Drug Rep Job Requirements
Pharmaceutical companies depend on pharmaceutical sales representatives, also known as drug reps, to spread knowledge of and enthusiasm for the companies' products throughout the medical and business communities. By spreading knowledge and enthusiasm, drug reps increase product sales for the pharmaceutical company. Pharmaceutical sales can be a lucrative and interesting career for people with strong sales skills and solid scientific knowledge, so job seekers' interest in the field tends to be high.
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Strong Sales Ability and Persistence
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Building relationships with their assigned providers is one of the most important parts of being a drug rep. Pharmaceutical sales representatives spend their days arranging meetings with prescription writers, businesspeople and other health care decision makers. It is often difficult for these decision makers to find time to talk with a drug rep, so drug reps need to be persistent and willing to work their schedules around the decision makers' schedules, if need be. Once they do sit down to talk with a physician or other decision maker, pharmaceutical representatives need to be persuasive and knowledgeable about the medications their company manufactures and the benefits of those medications to patients.
Scientific Knowledge
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To communicate effectively and persuasively with health care decision makers, pharmaceutical representatives need to have a sound understanding of the science behind the products and the conditions they treat. Sometimes this knowledge is acquired in college. Other times it is gleaned from on-the-job training. Drug reps need to be able to read and analyze scientific studies of pharmaceuticals and to understand statistics.
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Flexibility in Work Venues
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Pharmaceutical representatives spend much of their time in doctor's offices, waiting to see physicians, discuss products and leave samples. However, to gain as much exposure as possible, they also need to find other ways to make contact with health care decision makers. Drug reps often attend conventions or meetings of physicians, hospital personnel, retirement home managers and other stakeholders. Sometimes they invite clients out for meals or to group presentations about products.
Good Time Management Skills
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Drug reps' work hours can be as varied as their work settings. If the best time to catch one assigned client is in her office at 6 A.M., a drug rep will often rearrange his schedule to make that 6 A.M. meeting. Pharmaceutical representatives need to manage time well in order to get the most out of their busy days.
Solid Educational Background
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Most pharmaceutical representatives have at least a bachelor's degree. Undergraduates thinking about pursuing a career as a drug rep should consider signing up for courses such as chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, biology, English, finance and public speaking. There are some pharmaceutical training programs that provide certification in this field, but the programs' value to the profession is still under debate.
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