
How to specialise in oncology sales
Oncologists focus on diagnosing and treating cancer while overseeing treatment and managing post-treatment care.
The oncology drugs market worldwide is expected to reach a market volume of $268bn by 2029. Competitiveness is increasing in this fast-growing sector opening up many opportunities for professionals looking to progress in their careers.
From medical oncologists and clinical oncologists to those specialising in oncology sales, there are many opportunities to deliver life-changing work to patients.
Why choose oncology sales as a career?
If you’ve been wondering “What is it like to work in oncology?”, we’ve explored some factors that might just answer your question.
Working on an oncology project at IQVIA is fulfilling for several reasons. Every day, you will be working towards having a profound impact on the lives of patients.
You get to work at the forefront of the medical landscape and take an active role in helping healthcare professionals support their patients with the latest knowledge.
It might be a competitive field but there are plenty of career opportunities for ambitious professionals seeking to make a difference.
Below, we’ve expanded on three reasons why oncology sales is a great career choice.
1. It's meaningful and rewarding
When the primary aspect of your role involves supplying medical professionals with the necessary information to prescribe the required medications for patients, it’s safe to say your work will be meaningful and rewarding.
Oncology sales specialists are driven to improve patient outcomes by educating and promoting oncology products to key stakeholder communities.
In your day-to-day, your partnership with customers will help ease the burden of cancer by communicating with stakeholders to discover their needs.
Building relationships with your customers so that they can deliver quality care is definitely a reason to consider this career path.
2. It's constantly evolving
More and more breakthroughs and treatments emerge each year within oncology.
Over 2,000 new oncology clinical trials started in 2023 showing significant promise for cancer treatment, making it an exciting time to step onto the dynamic oncology career ladder.
With global spending on cancer medicine increasing year on year, it makes sense that the industry offers a lot of opportunities for diverse career growth specifically in medical sales.
3. There are fantastic career opportunities
There really is a wide range of exciting pathways in oncology.
If you’re looking to progress your medical sales career in Oncology, there are many sought-after roles that really mean you can have an impact on people’s lives.
From Medical Sales Reps to Key Account Managers, if you have the key strengths needed to thrive in medical sales, IQVIA can help you find the perfect role.
But how do you specialise in oncology sales specifically?
Medical sales is a fantastic and rewarding career, it’s perfect for people looking to take on a new challenge. It’s a flexible and well-paid role where you can really make a difference.
You have a lot of duty and responsibility and you can always keep on learning new things.
Oncology sales specialists are driven to improve patient outcomes by educating and promoting oncology products to key stakeholders.
But when it comes to medical sales, how do you specifically get into oncology?
We’ve put together a list of how you can specialise:
- If you haven’t got an oncology qualification or background don’t worry too much - you can still get your foot on the career ladder by upskilling and developing. Look for online courses and certifications that are industry-recognised to demonstrate your understanding of the field.
- You can work on refining medical sales skills that are relevant to this career.
- Shadow an oncology sales professional to understand the nuances of the role and see the work in action.
- Tailor your CV for every role you apply for - make sure to really demonstrate your technical and soft skills that will benefit you in this field.
- When it gets to your interview, research the strategic direction of the company in the wider oncology space and highlight how your motivation and technical abilities are matched to this.
Step into a career in oncology sales with IQVIA
Working in oncology sales at IQVIA is more than just a job, it’s a stepping stone on the path to an exciting future.
From upskilling and developing your skillset, tailoring your CV, and shadowing professionals already in the field, there are a lot of avenues for you to specialise in oncology sales.
Now you know what it takes to embark on this career journey, the next step is browsing the jobs available. Look at our medical sales jobs today and join a team playing a vital role in moving healthcare forward.
Find out more about life at IQVIA
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
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IQVIA has been behind my development to become a MSL. The contracts that I have worked on have allowed me to push clinical projects with a recent opportunity to manage a pilot scheme integrating e-detailing into an established field based team. The result was an increase in sales.
Since joining IQVIA I have had unrivalled support and development from my manager to enable me to aspire to move into secondary care. I feel like my career is strongly supported by my manager in order to maximise my potential.
Once again I cannot thank you enough for not only approaching me with this opportunity but also for all the support you’ve given me along the way!
Just following on from the amazing news I got yesterday I wanted to say a really special thank you for all the help and support you have provided throughout the entire recruitment process.
A quick note to say thank you for your time this morning discussing my future career options. As you know I was feeling very conflicted about the right decision. Discussing the role with you gave me chance to clarify what is important to me.
Once again I cannot thank you enough for not only approaching me with this opportunity but also for all the support you’ve given me along the way!
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