Medical representatives: who they are, what they do, main responsibilities and a sample resume. Medical Representatives: Key Responsibilities and Resume Sample. Advantages and disadvantages of the profession Medical representative: who is he

Various kinds of publications in the press are caused by the work of the "medical representative". Reviews about her are mixed. The usual sphere of work of this specialist, his social circle is the medical community.

However, it leaves traces visible to the uninitiated. Citizens who come to see a doctor often see medical brochures, office supplies with the logo of a medical company in his office. Some observant clients, receiving a prescription, notice that the package of the medicine they buy in the pharmacy flaunts the same corporate logoas on the doctor's pen and on the prescription form itself.

Recognized profession

Medical representatives work in pharmaceutical companies in all countries. Such work is recognized by the civilized world. In addition, it is in demand with us.

Certified medical professionals who have entered this profession have noted an improvement in the quality of their lives. After all, their wages in a new place are different from what they received when they got a job on distribution after a medical college or school. The purpose of this article is to acquaint the reader with the nuances and features of this profession.

The emergence of the profession

Pharmaceutical manufacturers effectively market their products with the help of units where medical representatives (MP) work. They establish contacts with the pharmaceutical company medical institutions and attending physicians. Thus, the small business promotes the advertising and promotion of the products of its employer. He acts as an intermediary between his employer and the customers of his medicines (hospitals, pharmacies, sanatoriums and health resorts).

Medical representative resume

What are the basic requirements for applying for this job in a pharmaceutical company?

As practice shows, in most firms, candidates are considered up to the age of 35. As an exception, older workers can also be accepted, but with experience as a medical representative and positive characteristics.

An applicant must have a medical education. For example, a complete higher medical education (certified by a diploma of either a doctor or a pharmacist). However, in some cases employers are also satisfied with secondary education (diploma of graduation from medical school or college).

Traditionally, there is a part of applicants seeking to get a position of a medical representative, studying in an internship. In this case, there can be no full guarantee. The question depends on the management of the pharmaceutical company, whether they agree to let the intern go to classes or who do not agree. As practice shows, in most such cases, the candidate is rejected. Therefore, such an adherent should decide: whether to suspend his further medical education because of a lucrative profession, or, without claiming to be a MP, to continue it.

The candidate for the position should be ready to communicate with representatives of medical institutions in the area of \u200b\u200bthe city assigned to him. Therefore, having his own car, indicated in the resume, will be an obvious plus for him.

Since the nature of the MP's work is associated with the reception and processing of various information (medical, commercial, client), it is advisable for the applicant to indicate in his resume his skills in such work. Ideally, they should outline the ability to build tactics for the sale of drug lines and even the whole pharmaceutical direction.

With a properly drawn up objective resume, regional managers (future immediate supervisors) invite candidates for an interview.

How to get an interview?

Before going to a meeting, it is advisable for the candidate to update their knowledge. Regional managers strive to recruit employees with a basic level medical trainingoriented in applied questions of physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, cytology, pediatrics, pharmacology.

The knowledge of the adept must be real and appropriate to professional communication with doctors. The position of “medical representative” assumes that the representative knows how to speak with the employees of the medical institution in their usual business language. Therefore, the candidate, when meeting with the regional manager, will definitely be tested for actual knowledge and competent presentation of applied medical issues.

Regional managers are interested in the selection of personnel with a certain psychotype: active, communicative, manageable, proactive, independent. Accordingly, during the interview, they become interested in people who can not only answer the question, but also explain their position.

It is desirable for the candidate to clearly understand the features of his future work, its main directions and his future responsibilities. It is important to be able to make decisions, to be a positive and useful part in a team of colleagues, to have the ability to deliver a presentation, and have developed sales skills.

The applicant is also appreciated, the available professional intelligence, which consists in not falling into a panic or becoming stupid with a possible error, but quickly finding adequate ways to eliminate it. The MT must come out of difficult situations with new experience, becoming better and better professionally.

Medical representatives are recruited by regional managers, usually from people seeking knowledge. Therefore, the availability of additional certificates of completion of the courses will be a definite plus for the candidate.

If a candidate for the position of a medical representative in a conversation with a regional manager identifies these qualities, then, most likely, he will be accepted for the position.

Departments where MP works

Having settled in a coveted job, he will directly encounter what is called production specifics. First, we will tell you in part about some of the organizational issues.

Medical representatives work in a pharmaceutical company, in marketing departments. Depending on the scale of sales, these departments can be more or less specialized in the sales segment:

• over the counter (OTC);
• prescription;
• hospital;
• budgetary.

IN large companies more specialized medical departments may be organized. For example, the department of cardiology or the department of ophthalmology. An employee hired by a medical representative will have to (except practical work) to master new medical and commercial knowledge in consecutive group and individual lessons.

Medical representative: who is he?

Having mastered the practical basics of work (it will take 4-5 months), the former candidate will finally be able to comprehensively answer the conceptual question of who a medical representative is.

He is a specialist in the sale of medicines and medical products. Its main task is to contribute to the growth of profits of the pharmaceutical company from the sale of medicines, stimulating their prescription by doctors, as well as their purchase by pharmacies and medical institutions.

Description of the profession

The scope of tasks of a medical representative is clearly defined and well known to the subjects of the pharmaceutical market. Each pharmaceutical company for these specialists formulates job descriptions that take into account its specifics. However, the classic job description of the MP contains little-changing basic tasks that we present to your attention:

• create a business plan for the company's sales (in the sector of its competence), taking into account the predicted sales of distributors;
• carry out calendar plan visits to target polyclinics, hospitals, pharmacies, as well as to doctors of target specialization;
• present the company's products in compliance with the principles of business ethics;
• actively participate in the organization of meetings with healthcare workers, conferences by the company to further enhance the promotion of medicines;
• to achieve planned sales together with distributors;
• inform your regional manager about the market situation, actions of competitors, consumer requests;
• study the range and properties of the company's products, as well as get acquainted with the sales of competitors;
• develop personal contacts with regional doctors, pharmacists, other healthcare professionals.

Thus, the work of a medical representative is a commercial activity, but with the use of basic medical knowledge. This specialist performs his functions using the personal sales method, which includes:

• personal contact, individual approach to buyers (persons stimulating demand);
• two-way exchange of information with buyers. Availability feedback required;
• possession of skills to convince and influence buyers.

Salary

The description of the profession would be incomplete without mentioning one more point. The logic of the presentation of the material has finally led us to one of the most essential working conditions. After all, basically (to be honest) people associate themselves with this profession, taking into account their position on wages. After all, children dream of becoming politicians, lawyers, military men, doctors, but not medical representatives.

A pharmaceutical company benefits from an effective medical representative. His salary, according to open statistics, is quite high. This is the way it is in the world: people in this profession have an income above average.

Thus, the income of a small business is on average:

• in Russia - 21-28 thousand rubles. per month;
• in St. Petersburg - 33-39 thousand rubles;
• the metropolitan medical representative (Moscow) is predictably the most paid, he receives from 35 to 43 thousand rubles. per month.

Market

MPs operate in the pharmaceutical market (FR). Being a professional, navigating in it and finding ways to increase the company's profits is the alpha and omega of his work. Regional managers evaluate his performance on the basis of his performance of these functions. Therefore, in an effort to more clearly tell about the principles of the work of a medical representative, we are forced to acquaint the reader with the concept of the pharmaceutical market.

For simplicity, we present an extremely brief definition of this concept: FR is the name for the entire set of subjects interested in the manufacture, sale and consumption of medicines. We are talking about companies - drug manufacturers, distributors, doctors, pharmacists, pharmacies and, of course, patients.

The medical representative acts on the FR, which has the property of duality, according to the generally accepted ideology of companies.

The duality of the pharmaceutical market is manifested in the presence of direct and indirect sales. Medical representatives cannot sell medicines to patients themselves. But they competently turn to their attending physicians, while bringing them the idea of \u200b\u200bpromising treatments. If the doctor accepts the proposed method of treatment, then he begins to write out the appropriate prescriptions for patients.

Features of the pharmaceutical market

A distinctive feature of the pharmaceutical market is its internal connections. Pharmaceutical companies are run by MP, medical representatives interact with distributors, and, of course, pharmaceutical companies also communicate with distributors. The complete scheme of the pharmaceutical market also involves communication between doctors and pharmacies, which has an impact on patients.

Another feature of this market is that MP plays the main role in the promotion of medicines. In some of its segments, the role of the media is tangible, but in the overwhelming majority of situations, the effectiveness of sales depends on the competence, attitude to business, personal communications and organization of the medical representative.

Thus, it can be ironically noted: the medical representative is taught that in a "dual world" he, acting in accordance with commercial schemes, is authorized to increase the profits of a pharmaceutical corporation.

How to solve the problems of the pharmaceutical market?

However, switching to a more serious tone, one should ask the question: why do the press and the media often get critical materials concerning the specifics of the MP's work?

In fact, in world legal practice, there are no facts of direct prohibition by the state of the activities of medical representatives. By default, their area of \u200b\u200bactivity, which is at the intersection of social, medical and commercial interests, is considered to be subject to government control and regulation.

This kind of regulation in Russia is ineffective to carry out by directly prohibiting contacts between a doctor and a medical representative. (We are talking about practically inoperative article 69 Federal law "On the basics of protecting the health of citizens in the Russian Federation.")

It is reasonable in this situation to proceed from the position of a Russian doctor, often working in the provinces, who wants to maintain his professional level adequate to the present, and is practically deprived (due to limited income) of the opportunity to attend professional courses, congresses, to quickly acquire medical literature.

Patients demand effective treatment from him. How to master modern methods healing? How to get the necessary knowledge about recent diseases? In this case, the state makes a helpless gesture ...

From these positions, the educational activities of pharmaceutical companies (conferences, speeches of candidates and doctors medical sciences) is a boon to the medical community.

On the other hand, unscrupulous, harmful to society “lobbying by a medical representative of the interests of a pharmaceutical company” and “the emergence of a personal interest of a doctor” must be suppressed. The perpetrators should bear administrative responsibility, and in cases with serious consequences, criminal responsibility. The work of a medical representative must be legally transparent.

Article 75 of the Federal Law "On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in Russian Federation»Clearly defines a conflict of interest that cannot be initiated by a medical representative.

Conclusion

In the cooperation of pharmaceutical factories with doctors, carried out through medical representatives, there are both pros and cons. There is a real risk of aggressive and poorly motivated promotion of the worst drugs to the detriment of the manufacturers of the best ones.

On the other hand, there is no alternative to conferences and classes organized for doctors by pharmaceutical companies in the healthcare system. Thanks to them, doctors have the opportunity to hear about certain diseases, to get acquainted with new trends in the treatment of these diseases.

However, drug consumers have a hope that the state will actualize control of the pharmaceutical market, entrusting public organizations a mechanism for revealing the facts of discrimination against medications in demand by society, as well as the facts of promoting unclaimed ones.

The modern Russian pharmaceutical market is undergoing qualitative changes, and its active growth is observed. Due to the introduction of new production technologies and the promotion of drugs by domestic manufacturers, their own competitiveness increases.

If we characterize the process that takes place on the market, then we can say that absorbed small companies larger, stronger ones consolidate and integrate, and there is also an increased interest from foreign organizations.

Instead of simple pharmacy kiosks, large networks pharmacies, united by one structure, price and centralized management. Very often, pharmacy chains have strong wholesalers behind them.

What specialists are most in demand?

Along with the ongoing changes, the demand for highly qualified professionals who work in the field of marketing and promotion of various drugs is growing: experts, leaders in these areas, marketing and advertising specialists, and so on. Increasingly, there is a need for specialists to conduct clinical trials, as well as drug registration. The need for production workers has increased: first of all, these are pharmacists who control quality and technology. In addition, more and more high level requirements for the professionalism of personnel. The requirements for promotion specialists mainly depend on the group of drugs, as well as on their sales and promotion scheme.

Thus, if a product manager introduces a drug from a pharmacy assortment to the market, then he must know well the specifics of marketing and advertising, which will be aimed at target audience, that is, to end consumers. If we talk about the promotion of drugs from the hospital group, which are very expensive and rarely used, then the main attention will be paid to the specifics of working with opinion leaders.

In comparison with other market sectors, this industry has an extraordinary dynamic, high technologies that require a professional to constantly improve the qualification level of their competence.

Promotionalists must research the distribution of new drugs, coordinate research on products, oversee their primary market positioning, and so on.

There is one more profession - a medical representative. Let's talk about it further.

How do I become a medical representative?

The most demanded profession in the labor market today is the profession of "medical representative". Unfortunately, she cannot be studied in any of the universities. These experts play a very important role in product promotion and are also the backbone of marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. Due to the fact that it is forbidden to sell products directly to their patients and doctors, and also they do not have any rights to use the media, it becomes necessary to use networks of medical representatives in order to work with doctors and medical institutions.

Why is the profession good?

It is thanks to medical representatives that the policy of companies that promote drugs is implemented, all information is conveyed to doctors, answers are given to questions, and consultations are carried out on the use of drugs and their characteristics. After the doctor talks with the medical representative, he can prescribe the drug to the patient, who will definitely come to the pharmacy to buy it, and she, in turn, will make an order from the distributor, who will contact the manufacturer. It is possible to understand how effective the work of medical representatives is only by studying the dynamics of demand over a certain period of time.

Medical reps are the faces of companies, and naturally they must have excellent persuasion and confident use of proactive selling technology. But the latter requirement is not very much taken into account today. This can be explained by the fact that the need for people with such a profession is constantly growing, and a huge number of people, and even moreover, simply have nowhere to appear, so any medical representative undergoes training directly in the company. The resume before the device must be filled out in advance in order to show the employer their achievements or that they are not yet available.

What are the chances of getting a job?

Today, specialists with diplomas from pharmaceutical universities have exactly the same chances of getting the position of a medical representative as doctors. Of course, it is difficult not to notice the fact that it is much easier for a trained specialist to delve into the emerging problems of colleagues, but it is for this reason that employers pay so much attention to the choice and further training that representatives receive. Be sure to study the medical representative of other companies, make up your own, and then you can understand whether you are suitable for such a position.

What can be the undoubted benefits?

Of course, it is important to have a large circle of acquaintances in the professional field who can become your client base at the very beginning. You should take every opportunity to expand your own connections with colleagues in other pharmacies in the region or city.

Even the absence of your own car and driver's license can be a negative point: some companies do not provide transport. Keep in mind that the representative includes the following: rise as early as possible and with heavy bags, in which a bunch of different brochures, booklets and samples, drive about ten places per day. When traveling by public transport, you are simply wasting time. Therefore, you should find the opportunity and get the necessary training. An excellent book is The Medical Representative's Guide (Spiders), so it should be read carefully before entering any organization.

Wage

How much does a medical representative get? Reviews of such work are twofold, but if we talk about wages, then today the labor market has seen its gradual and steady growth.

A prerequisite for working as medical representatives in a foreign company is knowledge foreign language, as well as it is desirable to own specialized vocabulary.

How to get an interview?

Before signing up for an interview, you must draw up good summaryThere are a few tips to help you get the job done.

First of all, be sure to familiarize yourself with the products of the company where you want to apply for a job. Find out which of the drugs this particular company offers in pharmacies. In addition, you can use reference books, which also indicate the entire range.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the history and traditions of the company. It is always very pleasant to communicate with a person who has specific knowledge. Be sure to show that you are determined for the future work, understand its meaning and are ready to constantly learn.

With such a baggage of knowledge, be sure to take with you a confident attitude, which will certainly be one of your main trump cards, and feel free to go to an interview with a medical representative.

Training in the company

Firms very often hire doctors who have just graduated from universities who do not yet have sales experience. The work of a medical representative is aimed primarily at selling products. For this reason, one of the components of work with personnel is training, especially since in the current economic situation more funds are allocated for this than before. The thing is that an organization that cares about the future of its staff very often prefers to educate it than to bring it from somewhere else.

You should carefully study the "Guide of Medical Representatives" (Spiders), as it describes in detail all the features of this profession.

The task facing the trainers is to reinforce the skills of successful communication among medical representatives (how to establish quick and favorable contact, get the ability to listen to the interlocutor, explain the benefits, analyze non-verbal signals, publicly present goods, and so on).

The theoretical part is reduced to the very minimum, since it often causes a negative reaction from former doctors. There are several methods of how to conduct training: group training, psycho-gymnastics, various role-playing games... In principle, the whole technique boils down to minimizing the lecture part and giving preference to the consolidation of skills.

What should a medical representative do?

The main reason that this profession has become very popular is the establishment of an official ban on advertising of drugs that are dispensed from pharmacies only on doctor's prescriptions.

The most interesting thing is that doctors, teachers, builders, managers and even actors were previously hired for the position of medical representatives. Only the largest and most successfully developing companies western countries adhered to strict requirements.

But the development of business in our country does not stand still, so today all medical representatives must have either a pharmaceutical or a medical education. People with biological, economic or other education are simply not hired.

The most main duty, which involves the work of a medical representative, is to establish contacts with different doctors and their superiors, as well as with the heads of departments and pharmacies.

The main goal of their work is to persuade the doctor to prescribe exactly the drug that is being promoted by the representative at the moment.

In addition, medical representatives must also inform doctors and pharmacy workers about the advantages of the drug being sold, that is, compare it with competitors' drugs, bring real reviews experts.

The medical representative is required to replenish his knowledge and take part in various symposia, exhibitions and so on. Employees who sell such over-the-counter drugs are also required to run a variety of promotions and merchandising in pharmacies.

What education is required and what is the career growth?

Most citizens do not know how worthy this profession is and whether it is necessary to study it specifically at a university.

Typically, most companies require a specialized medical or pharmaceutical education. Medical professionals, even without work experience, have the opportunity to get the position of a medical representative with a good salary.

Any medical representative of a resume should draw up such a resume for himself to interest the employer. If you are interested in career development, be sure to indicate this.

What skills do you need to get a job?

Let's consider the basic requirements:

The ability to effectively promote a product;

Ability to build partnerships with different people;

Successful negotiation;

Possession of effective sales techniques;

Stress management, as well as the ability to plan your day;

Good PC skills;

Knowledge of the medical field.

Basically, preference is given to those candidates who have already received their education in the main universities of the country. Almost every pharmaceutical company provides training before starting work, as well as the necessary trainings in order to develop certain qualities in employees.

What personal qualities should a medical representative have?

A very good indicator would be if the candidate has experience in the field of sales, as well as his personal customer base.

With more than five years of experience, we can say about a candidate that he is reliable, responsible, and also interested in the common cause of the company in which he works.

Medical representatives are required to have good looks, be confident, and have excellent communication skills.

In addition, there must be an optimistic attitude to work, as well as a desire for success and knowledge of all effective sales techniques.

The visits of medical representatives to the organization are accompanied by a competent presentation of the drugs. The skills must be developed at such a level that it can easily interest any client.

This should be an intelligent and erudite person who, from the first phrases, already wants to trust and communicate with him on various topics, since the promotion of medicines requires certain ethicsrather than a spontaneous proposal.

Before getting a job, you should look at the resume (sample) of the medical representative and make your own. This is not so difficult to do.

Disadvantages of the profession

The disadvantages of this profession are described in great detail in the book "The Guide of a Medical Representative", which was written by Spukov. When applying for a job, a medical representative will face the following disadvantages:

Difficulty moving up the career ladder. Representatives working in the region have a hard time making a career. This is due to the very structure of pharmaceutical companies. In large cities, each organization has several representative groups, with two managers at the head. Each group has about thirty ordinary representatives. If there is a medical or another city - it does not matter) is going to make a career in this area, then it will face huge competition.

Not always stable income.

It is required to master a new profession, even if you have a medical education.

You must always be aware of the latest news.

Very frequent business trips, work outside the office.

You need to communicate with different people, constantly persuade someone.

Benefits

You yourself can regulate the intensity of work and determine in which direction to do it.

You can combine it with your main job and earn additional income.

New professional perspectives.

For people who love to communicate, there is an opportunity to communicate with a large circle of specialists.

Good income. On average, the salary of any medical representative is about 30 thousand rubles. In addition, quarterly and monthly surcharges are made in the form of premiums and bonuses.

To become a good specialist pharmaceutical trading company, you must have a college degree. You must have completed at least four years of college to become a Qualified Pharmaceutical Representative. It often doesn't matter what degree you get, but you can become more attractive to an employer with a PhD. Some companies may even prefer a master's certificate business administrationever since pharmaceutical salespeople began to combine scientific knowledge with business ideas.

Obtain the Certificate of National Pharmaceutical Representative granted by the National Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives. NAFP has developed certified National Pharmaceutical Representative training that includes everything you need to differentiate yourself from all candidates. And while self-study books are sold in stores today, they do not compare to the systematic, ad-hoc and expert approach provided by NAPF. When the candidate has fully considered the course of study, he is assigned an exam. Upon passing the exam, the candidate will be awarded an NFP certificate.

Gain sales experience in other industries first. To be needed as a representative of a pharmaceutical trading company, you must show the acquired sales skills through a compelling presentation, attracting more consumers, strengthening and maintaining strong consumer relationships. Based on experience as a manager, preferably in a B2B company, making deals, or even working as a courier, for example, multiplies your perspective of working diversity. That is, by gaining work experience in academic mandates, you thereby gain a competitive advantage by applying for the vacancy of a representative of a pharmaceutical trading company.

Check the message board for open positions. Most easy way find a pharmaceutical job sales representative - is to search on job sites. You can find open positions in both general advertisements and the specialized pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Most of these sites are nationwide, meaning it doesn't matter where you live, but if you are about to move in the near future, you can find work specifically in your new place of residence.

Contact pharmaceutical companies for information. You don't have to wait for an open job on the site to get started. You can simply send your resume to pharmaceutical companies with the information you are interested in that relates to your future position. They may not have an open position at the moment, but on the other hand, you will not need to compete with hundreds of other applicants looking for the same job.

Research pharmaceutical companies before your interview. Since this is a huge competitive field, in order to impress your potential employer, you must show them that you have accurate knowledge not only of the pharmaceutical sales industry in general, but also specifically of the methods and approaches of this company. Explore what sets this company apart from hundreds of other successful pharmaceutical companies. Find out what their biggest customers and best-selling products are.

Conducting interviews with job seekers, we often come across the fact that their idea of \u200b\u200bthe work of a medical representative is partly wrong: there is both an excessive idealization of the profession and, on the contrary, an unjustifiably negative perception of it.

We would like to dispel the most common myths about this profession and explain how things really are.

Myth 1. "The medical representative has a free work schedule"

Most medical representatives work hours are standard: 8-hour work day and 5-day work week with two days off. It should also be borne in mind that this profession is characterized by numerous overtime - a medical representative can conduct marketing activities on weekends, fill out reports after work, meet opinion leaders and escort them to the airport at any time of the day or night. The huge number of business trips should also be taken into account. In addition, each medical representative has a schedule of visits (the number of visits can vary from 8 for the key clients up to 13-15 at a simple medical representative). Many companies track the geolocation of their employees, so there are very few chances of “skipping” work, and there is no need to talk about a free work schedule.

Myth 2. "Rapid career growth is possible in pharmaceutical companies"

Almost all applicants with no work experience applying for the position of a medical representative are confident that after a year of work they will be able to take the position of a key account manager, and possibly a regional / territorial manager with subordinate employees. This is not entirely true. In our practice, there was only one case of rapid, almost dizzying growth - from a medical representative to a regional manager, and it happened not in one, but in three years. On average, an employee with no work experience will take about five years to get a promotion.

However, many companies have so-called intermediate positions - senior / leading medical representative, within which part of the manager's functionality is delegated to employees (participation in recruitment, coaching, territory analysis).

One can speak of more significant career growth only when the medical representative has established himself as a professional and has established himself as an effective employee, as well as acquired the necessary managerial skills and competencies.

Myth 3. "The work of a medical representative is simple, not like the work of a doctor or pharmacist / pharmacist"

Every profession requires complete dedication, and the work of a medical representative is no exception. Like any sales job, it comes with enormous costs, both emotional and physical. Despite the seeming simplicity, the medical representative faces complex, often difficult tasks. He is responsible for the volume of sales - not only his own, but also for the sales of the whole team in the region.

Myth 4. "A medical representative can use a corporate car outside office hours."

The use of a corporate car by employees of pharmaceutical companies is strictly regulated; the car can only be used in working time... In order to exclude travel by employees personal affairs, companies track the location of the car, which leaves little chance of making a trip to the country house on weekends and even to the supermarket after work.

Myth 5. "You can become a medical representative only if you have a higher medical or pharmaceutical education"

In fact, higher specialized education is no longer a mandatory requirement for applicants in many pharmaceutical companies, including those that are part of the “big pharma”. Labor market trends are such that, first of all, employers pay attention to the availability of relevant competencies, experience in the field of sales. Thus, today it is quite possible to build a career in a pharmaceutical company without specialized education.

Myth 6. "They will teach me everything"

The myth, opposite to the previous one, but at the same time no less widespread. Many applicants applying for the position of a medical representative really believe that they should not have any special knowledge and skills, believing that in the framework of corporate trainings they will be taught everything. This is not entirely true. Companies do provide trainings for employees, but you should not perceive them as a training program from scratch - in fact, they are aimed at honing existing skills and gaining additional (not basic!) Knowledge.

Myth 7. "I want to work as a medical representative because I enjoy talking to people."

This is one of the typical responses of job seekers to the question "Why would you like to work as a medical representative?"

It should be understood that the representative's job is not at all just to communicate with people. The main goal is to convince the doctor to use the company's drugs in his practice and, as a result, to increase sales. Just communication - in the broad sense of the word - will not allow you to achieve this goal. Communication with the doctor should take place at a high professional level, using various sales techniques. A high degree of involvement in the process is required from the medical representative.

In a word, if a candidate in the work of a medical representative is attracted exclusively by the opportunity to “communicate with people,” this may indicate that he is poorly aware of the specifics of this profession.

Myth 8. "The medical representative has a very high salary"

Of course, large pharmaceutical companies for the most part provide employees with competitive wages and a good social package.

However, companies are also widely represented on the market that are ready to offer medical representatives much more modest remuneration and less attractive working conditions. So, in some of them a corporate car is not provided to a medical representative: an employee either has to use a personal car in his work, or use by public transport... Unfortunately, there are also employers who use gray wage schemes, companies that do not provide bonuses and where medical representatives sometimes have to invest their own cash in carrying out marketing activities.

Therefore, before accepting a job offer, you need to carefully study employment contract and discuss such details with prospective employers.

Myth 9. "Doctors prescribe drugs for money or gifts"

Often, when asked how a candidate could influence the increase in sales of the company's drugs, we hear about the material motivation of doctors.

In some cases, this can become one of the tools of the medical representative's work. However, many companies strictly enforce ethical business practices, and the policy of such companies prohibits medical representatives not only from stimulating sales by giving gifts to doctors, but also from paying for the travel of opinion leaders to international conferences or their lectures.

The promotion of the drugs is based, first of all, on the professional interest of the doctor in treating his patients, and the task of the medical representative is to visually and convincingly inform the specialist that the company's drugs are really successfully coping with this task.

Myth 10. "I will betray my calling if I work as a medical representative"

Often, applicants abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bworking as a medical representative, fearing the condemnation of colleagues in the shop, believing that a person who graduated from a medical school cannot be a “salesperson”.

In fact, there are different situations when a person cannot work in medicine. The most common of them is that the parents insisted on entering a medical school, but by the end of their studies, the young man had a clear understanding that he could not and did not want to stay in the profession. Often, disappointment in the profession and in the health care system in general arises after the first years of work, as a result of which the specialist also thinks about moving to related area activities.

In these and similar situations, choosing the job of a medical representative can be a rational solution. In this area, you can apply the acquired knowledge and acquire new ones.

Thinking about working as a medical representative and want to learn more about this profession? We invite you to a free webinar “I want to be a medical representative! What is needed for this? "May 31 at 14:00 (MSK)