A medical device sales representative has the opportunity to make a difference in healthcare. Specifically, surgical sales reps sell medical instruments or devices to surgeons and support staff to use in the operating room, and can influence how surgeons and their teams do their jobs.
If this sounds like something that interests you, here’s what you need to know to become a medical sales rep who works with surgeons.
Just like doctors and other healthcare professionals need to choose a specialization, so do medical sales reps. This helps you choose something you’re passionate about as well as allows you to focus on the needs and offerings of your specialization.
Medical device sales reps typically need to earn a bachelor’s degree, usually in business or marketing, but to get started, you will at least need a high school diploma. Some medical sales reps obtain master’s degrees in business administration.
Once you’ve earned your degree and any necessary certifications, you may find it helpful to gain experience through internships, which may include job shadowing more senior sales reps or volunteering at a hospital or doctor’s office.
As you progress in your career as a medical sales rep who works with surgeons, you may find yourself in the OR during a surgical procedure. There are many products and devices on the market and, as such, surgeons may have a hard time keeping up with new developments.
As a result, many medical device sales reps stand in during procedures to help the surgeon understand the nuances and features of the products they’re using.
Spending time in the OR with a surgical team gives you valuable insight into the issues a surgeon may encounter while using your device. You may also get insight into how the surgeon works. You’ll see how they interact with their colleagues and what features they find valuable during procedures.
You’ll also be able to see a variety of surgical techniques. As you advance in your career, you’ll have observed hundreds of procedures from many surgeons. This can give you valuable insight into how the medical device is practically employed, ways to troubleshoot issues and what improvements or features may be beneficial in future iterations of the device. This can save time and may avert negative outcomes from incorrect device use.
This firsthand OR experience can also help you not only improve the product but fine-tune how you present your device to surgeons when you’re selling.
Addressing their pain points and offering them a solution can help them see the value in your device as well as strengthen your relationship with both surgeons and stakeholders.
There has been debate around the benefits of including device sales reps in the OR due to the fact that some sales reps participate in procedures without proper medical training or the patient’s knowledge.
So, when you’re in an OR, whether to be on hand if someone needs device support or as a shadow, keep these things in mind:
Be observant: This helps you understand more about the procedure, how the device is used during the procedure and the workings of an OR.
Respect the patient’s privacy and support safety: Most healthcare systems require sales reps to complete credentialing. These systems ensure that you have the necessary training such as HIPAA compliance for patient privacy as well as certain health assessments for patient safety.
Take notes: If appropriate, it may be helpful to write down procedures and how the device was used or issues the team using the device experience. This can help you pinpoint common issues users experience with the device or see how surgeons use the device to benefit them most.
With the right support, each of these traits can be utilized to further your professional development and grow a successful career in medical device sales.
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