Is RMSR Training Important or Needed?

Discussion in 'Job-Seekers' started by Anonymous, Nov 13, 2008 at 3:16 AM.

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  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I am trying to get into Medical Sales and heard that some people take this course or courses similar to this ahead of time to help add extra experience on ones resume. Should I pay for this and take to help with my job search since new to Medical Sales?

    I also heard that this training is often provided after being hired as well?

    Any help is much appreciated~
     

  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I doubt that this is going to help your decision, but...

    I am not in medical sales. I have 8 years selling research lab instrumentation which totally runs circles around the generic B2B that many med companies hire from. I bought the NAMSR training, which stated the average person will prepare 55 to 70 hours with their material. I read through the book in less than 10 hours. All of the sales, business accumen and personal discipline topics were no-brainer basics that any good salesperson should know in his/her sleep. I already knew over 90% of the medical science stuff.

    The only things I learned were various regulatory topics and a few new medical terms. I aced all the quizzes and took the test in about 40 minutes with less than 10 hours of preparation and got a 97%. One of their multiple choice questions is faulty and there is no correct answer that you can choose (should be all of above instead of none of the above) -a sloppy edit job.

    Here's the real bummer: I can't seem to land any medical sales job.
    Go figure.

    Not for lack of trying, but it seems that many recruiters just promote the same old paradigm and wouldn't recognize top notch if it bit them in the gluteus.
     
  3. Wonka

    Wonka Active Member

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    People, it has been said over and over and over.

    Thousands of resumes for 1 job. You're not a bad person, there is just at least 999 others going for same spot.

    Don't waste your money on NAPSRX or whatever the fuck it's called.
     
  4. ClintCora

    ClintCora Guest

    The last post is very relevant with the figures. That's why it's always more important to try and get the numbers more in your favor by spending more time to actively network within your own local industry where the competition is less. Many aspiring reps will not be willing to network for some reason, whether they are shy or just can't be bothered, opting to mass mail resumes instead. This actually works in your favor if you are willing to pound the pavement out there.
     
  5. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Sad, but unfortunately many recruiters are clueless and just do the same things they are used to doing. There is way too much turnover in medical sales. Doctors can't stand many of the reps, especially non-technical and over aggressive ones. But it figures. They hire street hustlers instead of refined professional salespersons. You think they'd learn by now.
     
  6. ClintCora

    ClintCora Guest

    I certainly agree. It was incredible how at some medical conventions I attended, many of the reps from some companies all look alike, ie., young, pretty, blonde, female. And not surprising, the turnover at these companies can be significant when it turns out that some of these ladies can't sell.
     
  7. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Just to be fair and balanced...
    I was also recently at a trade show in a medical device niche. I got to talk to some of the reps in various companies. Yes, some were acceptable and even professional. Others were more of a motley crew. I am speaking of guys here. These unrefined ones all came from NON-technical B2B backgrounds. One, in a surgical laser company, had come over from the aesthetic laser niche (churn&burn and no post purchase support to speak of) and all he seemed like was just a bullshitter. I seriously doubt that doctors are best served by these types of salespersons.
     
  8. ClintCora

    ClintCora Guest

    Yes, there is a more hard sell approach in medical device sales where in pharma, it is more of a softer type of sales and more longer term. I use to hear of doctors who complain that certain drug reps are too pushy. These types of reps do not tend to do well in pharma over the long term. The most successful drug reps are those who take the time to build working relationships with their doctors. It's definitely a different type of selling. Not saying that one way is better than the other. It's just different in each field.
     
  9. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I work as Medical Sales rep for Stryker and sell hip replacement devices and I love my job. I am not a churn and burn sales rep like stated in this blog. I can tell you as a medical rep with 19 years of experience that these posts are not from people who work in my business. Medical reps are very professional and it takes strong relationship building and professionalism to get clinics, hospitals, and physicians to commit to your products.

    A medical sales career provides the autonomy and freedom many people seek. It is also very rewarding as medical sales reps know they are helping people and improving patient’s health and their quality of life.

    So, does a career in medical sales pay well? In addition, products are generally utilized fairly quickly with the increasing amount of demand in healthcare, so old markets rarely disappear; they need regular servicing. The second most attractive job feature that medical sales reps mention is the intellectual challenge the job imposes. Education is the norm in this field; learning about a company’s product line is crucial and requires medical education and training. Medical sales representatives have to be familiar with data, statistics, and issues in the health community to be able to communicate successfully with businesspeople and doctors.

    A college degree is helpful for this job, while many employers look favorably on a degree even if it is not required. Medical education is the norm for all sales representatives, both on their own products and on other companies’ product lines. The ability to read a scientific study and examine its assumptions is critical to a medical sales reps success.
     
  10. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Hey Stryker rep! No, of course you are not like the reps described in one of the posts. You are in a good place in the industry. Have you ever seen the aesthetic laser bunch? Diametrically opposite, churn&burn. I saw a team of Biolase dental reps and a few seemed professional, but one guy they hired in from aesthetic laser and he seemed like a complete bs artist, not professional. The med sales industry is huge and diverse and there are all kinds out there.
     
  11. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Dude....really. If you think you can get into medical sales with medical knowledge or medical sales training you are dreaming. Get the RMSR, most companies require it or prefer it.
     
  12. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I have personally been involved with the NAMSR as well as the RMSR Certification Program since 2003. I have seen it become an industry standard. To any sales rep applicant starting out in the medical device industry, the RMSR Certification Program is the fundamental skill set to attract medical device employers. The best minds in the business have had input into the program. To not take advantage of the RMSR Program is unimaginable for any aspiring medical sales rep.
    Jason Bliss, J& J
     
  13. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I think it's an extremely comprehensive program-the RMSR Certification is designed to help people enter a medical sales career and allow medical device employers to hire trained applicants. The four important components of the system involve medical industry knowledge, healthcare industry selling techniques, medical industry selling regulations, and medical terminlogy. Many companies are requiring NAMSR members and new hire to participate in the RMSR certification program. This is the only program I've seen designed to help both medical sales applicants and the medical equipment companies.
     
  14. I have worked as a medical sales rep for over 4 years. I love the industry and now make over $175k annually. I would recommend this career to anyone. Also, I did get my RMSR before I broke into the industry. If you want to get into medical sales, obtaining your RMSR is important.
    Matt
     
  15. Marty5

    Marty5 Guest

    This RMSR Certification has helped to open doors to me that were previously unavailable for many medical device sales positions. I now have the training to be seriously considered for more hundreds of medical sales jobs. To really qualify for these medical sales jobs you need industry product knowledge training, plus information on selling techniques, regulations, etc. To try to get into the industry without can be very difficult.
     
  16. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Re: Is RMSR Training Important or Needed? >> Reposted:

    I doubt that this is going to help your decision, but...

    I am not in medical sales. I have 8 years selling research lab instrumentation which totally runs circles around the generic B2B that many of these med companies hire from. I bought the NAMSR training, which stated the average person will prepare 55 to 70 hours with their material. I went through the book in less than 10 hours. All of the sales, business accumen and personal discipline topics were absolute no-brainer basics that any good salesperson should know in his/her sleep, as I do. And, I already knew over 90% of the medical science stuff.

    The only things I learned were various regulatory topics and a few new medical terms. I aced all the quizzes and took the test in about 40 minutes with less than 10 hours of total preparation and got a 97%. BTW, one of their multiple choice questions was actually faulty and there is no correct answer that you can choose (should have been all of above instead of none of the above) -which was a sloppy edit job by the test compiler. They thanked me for finding it...

    Here's the real bummer: This award winning sales performer can't seem to land any medical sales job! Sales rep of the year, etc... Go figure. This is really breathtaking!

    Not for lack of trying, but it seems that many recruiters just promote the same old hiring paradigm and wouldn't recognize top notch if it bit them in the gluteus.


    OP of the above post here. If any hiring managers might be interested, one of my emails is best4radiometer/at/optimum/dot/net
     
  17. Mace Horoff

    Mace Horoff Guest

    I have spent 25 years selling, managing, speaking, training, and writing about the medical device and pharma industries. As a manager, who would you hire...a candidate whose resume looks like the other 999 you received, or the candidate who finds a way to make contact with you, demonstrates that he or she has done everything possible to position himself or herself for success in the industry, and then engages me in a "benefits conversation" on how they can specifically help me and my company meet our specific sales goals. In this industry we look for standouts who will make the products and services they represent standout. Sending in a resume and doing little more shows that the candidate is waiting for someone to call him or her. That's not the way it works in this business.
     
  18. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    So, in short, getting this course isn't going to be any magic bullet for you... however, I must say, medical hiring managers would have to be foolish not to hire the person in post #16. The economy and industry being what they are right now not so great, but come on!
    I have seen pinheads who sold beverages get hired and opportunist retreads leap frogging jobs, yet that person two posts above appears to be far better than some of these clowns being hired today. What's up with that?
     
  19. Mace Horoff

    Mace Horoff Guest

    Credentials matter, but sales ability matters more. You must be able to sell yourself into the position. A good resume by itself won't do it.
     
  20. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Contrary to mutual funds, past performance is an excellent indicator of future performance.