DM ride along next week- Need help!

I have been in Pharma for a year now and on my last ride along my DM said that my calls are a lot of "first calls" meaning that I am asking questions that I already should know the answer to. It is pure torture to precall plan with him and I am in desperate need of help. WHat questions can I ask that aren't "what benefits do you see in brand X drug over my drug?" and Is there ever a time you wouldn't write my drug first line?" He is very Socratic and does not offer helpful suggestions. Pleas help!!!

 

What do you use? Why do you use it? Talk about price, managed care, formulary, dosing, how do they use samples, ask the dr what he needs from you? Talk about coupons, ask about patients success, what does the dr switch to when the pharmacist calls? Take about compliance? You must find your niche! Capsule vs tablet, can it be broken? How long is onset of action? How many hrs of halflife? Does it affect p450?, Is your drug better for male, female, blk, white, young, old, etc? Is it available in liquid form for nursing home patients? Does it have any food effects? How is your safety profile? If your drug is on medicaid lets say, then ask the dr what percentage of his patients are medicaid pts, if he says 0 you are out of luck with that dr, but if the dr says 50% then good for you. Ask the dr if he likes reprints or does the dr want education materials for his patients? Does the dr have any NP'S OR PA's that you should talk to? Does the dr even treat your disease or does the dr just refer to a specialist? I could go on and on, but I have to go. Good Luck!

 

You are screwed. THis type of critique screams of a nightmare manager.

 

This sounds like a ride along I had with my RSD. We were told specifically to go by the verbage given to us EXACTLY. I did that, and I was slammed.

As the doc if he had a chance to look at the literature you left last time. If he says not, then (and have it out ready to go) start pointing at the biggest lettering on your sales literature. Or do it with a reprint. Call and tell his nurse the day before you are going to be in there with your manager, and really need her help in getting the doc to talk to you.

 

1.bring you manager to only the easy doctors
2.make up crap if you have to
3.prepare your ass off, but don't care (does that make sense?).

to sum it all up, its just a joke of a job. so, you should not really care too much. but, at the same time, prepare to give the impression that you do care. they don't care about you because they let go of employees everyday to drive the stock price up. bulllshit. managers are just kool aid drinkers for the most part, so the worst thing they can do to you is give you a bad report. just make your calls and tell the truth. don't give them a reason to fire you or anything. then if they want to get rid of you, you get paid for 3 months to 12 months depending on your severance, and then collect unemployment. companies today are weasels, and they are not looking after you. so, to sweat out a field ride shows that you are dumb.

 

hahahaha dm rule. good luck

 

Are your numbers good and are they yours (i.e. not in a pod)? Do you work hard and not cut corners? If so, results rule the roost. The rest is gobbilygook...

 

1. Ask him to show you how it should be done.

2. On your next call, introduce him to the doctor and then say "Dr. Smith, my manager, Mr. Dick Slapper, would love to hear your opinion/thoughts/feedback on product x. Your insight is highly valuable to Dick Slapper, as he travels across the state he can share this information with my other pathetic colleagues that have to report to Dick Slapper.