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Medical sales representative
Hours
Variable
Starting salary
£18,000 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
Medical sales representatives, also known as pharmaceutical or medical sales executives or 'reps', sell prescription drugs, medicines and medical equipment to health professionals including GPs, hospital doctors, pharmacists and practice nurses.
As a medical sales rep, you would sell products to clients in a set area of the UK (sometimes known as a sales territory or 'patch'). Your work would include:
- making appointments to see existing clients and potential new customers
- presenting products to clients
- persuading clients to buy your company’s products
- providing an after-sales service
- meeting sales targets
- organising or attending medical conferences
- keeping records of sales and customers
- reporting information back to head office about customer needs
- keeping up to date with the latest clinical data and research, so that you could discuss medical matters with health professionals in a knowledgeable way.
You would often specialise in a particular type of product or therapy area, for example oncology, diabetes or respiratory health.
HoursDesc
Hours
You could work from home or an office base, but you would spend most of your time out on the road meeting clients. Your sales territory may cover a large area and you might have to spend some nights away from home.
Your working day would often be long with a lot of travelling time involved. You may also be expected to socialise with clients in the evenings and attend conferences.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Typical starting salaries are £18,000 to £24,000 a year.
- With experience, salaries may range from £25,000 to £40,000 a year.
- Senior level staff can earn up to £60,000 a year.
Many companies offer a basic salary plus bonuses or commission, with other benefits such as private health insurance.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You would normally get into this type of work with one of the following backgrounds:
- a degree in life sciences (such as biology, pharmacy or biomedical sciences)
- nursing or healthcare
- sales or marketing, with an understanding of what medical sales involves.
Most employers prefer to train graduates, but a science degree& is not essential for all jobs. If you don't have a science or healthcare background, you will need strong sales experience and the ability to learn about medicines and therapy areas in detail. An A level or equivalent in biology or general science may be an advantage for this.
If you want to get into medical sales, you should ideally spend some time ‘shadowing’ an existing rep before you look for your first job. You could get in touch with medical sales reps through doctor's surgeries, pharmacies, or by contacting pharmaceutical companies directly.
See the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) careers website for a list of pharmaceutical companies.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Your employer will provide detailed training in its products and therapy area when you start your job as a medical sales rep. They may also train you in general sales skills.
You must pass the ABPI Medical Representatives Examination within your first two years in the job. Your employer may include this as part of your in-house training, or you could study through the ABPI’s distance learning programme. See the ABPI Careers website for more details.
You should keep up to date with new products and research developments throughout your career. The ABPI provides various seminars and short courses to help you do this.
You could also work towards general sales qualifications from professional organisations, such as:
- Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM) Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Sales and Marketing
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Certificate in Professional Sales Practice.
See the ISMM or CIM websites for more information.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
- excellent sales and negotiation skills
- excellent communication and networking skills
- good planning and organisational skills
- self-motivation, drive and initiative
- an outgoing and confident approach
- commercial and business awareness
- the ability to understand and present clinical data
- adaptability, for coping with frequent changes in products and healthcare systems
- a full driving licence.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Careers 
12 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2DY
Tel: 020 7930 3477
http://careers.abpi.org.uk
Institute of Sales and Marketing Management (ISMM)
Harrier Court
Lower Woodside
Bedfordshire
LU1 4DQ
Tel: 01582 840001
www.ismm.co.uk
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
Moor Hall
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Tel: 01628 427120
www.cim.co.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could work for companies that are involved in the manufacturing or research and development of medicines and products. Some of the main employers are large multinational companies, so you may have opportunities to work overseas.
Jobs are advertised on employers’ websites, by specialist recruitment agencies, and in the local and national press.
With experience and a good track record in sales, you could progress into area or regional management, or into marketing, product or account management. Head hunting is common for senior jobs.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The pharmaceuticals industry is part of the broader science‐based sector represented by Cogent Sector Skills Council, which also includes chemicals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. Most goods used by people in their homes, at work and in their everyday activities are products derived from the chemical, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. The combined industries represent nearly half a million people in the UK and are of huge economic and strategic importance to the UK.
The pharmaceuticals industry produces a range of products, from antibiotics to the contraceptive pill, and continues to pioneer new treatments for many serious and life‐threatening diseases. Pharmaceutical companies in the UK spend around £4 billion on pharmaceutical research and development each year. Around a quarter of all UK industry‐supported research and development comes from the pharmaceutical industry.
It is an industry that needs highly skilled people, as it is through their employees’ skills and talents that they are able to be innovative and compete internationally. Many UK based pharmaceutical companies are in the process of expanding their international businesses. Some of the largest companies are based in the UK, Germany and France. Many companies operating in the sector have HQ’s based in abroad but carry out manufacturing and research in the UK.
Key facts:
- The total employment in the pharmaceuticals industry has remained stable since 1998.
- The South East accommodates 4 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the UK.
- Bio‐pharmaceutical is an emerging industry
- The industry is a top investor in research and development.
- 35% of companies were expecting to reduce the level of investment in research and development over the next year.
- 46% of companies are expected to reduce the number of UK clinical trials.
- 97% of companies believe there is an increasing level of uncertainty within the UK pharmaceutical market environment.
Jobs in the industry range from: Process operator, Product stream director, Engineering technician, Engineering operations manager, Lab analyst, Quality team manager, Process engineer, Technical director, Research scientist, Pharmacist.
National and regional data
Across Great Britain, there are an estimated 57,600 people working in pharmaceuticals manufacturing. The largest number of employees is located in:
- South East
- North West
- East of England
The industry is a strategic priority for many regions. There are significant clusters of pharmaceutical businesses in the North East, North Ayrshire and Falkirk. However, Kent accommodates 4 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies. In the South East bio‐pharmaceutical is an emerging sub‐industry.
Career paths
Career development in the pharmaceutical industry is well respected and the companies; which make up the sector, are committed to investing in their people. For further information:
Further sources
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