Small Joint Position with Arthrex


Anonymous

Guest
I am currently interviewing for a small joint postion with Arthrex. Currently work in pharma making 60K base and 20K bonus with full benefits. This small joint position would be getting my own territory, not an associate position. Arthrex is offering 60K base with no benefits. Once trained and in the field, what can I expect to make in bonus for a year??
 

Have you been getting any idea from other reps on what the commision range would be for this type of position? Does anyone have an idea what a small joint rep would make in commission?
 
Arthrex small joint is NOT a viable opportunity. Unless you are living in a box under a bridge you a better off where you are. You can't even use it as a step in the door to medical sales because no one wants a small joint rep to carry a full line of anything. You are better off staying in Pharma until a real position becomes available.
 
Arthrex small joint is NOT a viable opportunity. Unless you are living in a box under a bridge you a better off where you are. You can't even use it as a step in the door to medical sales because no one wants a small joint rep to carry a full line of anything. You are better off staying in Pharma until a real position becomes available.


They wouldn't hire you, eh?
 
Its a totally different game. If you want to break into device sales and have a cushy bank account you can't pass it up.

They wouldn't offer a base unless it was already producing that much, so it is probably safe. But, look around for other ventures first.
 
Ok, so I'm assuming that you are the same person who posted on the "Distributor" thread. Here's some advice as a former arthrex ASR...

Here goes everything anyone ever wanted to know about being a 1099 ASR:

1) As an ASR (full line, not sure if I've ever heard of a Sm. Jt ASR) you will make roughly 40-43k yr. 1, maybe 46-48k yr.2.

2) NO BENEFITS...This isn't a big deal bc you are 1099 and when it comes to tax time you probably won't pay much in taxes(5-10% total income, esp since you are in TX w/no state income tax).

3)The reason you won't pay much in taxes is bc everything comes OUT of YOUR POCKET. Health insurance($150/m), cell phone($100), car maint. (the biggest pain..$200/m), gas($300/m), etc. Imagine if your territory is on avg. 30-45min away from your home and you don't live very close to the distributor, you will easily spend $700-900/month on those expenses.

4)Here's the math: 40k-4k(taxes)= 36k At this point you are making similar to what someone makes @ a $51,000 job in w/30% tax to pay (51k*.70=36k).

Here's the other Math: 36k-($750/m*12months=9k) 9k(expenses)= $27,000!

So, now you make as much as a school teacher (38,500 * .30= 27k) $38,500 yr. gross, before taxes!


5)Pylant is a good guy, but like everything it depends on who you ask. The most important ? you should ask them is what's the territory size (both geographically and $$), bc this will give you a better picture of your experience. A better ? to ask is how many miles does the current rep put on his/her car per yr?

6) Since this is an ASR role, I'd worry about the experience 1st and Money last, bc you're not doing this role to make money.

Good Luck and Hang in there
 
The previous poster is extremely accurate in their description of an ASR position with Arthrex. The only other Out of Pocket expense they forgot to mention is the mandatory flights you have to take to attend meetings during the year. After all of the other deductions, one single flight can be 1/7th of your take home earnings for the month. Its difficult to say what you'll make, but your checks will not be large after all of the out of pocket expenses each month. Arthrex is a great company, but if there isn't room for you to gain your own territory, or your distributor is looking to add more reps then there is very little chance to make money with this company.
 
Fellow Arthrex reps I am currently with Arthrex and have been working as a small joint rep for awhile now. However I don't see any potential for growth into my own territory and running trays is getting to be old. So my ? Is whether I should take advantage of an opportunity to expand into a new position and if so what recommendations there are to branch out in other med sales?
 
Fellow Arthrex reps I am currently with Arthrex and have been working as a small joint rep for awhile now. However I don't see any potential for growth into my own territory and running trays is getting to be old. So my ? Is whether I should take advantage of an opportunity to expand into a new position and if so what recommendations there are to branch out in other med sales?

How long have you been doing this? Why can't you grow your territory? Are you looking to be a full line rep for Arthrex? What "new" position are you referring to? The market is very uneasy at the present moment for lateral moves or within other companies.
 
I have been with Arthrex for over a year and I would like to have my own territory however it looks as though I will indefinitely be in an associate position which caps my income. I have the opportunity to start with a new company but I'm wondering from others who have been in a similar situation if it's worth sticking out or if I should got the bricks since I'm stuck with my territory manager making the majority of money? Also sales are a non issue as I am more than exceeding quota with continued opportunity in my sights. Thanks
 
Everyone has been very accurate in their descriptions of these posts. I have been with Arthrex for a year in a half, I came on right when they first started hiring SJ reps. Every distributor is different and mine straight up told me from the beginning he didnt know how he was going to pay me and we would have to figure it out as we went. Being as I was fresh out of college I took the job to gain the experience. My distributor started me at 3000 a month or 36k a year. Since then he has taken care of me and found ways for me to make extra commissions. i.e. loaner fees go to me, bonus for hitting quota each month, biologics sales....etc. I am making a ton more than what he started me at but thats because I kept asking for more. My advice would be to remember that the distributor decides how you get paid, not Arthrex. Yes they set commission rates, but your distributor can help you out along the way. I will say this though...I have heard Arthrex is pushing their distributors to get more and more reps so be careful that your territory isn't going to be sliced and diced. I can see it at the meetings that its becoming like a pyramid scheme in a sense. Few reps out of each distributor at the top with a butt load of reps below taking smaller cuts. This is just my long drawn out opinion take it for what its worth. If you want to break into the industry SJ rep is a great way to start. I believe there is a cap on how much a SJ can make and that is why I am currently putting my feelers out for different positions. Good Luck
 
Everything everyone has posted is right. I decided to take my experience and get out because I had enough of babysitting a bunch of podiatrists who have no loyalty and insist you still be in every case even after they've used your product 50 times because they haven't figured out how to problem solve a surgery without guidance. I think its a napoleon complex after being ostricized by ortho foot and ankle docs for so many years for being terrible at performing surgery. I liked my ortho guys but unfortunately the constant tray shuttling and lack of being paid fairly drove me out. Too bad because like other reps have said before Arhrex's products are good, atleast the anchors anyway, the metal screws/plates are all similiar and begs the constant need to "babysit" accounts which has caused the small joint overload in every distributorship. For the new guys coming out of college, pay your dues get your experience and most importantly save up because the first couple months are rough as your distributor will severely underpay you until they deem your doing an "adequate" job.
 
Everything everyone has posted is right. I decided to take my experience and get out because I had enough of babysitting a bunch of podiatrists who have no loyalty and insist you still be in every case even after they've used your product 50 times because they haven't figured out how to problem solve a surgery without guidance. I think its a napoleon complex after being ostricized by ortho foot and ankle docs for so many years for being terrible at performing surgery. I liked my ortho guys but unfortunately the constant tray shuttling and lack of being paid fairly drove me out. Too bad because like other reps have said before Arhrex's products are good, atleast the anchors anyway, the metal screws/plates are all similiar and begs the constant need to "babysit" accounts which has caused the small joint overload in every distributorship. For the new guys coming out of college, pay your dues get your experience and most importantly save up because the first couple months are rough as your distributor will severely underpay you until they deem your doing an "adequate" job.

You think you "babysit" now? Just wait until you start working with the orthopods! I would rather be babysitting plate/screw cases for the simple reason they bill off higher, and you know you will be putting in a plate. There are doc's in my territory that have been using Pushlocks for SLAP/Bankart repairs since the birth of the product. Put in a cannula, pass the suture, drill a hole, bang in the anchor, and cut the suture. The same cannula, the same guide, the same drill bit, the same anchor, the same retriever, the same cutter. And yes, we have to be at every single stinking case because they can't figure it out. The grass is not always greener.
 


Write your reply...