Why should you work in medical sales?
Are you wondering if medical sales is a good career?
All over the world, the medical and pharmaceutical sectors are booming, and nowhere more so than in the UK. With a thriving ecosystem of researchers, engineers, designers, and clinicians, the UK boasts one of Europe's most competitive life science markets.
It is a global centre for pharmaceutical drugs, devices, and more. With the sector’s projected revenue for 2024 set to reach $215.8bn, it's fair to say that the UK life science sector is thriving.
Medical sales could be the perfect job fit for people looking to take on a new challenge.
Flexible, capable, and motivated medical sales reps provide an essential link between pharmaceutical, medical, and biotech companies and the healthcare system.
Given that drug companies spend $985 million developing a new drug - and that doesn’t even account for the money spent on drugs that don’t pass regulations - medical sales representatives are crucial to getting these drugs out into the market.
Whether you’re a fresh graduate or an experienced professional considering switching to a new line of work, here’s why medical sales should be a consideration for your career.
Why work in medical device sales
1. It’s flexible
Working as a medical sales rep is the ideal career path for those who value a flexible work schedule. Sales representatives have control over their own diaries, arranging appointments with GPs and medical practitioners at times that best suit them—within reason.
Couple this with the fact that hybrid working is here to stay, even in the post-Covid era, and it is clear to see just how much freedom you can enjoy in this field of work.
What’s more, the nature of the job will mean you're not tied to your desk as you’ll spend time travelling to see established clients and clinch new sales deals. In medical sales, being independent is part of your day-to-day routine, and with more companies offering flexible options, it's up to you to find the working pattern that works for you.
2. It’s well paid
Working as a medical sales representative allows you to control your earnings. Alongside the bonuses that come with closing deals, pharmaceutical rep salaries are typically well-remunerated.
You can boost your salary when you factor in benefits like a company car, laptop, cell phone, and private health insurance in the UK— and the bonuses only increase as you climb the career ladder.
For those incentivised financially, a career in medical sales is a great option.
3. You can make a difference
Alongside all the benefits of doing a good job, working in medical sales allows you to make a real difference in patients’ lives. And since 82% of people look for purpose and personal recognition in their jobs, this is fast becoming one of the top motivators for today’s workforce.
As a medical sales rep, your day-to-day tasks involve cultivating and maintaining long-standing relationships with customers, GPs, and medical staff, all to improve patient care.
Whether you work with medical devices or new medical drugs, the product you sell could prolong a patient’s life by years—or drastically improve the quality of life for a person with a chronic disease. For many sales representatives, that’s a key reason for working in the industry.
4. You have a lot of responsibility
As a medical sales representative, you'll get to work with large pharmaceutical companies and healthcare giants, helping them make their groundbreaking projects a success.
Though international drug companies pour millions of pounds into developing new drugs, strict regulations make marketing these products extremely restrictive—especially in the UK and Europe.
This means that sales representatives play a key role in getting these products out into general circulation, whether pitching products to senior commissioning groups or educating patients and healthcare professionals on the benefits of a drug.
It’s a lot of responsibility and creates an atmosphere where ambitious people can thrive. The products don't sell themselves—it’s largely down to the skills of the sales rep—and this is one of the common misconceptions about medical sales representative careers.
5. You can keep learning
One of the best things about working in medical sales is that you don’t need a degree to start or progress. Sales reps come from a wide range of backgrounds, from working in nursing to careers with the police.
While medical experience or a science degree is preferred, it’s not always necessary. Experience selling and the ability to absorb large amounts of information about medicines and therapies are just as important.
Choose the right company, and you’ll have access to a comprehensive initial training program and all the information you need to get qualified—which is what we offer at IQVIA.
As a medical sales rep, you’ll get to network with key opinion leaders and industry experts. By putting your communication skills into play, you can make strong connections with these contacts and learn about new opportunities in the medical sales industry.
This is a great career path for anyone with a growth mindset since you’ll also receive ongoing training to keep up with the changing demands of the job, new products, and technological advances.
These technologies mean that the role is ever-changing and guarantee that you’ll never stop learning—one of the key reasons people love working in medical sales.
6. It’s varied
You won’t just be clinching sales deals as a medical sales representative; despite common preconceptions, a career in sales is remarkably varied.
Apart from branching out into selling hundreds of different products—like new orphan drugs, medical imaging devices, home health devices, and health IT—you’ll also be giving presentations, conducting training sessions, and even helping out surgeons in the operating theatre.
If that weren’t varied enough, you’d also be researching new leads, managing budgets, and filing paperwork to comply with the strict governmental regulations. One thing we claim as certain: whether in the office or on the road, you won’t be bored!
Take control of your future with IQVIA
At IQVIA, our consultants will work hard to match talented applicants to the best jobs in medical sales and support you at every stage of the recruitment process. It’s our goal to help customers make a difference in the healthcare and life sciences sector and to do this, we know we need brilliant people.
View our medical sales representative jobs here and take the first step towards an exciting career with IQVIA, or start by learning how to become a medical sales rep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medical device sales a stressful job?
Medical device sales can be demanding, requiring technical knowledge, relationship-building skills, and the ability to meet sales targets.
The stress level can vary based on individual preferences and the specific company or product. The industry's dynamic nature can add excitement for some, while others may find it challenging.
What are the benefits of working in medical sales?
Working in medical sales comes with various benefits. These may include competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, opportunities for career advancement, and the chance to contribute to healthcare advancements.
Additionally, professionals often enjoy flexibility, networking opportunities, and the satisfaction of making a meaningful impact on healthcare.
Are medical sales rep skills transferrable?
Working as a medical sales representative is more than just a job - it's the first stepping stone on the path to an exciting career.
Once you’ve excelled in a medical sales representative role and shown that you have the key traits you need to thrive in medical sales, there are many different directions you can take in your career.
A common career move is to step up to a key account manager role, where you’ll be responsible for increasing sales through customer collaboration. Alternatively, you might advance to a project sales manager if you want to learn how to improve your leadership skills in medical sales.
There are various other career paths that you’ll discover, but the important thing in medical sales is to always think about where you want to take your career next.
Find out more about life at IQVIA
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
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
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
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
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Related jobs
Salary:
Location:
Torino
Job Type
Contractor/Consultant
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Torino
Description
Il nostro cliente, realtà farmaceutica in forte espansione e specializzata nel settore della nutraceutica ci ha incaricati di ricercare un Informatore Medico Scientifico, area di lavoro in Piemonte -
Reference
R1366349
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary:
Location:
Padova
Job Type
Contractor/Consultant
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Padova
Description
Il nostro cliente, realtà farmaceutica in forte espansione e specializzata nel settore della nutraceutica ci ha incaricati di ricercare un Informatore Medico Scientifico, area di lavoro in Emilia Roma
Reference
R1366352
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary:
Location:
Erfurt
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Erfurt
Description
IQVIA ist ein führender, globaler Anbieter von zukunftsweisender Analytik, Technologielösungen und klinischer Auftragsforschung. Bei IQVIA Contract Sales & Medical Solutions unterstützen Sie unsere Ku
Reference
R1344285
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Michelle PflanzAuthor
Michelle PflanzSalary:
Location:
Jakarta
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Jakarta
Description
Sales Executive (Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya)Kami mencari seorang Sales Executive yang berpengalaman untuk bergabung dengan tim kami dalam mengembangkan aplikasi baru konsep SaaS di bidang farmasi. Sebag
Reference
R1374944
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Polly KwongAuthor
Polly KwongSalary:
Location:
Jakarta
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Jakarta
Description
Sales Executive (Semarang, Central Jawa)Kami mencari seorang Sales Executive yang berpengalaman untuk bergabung dengan tim kami dalam mengembangkan aplikasi baru konsep SaaS di bidang farmasi. Sebagai
Reference
R1379173
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Polly KwongAuthor
Polly KwongSalary:
Location:
Detroit
Job Type
POI without Job
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Detroit
Description
Pharmacy Support Call Center Representative Contract Remote Role – Location (Open to Remote US)As the only global provider of commercial solutions, IQVIA understands what it takes to deliver nationall
Reference
R1378658
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Janice JonesAuthor
Janice JonesSalary:
Location:
Nashville
Job Type
POI without Job
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Nashville
Description
Pharmacy Support Call Center Representative Contract Remote Role – Location (Open to Remote US)As the only global provider of commercial solutions, IQVIA understands what it takes to deliver nationall
Reference
R1377979
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Janice JonesAuthor
Janice JonesSalary:
Location:
Köln
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Köln
Description
IQVIA ist ein führender, globaler Anbieter von zukunftsweisender Analytik, Technologielösungen und klinischer Auftragsforschung. IQVIA unterstützt Life Science Unternehmen, Verbände, Institutionen, Ko
Reference
R1420725
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Anja BollianAuthor
Anja BollianSalary:
Location:
Vienna
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Vienna
Description
Oncology Key Account Specialist – Oncology Immunotherapy - Austria m/w/dAs part of a new European team across multiple countries, IQVIA’s international talent acquisition team is recruiting for an Onc
Reference
R1421495
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Rhys HarringtonAuthor
Rhys HarringtonSalary:
Location:
Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Orlando
Atlanta
Charlotte
Description
IQVIA in partnership with ITF Therapeutics are excited to announce that we are seeking candidates with rare disease experience for the role of Neuromuscular Regional Sales Director.Requirements:Four-y
Reference
R1414649
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
IQVIA Related insights
Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
30/04/2024
Summary
Whether you work remotely, with a hybrid model, or are a careerist who can’t help but mentally take your work home with you when you leave the office, it’s undeniable that the lines between work and
Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
05/02/2024
Summary
Lucy Manning sits in our clinical trials team, but that’s not where her career started at IQVIA. It all began at the back end of 2022 when Lucy took on a fixed-term contract as a Project Support Coo
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
02/02/2024
Summary
Does the idea of being a medical sales rep excite you? This crucial position lets you make connections with companies and practitioners in the medical field. It’s also a growing and dynamic industry.
Content Type
ArticlePublished
04/01/2024
Summary
Are you ready to step into a career that's both rewarding and accessible? Becoming a phlebotomist could be your ticket into the thriving world of healthcare. It's not just about drawing blood; it's ab
Teaser
MedicalContent Type
ArticlePublished
20/11/2023
Summary
In the tapestry of healthcare, where expertise meets innovation, individuals like Marissa, a Senior Nurse Advisor at IQVIA, play a pivotal role. Marissa has not only learned from challenges but has e
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
13/11/2023
Summary
A guide to excelling in Key Account Manager jobs in healthcare In the dynamic landscape of the healthcare industry, the role of a Key Account Manager (KAM) is pivotal. Experienced account managers con
Teaser
Medical Affairs & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
10/11/2023
Summary
The role of medical science liaisons has never been more pivotal. Why? As catalysts for change and advocates of cutting-edge advancements, these professionals play a crucial role in fostering collab
Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
25/10/2023
Summary
In an industry where cutting-edge innovations and life-changing treatments are introduced every day, the role of ethics in medical device sales is critical. Bridging the gap between groundbreaking m
Teaser
Clinical OperationsContent Type
ArticlePublished
06/10/2023
Summary
Need some guidance on how to get a job in clinical research?Clinical research is a dynamic and rewarding field that transcends borders, offering professionals worldwide the chance to contribute to m
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
06/10/2023
Summary
In the dynamic and competitive world of medical sales, the path to success is not just about knowing your products or having an impressive CV. Instead, amongst key skills, it's often the abili
Content Type
ArticlePublished
31/08/2023
Summary
Are you one of the 788,638 registered general nurses in the UK? Are you looking for a new challenge, with opportunities to grow and make a real impact in the world of healthcare? A unique and transf
Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
24/08/2023
Summary
In the dynamic landscape of global healthcare, staying abreast of emerging trends is not just an option—it's a strategic imperative for Key Account Managers (KAMs) who strive to excel in their roles.
Recently viewed jobs