Is There More Than One Way To Break Into Medical Sales?

March 11, 2009 · Posted in Career Coach, Clinical Diagnostics, HealthCare Sales, HealthCare Sales Jobs, Imaging Sales, Laboratory Sales, Laboratory Sales Recruitment, Medical Sales, Medical Sales Recruiting, Medical Sales Recruitment, Pathology Sales Jobs, Pharmaceutical Sales, Which Degree? 

I was asked recently about the National Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives (NAPRx)—specifically, whether or not the training certificate program they offer is an adequate substitute for a 4-year degree if the end goal is breaking into pharmaceutical sales as a sales rep. 

There’s a couple of ways to answer this question, so here goes: 

First of all, my opinion is that no certificate program is an adequate substitute for a 4-year degree.  There is just no substitute for a solid science background if you’re going into medical sales.  Remember—the customers in this area DO have science degrees…if you don’t, it will be apparent that you don’t.  My top candidates all have 4-year science degrees and some kind of sales/business experience.

Second, of all the areas available in medical sales (laboratory sales, clinical diagnostics sales, biotechnology sales, DNA products sales, cellular products sales, molecular products sales, hospital equipment sales, imaging sales, surgical supplies sales, medical device sales, pathology sales, histology sales, medical software sales), pharmaceutical sales is the most volatile and the least respected—partly because pharmaceutical sales reps (as a whole, though there are exceptions) bring the least value.  The effectiveness of the pharma sales force is declining, and layoffs are everywhere. 

See my website, www.phcconsulting.com, for job listings.  Reading job descriptions and requirements will give you a much better idea of where you need to focus your prep time before getting into medical sales.



Written by Peggy McKee - the medical sales recruiter
Get top medical sales candidates at PHC Consulting

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17 Responses to “Is There More Than One Way To Break Into Medical Sales?”

  1. Is There More Than One Way To Break Into Medical Sales? | Biotechnology Center on March 11th, 2009 3:26 pm

    [...] Read the rest here: Is There More Than One Way To Break Into Medical Sales? [...]

  2. Dear Entry-Level Medical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Denver, CO on April 10th, 2009 10:16 am

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  3. Dear Entry-Level Clinical Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Boston, MA on April 10th, 2009 11:04 am

    [...] just want so much revenue experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that medical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  4. Dear Entry-Level Pharmaceutical Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Dallas, TX on April 10th, 2009 12:20 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  5. Dear Entry-Level Clinical Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Los Angeles, CA on April 10th, 2009 1:20 pm

    [...] just want so much revenue experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that pharma sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  6. Dear Entry-Level Clinical Sales Candidate, – Unlimited Job Postings powered by Job Board Engine on April 10th, 2009 1:26 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical revenue requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  7. Dear Entry-Level Clinical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Chicago, IL on April 10th, 2009 1:55 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  8. Dear Entry-Level Medical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Cleveland, OH on April 10th, 2009 1:59 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  9. Dear Entry-Level Medical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - New York, NY on April 10th, 2009 4:07 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that pharma sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  10. Dear Entry-Level Pharmaceutical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Orlando, FL on April 10th, 2009 4:18 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that clinical revenue requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  11. Dear Entry-Level Pathology Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - San Francisco, CA on April 10th, 2009 4:55 pm

    [...] just want so much revenue experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that medical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  12. Dear Entry-Level Pharmaceutical Revenue Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Philadelphia, PA on April 10th, 2009 5:10 pm

    [...] just want so much revenue experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that pharma revenue requires reps to be all that skilled in revenue: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  13. Dear Entry-Level Clinical Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Houston, TX on April 10th, 2009 5:50 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that medical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  14. Dear Entry-Level Medical Sales Candidate, – Medical Sales Jobs - Raleigh-Durham, NC on April 10th, 2009 9:09 pm

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that medical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  15. Dear Entry-Level Medical Sales Candidate, | Sales Job Interview Questions & Sales Interview Tips on June 2nd, 2009 11:11 am

    [...] just want so much sales experience.” If you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t think that pharmaceutical sales requires reps to be all that skilled in sales: they don’t ask for a close, they don’t place orders, they have no power over pricing, and they [...]

  16. 5 Things That Will Stop You From Landing the Medical/Healthcare Sales Career opportunity You Want – Unlimited Job Postings powered by Job Board Engine on August 13th, 2009 3:25 pm

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