No… Of course you don’t need them. They are ridiculous for many reasons. Not the least of which is that doctors offices should not be used as a training venue for drug reps. . If a manager wants to assess a reps skills, do it through role-playing at the corporate office, or a nearby Starbucks, etc. Furthermore, having a manager walk into an office with you is far more likely to hurt your chances of seeing a prescriber, than it is to help.
The problem is many Pharma jobs above yours would disappear if field rides were eliminated, and the people in those positions have the ear of leadership whereas you do not. And you can rest assured they are telling leadership that reps cannot be trusted without field rides.
