Pharmaceutical Sales

[PharmDstudent]

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Every time I talk to someone who I don't really know, usually I'm meeting them for the first time, they ask me if I'm going into pharmaceutical sales, not pharmacy. Just yesterday, I get "tell me if I'm wrong, but you're going into pharmaceutical sales, right?." Inside my head I'm thinking, "NO! You don't think I'm smart enough to be a pharmacist? I don't want to strut my stuff just for a paycheck! I'd drop thirty pounds and do modeling if that was the case- at least I wouldn't have to play mind games with doctors and pharmacists."

I guess I should just take it as a compliment, because drug reps are usually very attractive and nicely groomed. Although, it still feels like a slap in the face after I've been stressing out over pharmacology and medicinal chemistry. What do drug reps learn anyway? How to smile when you give the price per tablet of Invega or FazaClo?

 

[IndustryPharmD]

Damn Pfizer for making general public think sales reps look like models. At my company, they are all pretty average looking people, and most in their late 20s - 30s, some older, not 22 year old college grads. 😛

As far as what they learn, my guess is it depends on the company, I can only speak for what I have seen at mine. There is at-home learning from book, several weeks. Then on-site training for three weeks, 8 hours a day complete with lectures, small-group practice and exams. Basics of the disease state(s) in which the drug is used, drug's mechanism of action, everything in the package insert (how to find the info, rather than completely digest and comprehend the info, though basic comprehension is appreciated), sales message and use of the visual aid (a lot of time spent practicing that). Generally, knowing how to smile and initiate conversations is a prerequisite for being hired. Wait, that's true for just about any profession. 😀 I would never hire someone who doesn't raise their eyes from the floor, stumbles, and takes 5 minutes to answer a basic question.

Though I could never be a sales rep - I could never stick to the company message, I would say something based on my clinical knowledge and end up with a multimillion lawsuit for off-label promotion. 😀 There are still some pharmacists who work as sales reps. After all, retail isn't all that clinical either - at a busy store, you are just a glorified dispensing kiosk - verify-bag-page, click through DUR-verify-bag-page (been there, done that).

 

[FruitFly]

Of course that's extremely annoying. It bothers me even when folks are like, "Wow, I didn't know pharmacy school was so long!". Don't take it as an insult.

Sure you know what pharmacy actually is. But folks don't know what they're talking about half the time. If I walked around telling folks I went to an Ivy League university, most people won't even understand what that even means. That's your cue to educate.

Lots of these sorts of examples that pharmacists have to deal with. Can't turn bright red and sprout fangs (like the icon for the thread) each time someone says something stupid. It's very hard to have a sense of entitlement in today's society- no matter what your degree and how much time you spend studying for it. You have to earn that respect by educating folks day by day.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

It could be worse. Whenever I go see someone from high school and tell them I'm a pharmacist, they get a big smile on their face, wink at me, put a phantom joint up to their mouths, and say. "Oh, riiiiiiight, a pharmacist...haha, gotcha man...nice seein' ya. Try not to get arrested, man! Remember Warren Davis from down by Jefferson? He's in the pen for sellin' weed man...watch your back, bro!!"

 

[Priapism321]

As far as what they learn, my guess is it depends on the company, I can only speak for what I have seen at mine. There is at-home learning from book, several weeks. Then on-site training for three weeks, 8 hours a day complete with lectures, small-group practice and exams. Basics of the disease state(s) in which the drug is used, drug's mechanism of action, everything in the package insert (how to find the info, rather than completely digest and comprehend the info, though basic comprehension is appreciated), sales message and use of the visual aid (a lot of time spent practicing that). Generally, knowing how to smile and initiate conversations is a prerequisite for being hired. Wait, that's true for just about any profession. 😀 I would never hire someone who doesn't raise their eyes from the floor, stumbles, and takes 5 minutes to answer a basic question.

When do they find time to do all of the things you describe above on top of learning how to manipulate the scientific evidence and using food/gifts to generate prescriptions (since they do study area physician prescribing data, striving to come up with just the precise "educational" angle to take)? You know, bringing in a nice meal and presenting results from studies that were designed by the company, conducted by people who are basically on the company payroll, and written by "ghost authors" with a journalism degree? All in a day's work trying to "educate" physicians to "help patients." And don't forget the pens, notepads, coffee mugs, staplers, tape dispensers, clocks, laser pointers, etc. (these are the visual aids you speak of, no? Does it take much training to give these items out?); these are very well known "educational" tools.👎

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Every time I talk to someone who I don't really know, usually I'm meeting them for the first time, they ask me if I'm going into pharmaceutical sales, not pharmacy. Just yesterday, I get "tell me if I'm wrong, but you're going into pharmaceutical sales, right?." Inside my head I'm thinking, "NO! You don't think I'm smart enough to be a pharmacist? I don't want to strut my stuff just for a paycheck! I'd drop thirty pounds and do modeling if that was the case- at least I wouldn't have to play mind games with doctors and pharmacists."

I guess I should just take it as a compliment, because drug reps are usually very attractive and nicely groomed. Although, it still feels like a slap in the face after I've been stressing out over pharmacology and medicinal chemistry. What do drug reps learn anyway? How to smile when you give the price per tablet of Invega or FazaClo?

At least you don't get accused of being one on SDN! 😉

 

[FruitFly]

At least you don't get accused of being one on SDN! 😉

Where's my reading material and donuts? 😛 jk

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Where's my reading material and donuts? 😛 jk

You in NYC? I left there this am...back at work now though. You gotta give me more notice than that when you're having your donut/reading material craving!

 

[FruitFly]

You in NYC? I left there this am...back at work now though. You gotta give me more notice than that when you're having your donut/reading material craving!

lol. yep I'm in NYC. Going shopping downtown today. Looking for some sales. 😀

Edit: and will stop at Dunkin Donuts too. 🙁 🙁

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

lol. yep I'm in NYC. Going shopping downtown today. Looking for some sales. 😀

Edit: and will stop at Dunkin Donuts too. 🙁 🙁

You're going to Dunkin Donuts in NYC?!? Shaaaame. There're far better bakeries than that! 😛

Good luck with the sales!

 

[PharmDstudent]

At least you don't get accused of being one on SDN!

No, unfortunately the accusation keeps occurring in real life!

I'm about to go work out. I'm really p***ed off! The phones at work haven't been working properly for about 10 days and the front shutter, which keeps the pharmacy locked at night, hangs down about 1 and 1/2 feet because it's broken.

All day long, I hear "Did you know the phones aren't working? I keep trying, but no one will pick up. I've called day after day, and I can't get through." Blah, blah, blah.

Customers even have the nerve to call the pharmacy and ask specifically for the pharmacist just so they can tell him that the phones aren't working.

Since they can't fill their scripts over the phone, they have to come inside to order them. Once they're near the pick-up window, they start with the taxing and annoying questions and comments: "Is the pharmacy closed? The shutter's down. It looks like y'all are closed. When do y'all close?" Blah, blah, blah!

OMG!

The old folks in the German nursing home, where I had interned, had more patience and common sense. Even the neurotic nursing home patients were more enjoyable. My most favorite patient was this 95 year old lady. She was like a broken record that I actually wanted to listen to!

 

[PharmDstudent]

I'm about to go work out.

I was at the gym for two hours. It was great! I ran a mile, did circuit weights, ab crunches, bicep and tricep curls, and cycled for seven miles. Now that I'm worn out, I think it's time for bed 🙂.

 

[FruitFly]

You in NYC? I left there this am...back at work now though. You gotta give me more notice than that when you're having your donut/reading material craving!

Wow.. How'd you like NYC? It's great this time of year.

Yeah, Dunkin donuts is alright... even NYers go for that stuff on the run. But you're right.. much better places here!

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

agreed, theres a lot of culture in NYC dunkin donuts, especially late at night.

 

[PharmDstudent]

You know, there's a Dunkin' Donuts around here, but I won't go to it. It's attached to a Baskin Robins, and I think that's just weird.

 

[FruitFly]

You know, there's a Dunkin' Donuts around here, but I won't go to it. It's attached to a Baskin Robins, and I think that's just weird.

that's pretty common! Now i feel like a Dunkin Donuts rep. 😳

Sorry for derailing your thread.

 

[PharmDstudent]

that's pretty common! Now i feel like a Dunkin Donuts rep. 😳

Sorry for derailing your thread.

No problem. I'll know who to ask next time I need to find a Dunkin' Donuts. 😀 Or I could just start calling you the donut rep like some of us are called "drug rep". Yeah, that's what I'll do.

So donut rep, how's the weather in NY? Weather.com says it's 56F here.

 

[FruitFly]

It's 38 degrees. Windy, too.

 

[PharmDstudent]

It's 38 degrees. Windy, too.

That's not as bad as I would have thought. My thermometer actually says 60F, so it's a little warmer here.

What's your favorite kind of donut?

I just had a Tastee's donut a week ago. The donut was about a day and a half old, and the only reason it was still edible was because it had a jelly center. Some how the jelly kept the donut moist. They had to trash the plain, glazed ones.

My extended family owned a few gas stations back home where they sold Krispy Kremes. The best part was getting free donuts the next day, because they couldn't sell them. My favorite Krispy Kremes are the creme filled chocolate glazed and the sour cream.

I try not to eat more than one donut at a time. They're too fattening.

My favorite ones are directly to the right and three donuts left of the glazed donut 🙂.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Wow.. How'd you like NYC? It's great this time of year.

Yeah, Dunkin donuts is alright... even NYers go for that stuff on the run. But you're right.. much better places here!

I visit every month or two to visit the famiglia. But I agree, NYC is the best during the holidays. 🙂

Ever try The Donut Pub on 14th St. and 7th Ave?

 

[FruitFly]

I visit every month or two to visit the famiglia. But I agree, NYC is the best during the holidays. 🙂

Ever try The Donut Pub on 14th St. and 7th Ave?

Nope, but I'll be in that area tomorrow maybe catching a movie. If I get hungry I'll check it out.