MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE

A drug company employee who regularly visits physicians and office practices, providing information on the company’s products–usually putting a negative ‘spin’ on competitors’ products.

The task of the medical representative is to introduce new and promote existing medicine to doctors and pharmacists. He/she discusses the clinical uses and dosages and the pharmacology of these medicines with doctors and pharmacists and  try to ensure clients are aware of, buy and subsequently use their company’s products. They may also make presentations and organise group events for healthcare professionals, as well as working with contacts on a one-to-one basis.

The prospective medical representative must be a responsible and reliable person with integrity. Since he/she comes in close contact with a lot of people, he/she must have the ability to work independently and have good business- and interpersonal communication skills. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary.

REQUIREMENTS 

• A Medicial representative should be graduate with any of  the degree like  life sciences;  pharmacy; medicine; nursing; dentistry.
• Excellent communication skills.
• An outgoing and persuasive manner and ability to deal with people who hold differing beliefs.                         
• Confidence and persistence.
• Patience and self-motivation.
• A flexible approach in order to adapt to constant changes, for example in the healthcare system or product and drug formularies.
• Strong networking skills.
• Commercial and business awareness.

  ROLE OF MEDICIAL REPRESENTATIVE

• arranging appointments with doctors, pharmacists and hospital medical teams and organising conferences for doctors and other medical staff  

• making presentations to doctors, practice staff and nurses in GP surgeries, hospital doctors, and pharmacists  

• building and maintaining positive working relationships with medical staff and supporting administration staff e.g. receptionists; and also they manage budgets (for catering, outside speakers, conferences, hospitality, etc);

• keeping detailed records of all contacts and reaching annual sales targets and Monitoring sales results in his area.

• regularly attending company meetings, technical data presentations and briefings;

• keeping up with the latest clinical data supplied by the company and interpreting, presenting and discussing this data with health professionals during presentations; 

• monitoring competitor activity and competitors’ products; 

• developing strategies for increasing opportunities to meet and talk to contacts in the medical and healthcare sector; 

• working with team managers to plan how to approach contacts and creating effective business plans for making sales in a particular area.