Medical School Then Sales

Should I go to medical school if I want to become an executive at a pharma company?

There are 3 typical paths to becoming an executive at a pharma company. Which one depends on what and how the particular company conducts its business. That is, how does it operate. I have met my share of pharma and medical device executives.Perhaps the most common path is through the sales route. After all, the most important aspect of any business is being able to be profitable and this is done through sales and marketing. There are plenty of drug reps visiting doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc. Sales reps have all types of degrees, ranging from Bachelor of Arts and all of the way through to MD’s. Medical doctors in sales and marketing are involved more in final marketing and education. An MBA degree does help.The science route to the executive boardroom are the PhD’s in biosciences, chemistry, pharmacology, etc., entering research and development and continuing with the research from which they are recruited. The star players get to run their own projects and programs and pray for continued success. The exit from R&D into the executive suites always include getting the MBA degree.From observation, the medical school route is the longest of the 3 unless the young MD eschews medical practice and enters sales and marketing. I know of 2 MD’s who followed this route after completing PGY-1 internships and eventually direct a product line. The Board-certified MD gets the opportunity to run clinical trials. Again, most of the MD’s I know and who work in pharma do have the MBA.Getting the idea? The saying is that the cream always rises to the top. Pharma is big business. It means continuing success and increasing responsibilities. But the common factor for getting into the executive suite is the MBA.Thanks for A2A.

If I graduated from Medical School, but chose not to go to Residency, what are my options?

I have a friend who was in EE (electrical engineering) before medical school. I forget if he got a degree or not. I think he did. But he didn’t want to spend his life in electrical engineering so he attended and graduated from medical school. He decided he didn’t want to have a physicians career. He went into business with his brother, a dentist and entrepenure, designing and producing medical electrronic equipment that would diagnose neural diseases by analyzing neural responses to various stimuli. The company is successful. Neither brother went back to the professions they were trained for.Hope that gives you some ideas. Names on request

What’s the best way to succeed in medical device sales? What kind of degree should I pursue post bachelors?

Many successful medical device sales reps do not necessarily have a Master’s degree. A Bachelor’s degree in any concentration (for example: Business Administration, Management, etc.) is enough to be taken seriously by a recruiter. Your success in medical sales will primarily depend on your competitive nature, along with your ability to strategically go after key accounts within your territory and create value for your customers. You can also try starting in an entry-level marketing position at the company’s head office; take the opportunity to co-travel with and support sales reps, and then go into sales after 1–2 years.

What do premeds do if they don't get into med school?

I know some people that did not get into med school that really wanted to become doctors. Some re-applied and got in the second or even the third time. In the meantime, as they re-applied they often did something health related like worked in labs doing research, continued their education in masters or Phd programs, spent time in the Peace Corp, served as medics in the Armed Forces, or became nurses or paramedics and then later on got accepted to med school. I'm not sure if they had that much better a resume or if that experience rounded them out and they seemed to be a more complete person and in that way were more attractive to admissions deans.I also know people that didn't get in and attended foreign med schools. They then completed internships/residencies/fellowships in the U.S. and became very capable and successful doctors. They attended med schools in India, Philippines, Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico.I also know people who didn't get in and felt that it was not all that important for them to be a doctor. They still wanted to work in a health related field. Instead, they got Phd's in biology, chemistry, anatomy, or pathology and became professors in med school. Some became dentists, oral surgeons, and some became psychologists. Others didn't want to continue school and became pharmaceutical or medical device reps and made good living in sales. Some of the medical device reps spend time in the operating room instructing and observing physicians putting in a new device like a hip or knee or using a new type of catheter or stent. You can be sure that Intuitive Surgical has lots of reps in lots of operating rooms when they roll out their Da Vinci robotic devices.Others became nurse practitioners, physician assistants, radiology techs, radiation therapy techs, nurse anesthetists.I also know people that got into med school and decided that being a doc  wasn't for them.  One of my friends quit after the first year and happily became a Volvo mechanic. A few others finished school, never treated a patient, and went to work for biotech or pharmaceutical companies.It's a great big world out there with lots and lots of choices/opportunities for smart, hard working, and caring people. If not getting in to med school is the worst thing that happens to someone, consider it a very lucky life.