Weekly Activities and Access

[anonymous]

I started selling to offices eons ago in 1993. There was more access to key phycisians than not. You could see most physicians or key RNs. Between 1993 and 1996 offices consolidated with health systems and access took a hit. By 1996 it was getting challenging to complete the day with 8 complete calls.

You could still access some points and distribute studies and leave behinds. Pfizer had some cool pens for a while. But the cottage industry of the independent PC doctor was leaving.

Then, lunch became a big deal and over sold. To the point of total indifference.

No idea how you make it through the week without going crazy from anxiety by poor access. I have n't seen a pad, pen or coffee mug when in a medical environment for years. Nothing.

I have seen a couple of talented representatives while at appointments. Tough gig and tough to see perscribers. Neither made it past the front desk.

• What do you do when you have a full day in a no access demographic? Leave studies and record a call?
• What do you do when the DM comes for the curbside coaching appointment?
• You can't go back to the same offfices with access monthly?
• Do you still leave samples? Have not seen samples in a long, long time.
• Beating youself up in driveway because you cannot see physicians is not your fault.

The easiest, best paying job I ever had......then it wasn't. I do believe it was one of the better jobs in 60-80s.

No managed care, sampes galore, marginal rules, total anononymity. whole saler numbers is what you sold.

However, in most cases to be a rep you had to have medical or pharmacy clinical experience at some capacity. Not always, but Lilly for example, hired pharmacists primarily in the 60s and 70s. Expecting travel was heavy.

As anticipated, there will be very few representatives as AI and digital impact set a new standard in the industy.

It's easy to get stuck in the mindless proces to pay the mortgage and damn hard when you leave. People are resilent.

After all these years, I never understood how the #3 territory out of 500 was vacant for 18 months and reamained #3. Life's great mysteries. It was like the joke was on us but no one let us in on it.

Respecftully.

 

[anonymous]

I started selling to offices eons ago in 1993. There was more access to key phycisians than not. You could see most physicians or key RNs. Between 1993 and 1996 offices consolidated with health systems and access took a hit. By 1996 it was getting challenging to complete the day with 8 complete calls.

You could still access some points and distribute studies and leave behinds. Pfizer had some cool pens for a while. But the cottage industry of the independent PC doctor was leaving.

Then, lunch became a big deal and over sold. To the point of total indifference.

No idea how you make it through the week without going crazy from anxiety by poor access. I have n't seen a pad, pen or coffee mug when in a medical environment for years. Nothing.

I have seen a couple of talented representatives while at appointments. Tough gig and tough to see perscribers. Neither made it past the front desk.

• What do you do when you have a full day in a no access demographic? Leave studies and record a call?
• What do you do when the DM comes for the curbside coaching appointment?
• You can't go back to the same offfices with access monthly?
• Do you still leave samples? Have not seen samples in a long, long time.
• Beating youself up in driveway because you cannot see physicians is not your fault.

The easiest, best paying job I ever had......then it wasn't. I do believe it was one of the better jobs in 60-80s.

No managed care, sampes galore, marginal rules, total anononymity. whole saler numbers is what you sold.

However, in most cases to be a rep you had to have medical or pharmacy clinical experience at some capacity. Not always, but Lilly for example, hired pharmacists primarily in the 60s and 70s. Expecting travel was heavy.

As anticipated, there will be very few representatives as AI and digital impact set a new standard in the industy.

It's easy to get stuck in the mindless proces to pay the mortgage and damn hard when you leave. People are resilent.

After all these years, I never understood how the #3 territory out of 500 was vacant for 18 months and reamained #3. Life's great mysteries. It was like the joke was on us but no one let us in on it.

Respecftully.

Awesome input, and great observations and questions about how to navigate in today's environment. It isn't easy, and those of us still in after decades of this are just trying to keep our heads down and stay under the radar. It is 100% because of the financial and flexibility aspects, and the hope is to be able to stay on as long as possible, make wise financial investments, find a way to not internalize the dysfunction of the industry. Most importantly, it is about getting out when the time is right. I am tired of people judging those of us staying in for being weak or not taking advantage of all of the other great industries or gigs out there. We stay in for our own personal reasons and the real talent is knowing yourself enough to know when the toxicity of the job is leaking too much into your life. If you have invested wisely enough, you won't have to figure out how to spin this job into something else or panic when the industry inevitably lets you go. Know what you need from this job and when you reach your own personal goal, get out.

 

[anonymous]

I started selling to offices eons ago in 1993. There was more access to key phycisians than not. You could see most physicians or key RNs. Between 1993 and 1996 offices consolidated with health systems and access took a hit. By 1996 it was getting challenging to complete the day with 8 complete calls.

You could still access some points and distribute studies and leave behinds. Pfizer had some cool pens for a while. But the cottage industry of the independent PC doctor was leaving.

Then, lunch became a big deal and over sold. To the point of total indifference.

No idea how you make it through the week without going crazy from anxiety by poor access. I have n't seen a pad, pen or coffee mug when in a medical environment for years. Nothing.

I have seen a couple of talented representatives while at appointments. Tough gig and tough to see perscribers. Neither made it past the front desk.

• What do you do when you have a full day in a no access demographic? Leave studies and record a call?
• What do you do when the DM comes for the curbside coaching appointment?
• You can't go back to the same offfices with access monthly?
• Do you still leave samples? Have not seen samples in a long, long time.
• Beating youself up in driveway because you cannot see physicians is not your fault.

The easiest, best paying job I ever had......then it wasn't. I do believe it was one of the better jobs in 60-80s.

No managed care, sampes galore, marginal rules, total anononymity. whole saler numbers is what you sold.

However, in most cases to be a rep you had to have medical or pharmacy clinical experience at some capacity. Not always, but Lilly for example, hired pharmacists primarily in the 60s and 70s. Expecting travel was heavy.

As anticipated, there will be very few representatives as AI and digital impact set a new standard in the industy.

It's easy to get stuck in the mindless proces to pay the mortgage and damn hard when you leave. People are resilent.

After all these years, I never understood how the #3 territory out of 500 was vacant for 18 months and reamained #3. Life's great mysteries. It was like the joke was on us but no one let us in on it.

Respecftully.

It was always a bad industry and always will be.

Do you even understand how these pills are made? It is just a business.

Civilization did BETTER without this industry around. Do you really think companies spend all this money on R&D, and that is the reason to justify the cost for these pills? Pills that have side effects that do more harm than good. Its a total mess.

I don't take any medicines for a reason, and I am in a great shape, physically and mentally.
The recent rise in "happy pills" is alarming as well. Had a bad day at work? Well, take these pills, etc. This is just a normal part of life, especially these days with all the micromanagement and lack of freedoms for man.

I can't go into detail here, but do more digging into this. There is not only a profit motive, but other "things" in play with this industry that are about "things" you never considered because you think this industry is actually "good". Not good. Never was. Never will be.

 

[anonymous]

Awesome input, and great observations and questions about how to navigate in today's environment. It isn't easy, and those of us still in after decades of this are just trying to keep our heads down and stay under the radar. It is 100% because of the financial and flexibility aspects, and the hope is to be able to stay on as long as possible, make wise financial investments, find a way to not internalize the dysfunction of the industry. Most importantly, it is about getting out when the time is right. I am tired of people judging those of us staying in for being weak or not taking advantage of all of the other great industries or gigs out there. We stay in for our own personal reasons and the real talent is knowing yourself enough to know when the toxicity of the job is leaking too much into your life. If you have invested wisely enough, you won't have to figure out how to spin this job into something else or panic when the industry inevitably lets you go. Know what you need from this job and when you reach your own personal goal, get out.

life is short, be careful what you tolerate.

 

[anonymous]

life is short, be careful what you tolerate.

It is an abusive industry that doesn't value top performers. That is all you need to know. People that are in this industry are no longer respected out of the industry either. I also noticed that a lot of the top performers in this industry were don't lots of unethical things and getting away with it.