Pharmaceutical Sales?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Have any of you fellow nurses had any experience with this? I was talking to a few people *non-nurses* who said that there is good money in this, etc. They said being a nurse would be an advantage. I am not saying I want to jump up and do this, but I'd like to know what you guys think.

Jess

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I agree with everyone's comments. Drug reps often have that polished/cute/handsome look about them. And it IS hard to develop a relationship. I work as an NP in an office and some of the drug reps I like, some I don't. Some are WAY to smarmy for my taste with flattering me or pushing their drugs. I HATE that they bring in food, try to take me out to dinner. I went once on the promise of a drug rep that there would be a lecture, SOME type of education. Turned out to just be an excuse to "get to know me better" and for the doctors in the group to buy 200+ dollars/bottle of wine and have someone else pay for it. Last dinner I ever went too. Drug rep sat by me the entire night and kept trying to get me to go to another dinner the next week. :madface:

Also, some drugs suck, and woe to the rep who has to push that drug. Bonuses and trips are not coming your way. I think success or not depends mainly on the product. And new reps often get stuck with crummy product. Some companies don't provide cars or gas money, so that can come out of your product. One of my favorite reps worked for a small company who didn't believe in freebies with the exception of samples :rolleyes: . He used his own car, own gas money (which I think is extreme). No pens or post-it notes even. I used to supply him with pen and paper samples from other drugs for his own personal use! Mpst MD's wouldn't even look at him, becasue he didn't have anything to offer. Except he had an AWESOME and CHEAP product. I wrote so many scripts for that drug that it became out of stock in the area and gave him great sales data. He was so thankful, He bought me lunch out of his own pocket. A Little Caesar's 5.00 pepporoni pizza. It was great! It was nice to see the little man come out on top for once (and no, if the product hadn't have been so good, I wouldn't have written the scripts).

Here is a BIG downside to repping:

I've seen drug reps do ANYTHING for business. Actually know a local MD (unfortunately he was my boss at one time, but thankfully I got out FAST) who is so specialized and with such a big practice, he can ruin certain drug reps local sales. And he does. If the drug rep isn't quick with the free dinners, office supplies, meds, Dr. X brings them into the office and politely tells them to get ready for a transfer because the sales are going to start to go down. He also throws them out of his office and refuses to see them again. He truely prescribed drugs on how well he is treated by the reps. And he also threatened them with ruining their sales. Here is a list of what Dr. X has his drug reps do, and if they don't "No more scripts for you!"

1. Rep took his 5 dogs to the groomers every 4 weeks.

2. Washed his cars (?!)

3. Dinner out once a week at very expensive restaurant.

4. Expected more visits by the rep than what was required by drug company.

5. Constant stock of samples, heaven forbid he ran out (but he did pass these on to pts who didn't have good med insurance, so that was nice)

6. Supplied B/P cuffs, table paper, and any other equipment the drug rep had- even when he didn't have a need for that specific med.

I know this isn't how it is for every rep and not every provider is this crazy, but for me it would only take one client like this to make me hate my job.

I always felt so bad to the drug rep that wasn't his favorite, and would usually spend more time talking to them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Looking for a career in NICU.

Scribbler, that post is amazing, it truly is. Can you imagine doctor's going through their career with that sense of entitlement?

I mean, I feel that drug reps need to earn their money. If they have an extremely popular product that gets sold no matter what they do, I can imagine where doctors can get very irritated when they don't get visited.

There is no doubt that things like that definately add to the cost of medicine, can you imagine what gets spent on this doctor alone? I wonder how many doctors a rep visits has on their rotation? That adds up!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Yup, I've even heard of luxury vacations being offered among other things, and all of this has to be added to the cost of the drugs, because someone has to pay for it.

This is true: my friend went to Hawaii, Puerto Vallarta, and took an Alaskan Cruise all within her last 2 years of selling or so, just for being a top seller in her company. I also believe that this does NOT include any trips that could be given to the MDs if they gave out x number of prescriptions, although I never saw that part firsthand (never saw Dr. A packing her bags for Hawaii), so I couldn't say that one with certainty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Everything stated above is 100% true.

Basically it boils down to this: If you can cast aside your morals/ethics and the only driving force in your life is money, you will be great at sales, no matter if it is pharmaceutical, insurance, etc.

In addition to the high substance abuse rates, the rate of adultery is extremely high. Quid Pro Quo is an industry standard in sales.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Everything stated above is 100% true.

Basically it boils down to this: If you can cast aside your morals/ethics and the only driving force in your life is money, you will be great at sales, no matter if it is pharmaceutical, insurance, etc.

In addition to the high substance abuse rates, the rate of adultery is extremely high. Quid Pro Quo is an industry standard in sales.

Not everyone casts aside their morals and ethics. I didn't.

I will say that it is my opinion that sales is an honorable profession if done in an honorable manner. Sad to say - the general public generally doesn't agree, and has very very little respect for sales people.

Jesskanurse,

I'd ask yourself this: Why did you go to nursing school? Is working in pharm sales congruent with those reasons? Is working in pharm sales congruent with your core values and principles? If so, ok. If not - run from pharm sales!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

I was in Pharmaceutical sales 40 yrs ago. Thats a joke of course, untill I got busted for posession of cannabis

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Not everyone casts aside their morals and ethics. I didn't.

I will say that it is my opinion that sales is an honorable profession if done in an honorable manner. Sad to say - the general public generally doesn't agree, and has very very little respect for sales people.

Jesskanurse,

I'd ask yourself this: Why did you go to nursing school? Is working in pharm sales congruent with those reasons? Is working in pharm sales congruent with your core values and principles? If so, ok. If not - run from pharm sales!

I agree - not all are like that, I know I wasn't. BUT....sales as a profession is truly like living in a den of vipers. Like you, this is coming from someone that didn't lie/cheat/steal and was in professional sales for many years. Everyone is out for their piece of turf, and they are often willing to sell their own grandmother to achieve it.

Sales is a lot like Hollywood. All glitz on the outside, but rather a nasty profession once you're in it. In RARE cases it can be very worthwhile if you have decent coworkers/bosses. But even that can be outweighed by variables outside your control, like the pompous doc in the post above that wants everything and treats salespeople like dirt. Or the smarmy competitor going for the big contract/sale etc that finds out that the clinic office manager is talking about sending her daughter to camp, only to have air delivered to her home an all expense paid trip to the kids dude ranch in Arizona anonymously. These things happen, and more often than you would think.

One more thought. You would *think* that achieving wonderful sales numbers would be something a company would want to continue to foster in their salespeople. However, there is such a thing as doing too well, when the company "restructures" your clients and takes away good clients that you have built over the years and gives you the dogs to develop. This happens quite often as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
I agree - not all are like that, I know I wasn't. BUT....sales as a profession is truly like living in a den of vipers. Like you, this is coming from someone that didn't lie/cheat/steal and was in professional sales for many years. Everyone is out for their piece of turf, and they are often willing to sell their own grandmother to achieve it.

Sales is a lot like Hollywood. All glitz on the outside, but rather a nasty profession once you're in it. In RARE cases it can be very worthwhile if you have decent coworkers/bosses. But even that can be outweighed by variables outside your control, like the pompous doc in the post above that wants everything and treats salespeople like dirt. Or the smarmy competitor going for the big contract/sale etc that finds out that the clinic office manager is talking about sending her daughter to camp, only to have air delivered to her home an all expense paid trip to the kids dude ranch in Arizona anonymously. These things happen, and more often than you would think.

One more thought. You would *think* that achieving wonderful sales numbers would be something a company would want to continue to foster in their salespeople. However, there is such a thing as doing too well, when the company "restructures" your clients and takes away good clients that you have built over the years and gives you the dogs to develop. This happens quite often as well.

Ah...we are on the same page. Agree 100%.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ah...we are on the same page. Agree 100%.

Yeah. I got "restructured" when the boss stated, and I quote "you're not working hard enough to earn your commissions"....?????!!!!! Then took away a large chunk of a client base I developed and gave it to a pet salesperson. Of course, that's when I left.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for your eloquence MS._jen! I wanted to post something similar but could not think of what to say. This is just an opinion and I know plenty of people who disagree (it is just not a job I could do )

good luck in your endeavors.

ps r u planning on becoming an RN?

Ok, I might get shot down for this one, but remember, it's an opinion.

I believe that Pharm Reps, the "free" merchandise they pass out, the dinners they host, the lunchs they bring to offices, and the like, are part of the reason that RX drug cost are so high in the US. (And to the same end, health insurance) I wouldn't want to be part of (or benifit from) what I see as a huge problem.

Respectfully,

~Jen

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, lactation.
http://www.nofreelunch.org/
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree with the last two posts. When so many americans are struggling to pay for their RX's, I couldn't work for an industry that's all about $$$$$$$$.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment