Medical Rep.

As a medical sales representative I worked in a full-time sales team for Solvay Healthcare. It was a great job, I planned my own days, made my own appointments, managed my finances and found and developed new business opportunities.

After graduating with a degree in Equine Business Management and International Agriculture, I worked as an estate agent and in wine sales for just over two years in order to gain the necessary sales experience I was told was necessary in order to start my career as a Medical Rep. The pharmaceutical industry was introduced to me through a friend who was working as a medical representative. I spent a day shadowing him, which was a great way to experience exactly what the job involved and how varied the days could be. Just to be sure I also spent a day shadowing a GP/Hospital Rep and a Hospital Rep. Finally I was convinced this was the direction my career was to follow.

I was lucky enough to get a job with Solvay, and after an intensive training course I was fully equipped with the necessary product knowledge and sales skills, and a burning desire to get started. The comprehensive training and preparation I received allowed me to hit the ground running and within a short period of time I was seeing GPs, attending meetings and building my all-important client base. As a Medical Rep for Solvay Healthcare I was part of a team that was always willing to give help and advice when it was needed. My manager who, having been a representative herself was always there to offer support advice and training.

The more you put in, the more you get out.

You soon learn the skills required to be a successful Medical Rep or in my case a successful GP/Hospital Rep. Planning, time management, communication, team work, patience, persistence and problem solving are just a few of the skills I’m constantly developing. Applying these skills with drive and enthusiasm is key in this industry – the more you put in, the more you get out.

My role offererd a great platform for me to develop my career within Solvay. Sitting my ABPI (Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry) exam was the next hurdle that had to be overcome, this is an industry recognised exam which should be passed within the first two years of working as a Medical Rep.

My typical day looks like this:

• Begin work by calling into medical centres and practices to make appointments, book meetings and arrange to call back to see GPs after morning surgery.

• For the rest of the morning I aim to see around 4-5 GPs. It’s important to know your territory and manage your time well, but you need to be flexible too. GPs don’t often finish surgery on time and you may need to drive a good few miles between calls. When you do get to see a GP your communication skills are really put to the test, so getting your message across quickly is a skill you’ll need to develop.

•Some days I will have a lunch meeting, which provides the opportunity to talk in detail with the GPs and clinical staff. The format of these meetings varies – you could be selling one to one, or presenting in front of 10-15 people.

• Afternoons are the best times to call into pharmacies, not only to promote your products but also to pick up on what’s being prescribed. It’s then back to the surgeries to make new appointments and promote to practice nurses and managers. It’s important to work on building a relationship with practice staff, as they’ll often play a key role in determining the outcome of your day.

• Also being a GP/Hospital Rep I also have the Hospitals to cover predominantly in the afternoons, this gives me the perfect opportunity to build relationships within the Hospital, gain information and views on my products that I can then relay back to the GP's. It also gives me chance to experience the role of a Hospital Rep which for many is the next step on the ladder in their career.

• Once home I’ll work on daily reports, update client profiles, organize finances, respond to emails and telephone calls, and finally double check my plans for the following day.

For Jobs as a Medical Rep or Pharmaceutical Jobs at any level you may wish to visit www.pharmacareers.co.uk

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