Role of Medical Representative

Working across industries of pharmaceuticals, medicine and research, the role of Medical Representative facilitates a connection between current and potential customers and the offerings of the organisation. Also known by names such as ‘Medical Sales Representative’, they frequently interact and liaison with other medical and healthcare professionals such as nutritionists, dieticians, pharmacists etc to build strong professional relationships. In addition to that, one is required to possess basic to intermediate understanding of medical regulations, drugs and procedures as well. Read on to know more about the role of medical representative through this detailed blog. 

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What is MR?

Medical Representatives, or MRs, serve as a point of communication between pharmaceutical corporations and healthcare experts such as doctors and nutritionists. An MR’s role is to sell and promote the products of the firm for which he works. Pharmaceutical medications and medical equipment are examples of these items.

Role of Medical Representative: Responsibilities

As mentioned above, the role of medical representative varies according to the needs and requirements of the organisation as well as the nature of the job. Before starting out, one needs to have a background in medicine or its related fields. A few points detailing the specific responsibilities have been mentioned below.

• Build a strong network with a range of professionals including but not limited to doctors, practitioners, clinical specialists, paramedical experts, food technologists, psychiatrists, clinical psychology specialists, paediatricians and gynaecologists.
• Analyse market trends and conditions to understand where opportunities for networking and business-building may arise.
• Ensure that client servicing facilities are carried out in an effective, timely and efficient manner.
• Reach out to doctors and other medical professionals through both offline and online means and develop constructive relationships.
• Negotiate contracts with prospective clients taking care of terms of the agreement and post-contract formalities.
• Keep abreast of recent developments, discoveries and regulatory changes so as to evaluate its practical micro and macro effects on the industry.
• Knowledgeable about the product offerings, services and unique benefits provided by competitors and other relevant companies.
• Work closely with departments of purchase, sales, operations and strategy to implement effective plans and strategies.
• Be a regular part of medicine-related events and take advantage of networking opportunities.
• Accurately document and record the proceedings with each client and report back.

Relevant Courses & Qualifications

In particular, there is little or no restriction on the background of individuals wishing to work as medical representatives. However, graduates of medical science courses are typically preferred for the role of medical representatives in private as well as public organisations. Here is a list of courses and qualifications that one should consider.

• Diploma in Pharmacy
• BSc (Hons) Paramedical Science
• BSc in Operation Theatre Technology
• Bachelor of Pharmacy
• MBA in Pharmaceutical Management
• Hospital Management Courses
• BSc Nursing
• BSc Physiotherapy
• M.Pharm 
• Pharmacist courses
• MBBS
• Bachelor of Paramedical Technology
• MS/MSc in Pediatric Nursing
• MS/MSc in Child Health Nursing
• Diploma in Rural Health Care
• Diploma in Community Health Care
• Certificate in Lab Assistant/Technician

Note: To qualify for MBBS and higher courses in India, appearing in the NEET exam is typically required.

In addition to the above-mentioned courses, for those who have an MBBS from abroad but wish to enter the role of medical representative or similar level jobs can also go for the FMGE certification.

How to Become a Medical Representative?

When it comes to the question of how to become a medical representative, you must complete a medical degree or diploma or any course in pharmacy which will help you get a fundamental overview of the medical sector. You can also choose from vocational courses provided by pharmaceutical companies and many renowned institutes to equip students with the knowledge of pharmaceutical sales and marketing. In India, some of the major training institutions for aspiring medical representatives include, Indian Institute of Indian Representative (IIMR), Medical Representative Training Institute (MRTI), DIMR, amongst others. For those aiming to opt for international certification, you can pursue the Pharmaceutical Representative Certification (PRC) by the Accreditation Council of Medicine Affairs (ACMA). Pursuing a course from such a popular institution, you will have the necessary certification to steer towards a successful career in this field.

Role of Medical Representative: Skills Required

To excel in the role of medical representative, it is important to have a set of career skills and abilities particularly, an extensive understanding of company products, services and other offerings along with advanced communication skills, both written and verbal. Further, the job may also involve a significant amount of fieldwork. Here we are listing down a few top skills which are highly recommended for this profile.

• Proficient in usage of computer software and tools, especially MS Office suite [Word, PowerPoint and Excel]
• Excellent negotiating skills
• Awareness of recent developments
• Flexible and adaptable to challenges
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management skills
• Adherence to strict and changing deadlines
• High level of motivation and enthusiasm
• Strong networking skills
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Curiosity to learn on the job
• Presentation skills
• Ability to work independently on projects

Role of Medical Representative in a Pharmaceutical company

• A medical representative schedules meetings and appointments with the community and hospital-based healthcare providers.

• He played a key role in discovering and launching a new business through Sales Achievement.

• contract negotiations

• Demonstrating and presenting pharmaceutical items to medical professionals such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.

• Introducing new items to the marketplace

• Product Promotion and Customer Reaction to the Product in the Pharma Industry

• Medical representation is in charge of company representation.

• A medical representative establishes and maintains strong working relationships with medical personnel and administrative personnel.

• He’ll be in charge of food, outside speakers, conferences, and business hospitality expenses.

• Maintain thorough records of all contacts, as well as other reportings.

• Meet and, if feasible, surpass the company’s annual sales objectives.

• attracting new clients and maintaining long-term connections with existing ones

• Maintain current knowledge of the company’s most recent clinical data, and evaluate, present, and discuss this data with health experts during presentations.

• A doctor’s representative Follows up on leads that the firm has created.

• Examining the drugs of competitors and their market performance.

Employment Areas for a Medical Representative

Now that you are familiar with the role of medical representative, here are the major employment areas you can explore under this profile:

• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Hospitals and Clinics
• Pharmaceutical Marketing Consultancies
• Channel Sales Management
• Research Institutes

Top Recruiters

To help you get started in your career as a MR, here are some of the top recruiters of your field-

• Novartis
• Dr. Reddy’s
• Cipla
• Aristo Pharmaceuticals
• Abbott
• Zydus Cadila
• Lupin
• Ipca Laboratories

Average Salary

If you begin your career in this field, your average starting salary will be around INR 3-4,00,000. While the same for those who closely handle sales is around INR 5,00,000.

Role of Medical Representative Interview Questions

For all the students who are lookig forward to starting their career as a medical representatives, here are some importnat questions that can be asked to them during an interview-

• Tell me about yourself?
• What is the role of a medical representative?
• What products are you aware of the company?
• Why do you want to join our company?
• Is There Any Software Available In The Market To Help To Track Their Sales And progress?
• Is There Any Software Available In The Market To Help To Track Their Sales And progress?
• You are too qualified for this profile, what do you say?
• How much salary do you expect?
• What Are The Challenges In Being A Pharmaceutical Sales Person?
• What Are The Key Responsibilities Of A Medical Representative (mr)?
• How Can You Become A Successful Pharmaceutical Representative?
• What Is Your Expectation From Your Sales Manager?
•  What Will Be Your Approach If You Are Given A Territory And A List Of Physician To Call On?

Role of a Medical Representative: Job Description 

Here is a detailed job description for a role of a Medical Representative-

Looking for a persuasive medical representative to promote and sell company medications to major clients such as doctors, pharmacists, and other relevant healthcare professionals. Your daily responsibilities will include persuading potential customers to buy company products and medications, identifying future business opportunities for the company. Along with this, you will be providing the clients with relevant departments with customer feedback. You should also be able to attend company meetings and training sessions. As a potential Medical Representative, we are looking for excellent customer service skills and the ability to build a rapport with potential customers. Ultimately, an outstanding Medical Representative should be able to continually meet or exceed the company’s sales targets.

The role of medical representative is extremely demanding and comes with a high reward ratio. If you are interested in working across such roles but feel uncertain about its suitability to your interests or future prospects, consult our team of experts at Leverage Edu in a 30-minute free counselling session and take a step towards building a fulfilling career.