Requirements to Become...
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What are the Requirements to Become a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep?

As a pharmaceutical sales representative, your primary responsibility is somewhat counter-intuitive. Rather than market your company's products to end users (i.e. the patients who eventually use the drug), your actual target audience includes:
  • Physicians
  • Dentists
  • Health services administrators
  • Pharmacists
After all, intermediaries like these are the ones who ultimately administer prescription drugs to patients. If you can convince them to buy your products, they can then get them to the right patients.

In order to perform these duties, you cannot rely exclusively on the traditional marketing and emotional psychology that sales professionals typically employ when dealing with the average consumer. Rather, you must expertly navigate the politics, regulations, and culture of the healthcare industry. The goal is to build long-term relationships with medical personnel and facilities so that they represent your interests while providing optimal care to patients. Mastering this dance comes naturally to some. For everybody else, however, formal training is often essential.

Requirements to Become a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

There are actually no universally recognized requirements to become a pharmaceutical sales representative, but certain trends emerge when you analyze the most successful professionals in the field. Some of the more popular themes include:
  • A bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in some aspect of science, medicine, or technology
  • A thorough understanding of hospital ethics, pharmacology, and medicine
  • A thorough understanding of salesmanship, advertising, and public relations
  • Rigorous on-the-job training to familiarize candidates with their companies' product lines
In addition, as a pharmaceutical sales representative, you are expected to be outgoing, honest, and attentive to detail. Moreover, extensive travel is quite common in this line of work, so be sure to have a legitimate driver's license and a willingness to fly, train, or bus to multiple destinations throughout the year.

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