How to become a medical sales representative
If you think Medical Sales jobs could be a good fit for your career and lifestyle, then here are the steps to becoming one.
1. Get Industry Educated
To become a Medical Sales Representative, it is advisable to gain some education in the healthcare field. Having a bachelor’s degree can elevate your chances of being hired. According to Zippia, 68 percent of Medical Sales Reps have a bachelor’s degree while 17 percent have an associates degree, 9 percent have a Masters degree and 6 percent have just a high school diploma. Consider majoring in a subject like business, sales, or health care management.
We strongly advice that you get your industry Certification. Options include the Medical Rep Certification (MRC) healthcaresalestraining.com or the HIDA (AMS) Certification hida.org/ams-training/home. These industry Certifications are extremely helpful for someone looking to land their first job in Medical Sales.
2. Choose a specialization
As a sales representative, you’ll most likely specialize in a specific product area like medical devices, pharmaceutical sales, health care management services, or medical supplies. If you’re new to health care and sales, choose the area that interests you most. If you have a specific background in health, such as devices or Biotech, you’ll be more suited for those type of sales roles. If you have experience in sales, the easiest field to break into would be medical supplies since these are often generic and don’t require as much special technical and medical knowledge. Industry Certifications will typically train you on all specialties.
| Medical Sales Segment | Average Yearly Total Compensation |
|---|---|
| Medical Device Sales | $180,000 |
| Medical Supply Sales | $150,000 |
| Surgical Sales Representative | $170,000 |
| Biotech Sales | $190,000 |
| Capital Equipment Sales | $200,000+ |
3. Gain field experience
Now that you’ve narrowed down a specialization, it’s time to gain some field experience. Whether that means picking up an internship with a medical sales company or shadowing a more established Medical Sales Representative, you’ll gain an understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities. You can then fill in the gaps in your skills or knowledge.
Employers will expect you to hit the ground running. Brushing up on medical sales skills with a training program can be a good idea for those of you who might be nervous about applying directly for a job. Research medical sales training opportunities online, which can help you get started in one of the specializations.
In addition to knowing the basics of medical terminology as well as keeping abreast of trends such as robotics and wearable tech in the health care space, even if you are not selling that specific product.
4. Expand your network
Being new in a medical sales job can be intimidating. But networking is an important part of expanding your client base as a Medical Sales Representative.
You’ll want to know the right people and build enduring professional relationships with them. It is likely that you’ll be going back to them with new products and technologies in the future, so deepening those connections is just as important as widening your network.
Attending conferences, seminars, and being part of trade associations will also help you continue to grow your network as a Medical Sales Representative.
