Medical sales representative

A Medical Sales Representative is a professional responsible for promoting and selling medical products, equipment, and pharmaceuticals to healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators. They play a vital role in the healthcare industry by ensuring that medical professionals have access to the latest products and innovations to provide the best patient care. This role requires a blend of sales expertise, medical knowledge, and strong interpersonal skills.

Medical sales representatives typically do the following:

• Product Promotion: Promote and detail medical products, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostic tools, to healthcare professionals.
• Client Consultation: Build and maintain relationships with healthcare providers, understanding their needs and providing tailored solutions.
• Sales Presentations: Conduct detailed sales presentations and product demonstrations to educate clients on product benefits and usage.
• Market Analysis: Conduct market research to identify new sales opportunities and stay informed about industry trends and competitor products.
• Sales Strategy: Develop and implement sales strategies to achieve or exceed sales targets and quotas.
• Customer Support: Provide ongoing support and training to healthcare providers to ensure proper use of products and address any issues.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate records of sales activities, client interactions, and feedback.
• Compliance: Ensure that all sales activities comply with industry regulations, company policies, and ethical standards.
• Event Participation: Attend medical conferences, trade shows, and networking events to promote products and gather industry insights.
• Feedback Reporting: Report customer feedback and market trends to product development and marketing teams for continuous improvement.

The following job titles also refer to medical sales representative:

medical device sales representative
medical representative
clinical device sales representative
clinical representative
medical salesperson
medical sales businessperson
medical salesman
medical saleswoman
clinical sales representative
medical device seller

Medical Sales Representatives typically work in a combination of office settings and field environments. The job involves extensive travel to visit clients at hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities, sometimes requiring long hours and overnight stays. They may also participate in medical conferences and trade shows. The role is demanding, requiring the ability to manage a busy schedule, meet sales targets, and maintain detailed knowledge of the products and medical industry. Representatives must adhere to strict regulatory standards and ethical guidelines in their interactions with healthcare professionals.

To become a Medical Sales Representative, the following educational background and experience are typically required:

1. Education: A bachelor’s degree in life sciences, healthcare, business, or a related field is often required. Advanced degrees or specialized courses in medical sales can be beneficial.
2. Medical Knowledge: A strong understanding of medical terminology, healthcare practices, and the products being sold is essential. Training programs provided by employers or industry organizations can enhance this knowledge.
3. Sales Experience: Previous experience in sales, particularly in the medical or pharmaceutical industry, is highly beneficial. Experience in customer service and relationship management can also be valuable.
4. Certifications: Industry-specific certifications, such as Certified Sales Professional (CSP) or certifications related to medical or pharmaceutical sales, can enhance credibility and job prospects.
5. Skills: Strong communication and presentation skills, the ability to build relationships, strategic thinking, and a customer-focused approach are critical. Proficiency with CRM software and other sales tools is also important.

Ongoing professional development is crucial for success in this field, including staying updated with new products, technologies, and industry regulations. Membership in professional organizations, such as the National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives (NAPSRx) provides access to resources, networking opportunities, and continued education.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Medical sales representative is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to medical sales representative.

movie distributor
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This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of medical sales representative.

• Sales argumentation: Techniques and sales methods used in order to present a product or service to customers in a persuasive manner and to meet their expectations and needs.
• Medical terminology: The meaning of medical terms and abbreviations, of medical prescriptions and various medical specialties and when to use it correctly.
• Medication classification: Categories of medication such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and antiviral.
• Pharmacovigilance legislation: Regulations used to control and monitor adverse drug reactions at EU level.
• Medical devices materials: The different materials used to create medical devices such as polymer materials, thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather. In the choice of materials, attention must be paid to medical regulations, cost, and biocompatibility.
• Health care system: The structure and function of health care services.
• Medical sales industry: Suppliers, target audience, products and competitors on the medical sales market.
• Sales strategies: The principles concerning customer behaviour and target markets with the aim of promotion and sales of a product or a service.

These skills are necessary for the role of medical sales representative.

• Carry out event management: Plan and execute all the technical and logistical aspects required for an event to be successful.
• Advise customers on usage of medical products: Provide advice to customers on what medical products can be used for various medical conditions.
• Carry out sales analysis: Examine sales reports to see what goods and services have and have not sold well.
• Provide customers with order information: Provide order information to customers by telephone or e-mail; clearly communicate about price ratings, shipping dates and possible delays.
• Prospect new customers: Initiate activities in order to attract new and interesting customers. Ask for recommendations and references, find places where potential customers can be located.
• Negotiate sales contracts: Come to an agreement between commercial partners with a focus on terms and conditions, specifications, delivery time, price etc.
• Issue purchase orders: Produce and review the documents needed to authorise shipment of a product from the supplier at a specified price and within specific terms.
• Inform about the legal aspects of the medical device presented: Provide the healthcare staff with information about the clinical tests undertaken on a specific medical device, the legal documentation concerning its marketability and sales activity and provide any documentation in support of this.
• Advise on medical device features: Provide information on how the medical device is functioning, what are its features, advantages and usability terms.
• Organise retail sampling events: organise sampling and demonstration activities in order to promote a product
• Supervise sales activities: Monitor and oversee the activities related to the ongoing sales in the shop to ensure that sales goals are met, assess areas for improvement, and identify or solve problems that customers could encounter.
• Keep records on sales: Keep records of the activities of the sales of products and services, tracking which products and services were sold when and maintaining customer records, in order to facilitate improvements in the sales department.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of medical sales representative. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Biomedical science: The principles of the natural sciences applied to medicine. Medical sciences such as medical microbiology and clinical virology apply biology principles for medical knowledge and invention.
• Digital marketing techniques: The marketing techniques used on the web to reach and engage with stakeholders, customers and clients.
• Medical statistics: The methods used to summarise, collect, present, and interpret data in medical practice. The use of the obtained data to estimate and test hypotheses in the medical field.
• Merchandising techniques: The selling techniques to attract customers and increase sales.
• Biosafety in biomedical laboratory: The principles and methods for managing infectious materials in the laboratory environment, biosafety levels, classification and risk assessment, pathogenicity and toxicity of a living organism and their possible hazards in order to minimise any risks for human health and the environment.
• Pharmacology: Pharmacology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
• Biomedical techniques: The various methods and techniques used in biomedical laboratory such as molecular and biomedical techniques, imaging techniques, genetic engineering, electrophysiology techniques and in silico techniques.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of medical sales representative. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
• Prepare exhibition marketing plan: Develop marketing plan for upcoming exhibition; design and distribute posters, flyers and catalogues; communicate ideas with photographers, graphic designers and printers; prepare articles for online and printed media; keep website and social media up-to-date.
• Drive vehicles: Be able to drive vehicles; have the appropriate type of driving license according to the type of motor vehicle used.
• Apply social media marketing: Employ website traffic of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to generate attention and participation of existing and potential customers through discussion forums, web logs, microblogging and social communities for gaining a quick overview or insight into topics and opinions in the social web and handle inbound leads or inquiries.
• Monitor technology trends: Survey and investigate recent trends and developments in technology. Observe and anticipate their evolution, according to current or future market and business conditions.
• Work in a multicultural environment in health care: Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.
• Develop online sales business plan: Gather relevant information and write a well-structured document providing the trajectory of a business project, adapted to an online environment.
• Plan event marketing for promotional campaigns: Design and direct event marketing for promotional campaigns. This involves face-to-face contact between companies and customers at a wide range of events, which engages them in a participatory position and provides them with information about a specific product or service.
• Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

2433 – Technical and medical sales professionals (excluding ICT)

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References

1. Medical sales representative – ESCO
2. Featured image: Image by Parentingupstream from Pixabay