combating human illness and promoting human health.

You might be tempted to boost lagging sales by putting pressure on the doctors to buy or to bribe them; remember that you are selling medical products and must remain responsible and ethical to the very end.