A medical representative is a salesperson and it is the value of the sales you make that your employer will judge you by.

Your clients will be medical professionals of all descriptions.  Depending on the products the company manufactures, you could be placed in various types of medical selling – pharmaceuticals, orthopaedic, surgical, pharmacy & OTC products, or equipment and IT items. Some jobs such as surgical require you to be in Operating Theatre training the medical staff on the use of the products.

Whatever field of healthcare selling you are in, it is important for the Representative to feel that he/she is adding value to the medical professional and also the patients.

The customer support side of the job is as important as the selling side, and it really is the key to continuing sales. You therefore need to be good at building relationships.
As a representative you will spend a lot of time in your car. You therefore need to have a valid un-endorsed driving licence.

If you are a woman with small children, you need to have watertight arrangements for their care when you are away on training courses or on country trips -

It is not a 9 – 5 job, and there will be a lot of time to be devoted to emails, planning, organising & attending events and functions, and report writing. Most representatives achieve a good work/life balance however.

You will generally be required to spend one week out of 6 on a "country trip". For instance, someone working in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town might have a country trip to the Garden Route. There are however, some positions where no country trip is required - but this is unusual.

You will be expected to produce sales and market share and you will be judged on the amount of sales you are able to generate.  Many representatives thrive on this competitive environment because on top of salary, some excellent incentives can be achieved. 

Medical Reps who generate prescriptions are measured on market data represented by market share in the area they work as well as wholesaler sales.

Surgical Reps, medical equpment, lab reps and other direct sales reps can be measured on a weekly or daily basis.

You must be a person who is good at relationship building, and also a good team worker as well as an ability to work on your own.

Some sales experience (e.g. waiting at restaurants, work in a retail environment) in part time jobs while studying would be in your favour.

The rewards of the job are high – not only in financial terms, but also job satisfaction. If you are prepared to work hard, the rewards and prospects of promotion are there.

The company has got a vested interest in seeing you succeed and they will do all they can to help you. You will go on product training courses, sales training courses, presentation skills courses, negotiation skills courses. Your Regional Sales Manager will work with you on occasion, and continue training in the field.

Sales meetings are held regularly, where you can renew acquaintance with your colleagues, and exchange tips and experiences, as well as being updated on market conditions and targets for the future. Ongoing training is usually provided at these meetings as well

One of the reasons that companies look for university graduates or 3 year diplomas in a medical related field, is because the pass mark for training courses is in the region of 80 - 85%.  Most successful applicants pass their training courses, but you will be required to work hard during this training period.

You will need to have a tertiary degree or 3 year diploma in a medical related or science subject e.g. (for example B Cur, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, BSc, Human Movement Science degree, BSc, MBA  etc ). Business degrees and 3 year diplomas can also be acceptable.

You will also need to have a full unendorsed driving license.

English as well as Afrikaans are the usual language requirements and in some areas a African language may be required. You will be placed in a work area where your language skills and place of residence are applicable. Training notes are generally in English.

Basic computer skills are required, so you can correspond with your manager, head office and clients by e-mail.

Many representatives begin their career by leaving their chosen vocation within the health service to go to work for a commercial organisation. Frustration at lack of career development and the lure of greater financial rewards means there is a ready trained supply of labour for the companies to draw on, so competition for the jobs is acute.

If you want to remain in sales, you could progress to senior rep, executive rep, specialist rep, hospital rep, (Depending on the company culture.) Regional Sales Manager, National Sales Manager and Sales Director.

There are many other avenues for development however, and there are possibilities within the industry for Marketing, Strategic Planning, Managed Healthcare, and Research to name a few.

A significant number of representatives have risen to very senior positions within organisations, e.g. To Marketing Director, Sales Director, and even C.E.O!

After proving themselves in South Africa, successful marketers and sales managers have been posted to overseas subsidiaries.

It is important to note that promotion cannot be guaranteed, and it is up to the individual to climb the ladder. The best reps do not always make the best managers but it would be important for the promoted person's credibility that their sales results are among the better ones.

Your cell phone will be essential for contact with customers, head office and your manager, and you will either get a company cell phone or else a cell phone allowance. Note however, that you will need to turn it off if in a hospital, because it will interfere with vital patient monitoring equipment.

Your company will provide you with IT equipment, so you can produce reports and correspond with your manager and head office, so you will need to have basic computer skills.

The company car is a highly motivational factor, and most companies supply their sales staff with enviable vehicles or else a substantial car allowance.   You will also be given a petrol card or petrol allowance and the majority of companies will pay car maintenance costs.

Medical Representatives who generate prescriptions are measured on market data represented by market share in the area they work, as well as wholesaler sales.

Surgical, medical equipment, lab reps and other direct sales reps can be measured on a weekly or daily basis.