Quora is a question and answer website where people go to find information. Quora is a great place to track down answers on what a medical sales career entails. Users provide their insights to a wide range of questions. Rather than sterile and perfectly formulated answers, you get raw unfiltered feedback on the medical device space. Today, I share my answers to some of Quora’s most popular questions.

1. How Can I Get A Job In Medical Sales?

This is the most common question we get here at the Medical Sales Authority. As breaking into the field can be the most challenging part. There is a lot of people in sales jobs and many desire to get into medical device sales. Therefore, the industry is competitive especially for the top jobs.

The good news is we have covered this topic in depth. Click over to our article on How To Get Into Medical Device Sales.

2. Is Medical Sales A Good Career?

It is hard to give a good answer to a broad question like this. But the short answer is yes. Medical sales can be a lucrative and fulfilling career choice. It provides the opportunity to make good money while supporting products that make a difference in patient’s lives.

Also, a medical sales career path provides a lot of variety. You may end working in a medical device role at one point in your career and a pharmaceutical job at a different stage. Within this, the jobs vary based on the physician specialty being called on. Some jobs are more relationship based and some are more transactional. Lastly, the travel and geography will vary between companies and role. The point being there is medical sales job out there suitable for any type of candidate.

3. How Do I Become A Medical Sales Representative?

At some point, it will be time to get your first medical sales job. Again, the competition can be tremendous. The first step is figuring out how to prepare a winning medical sales resume. From here, you move on to prepping for a medical sales interview. Do your research and make sure you industry. The job search process is a grind and can take some time to break into the industry. Many online community members suggest giving it one to two years after getting a couple years of business to business sales experience.

In our article Entry Level Medical Sales, we cover the characteristics companies are looking for when hiring for entry level roles.

4. How Much Revenue Do Medical Sales Reps Generate?

This is an interesting question. Partly because the answer does not really matter. Every company and every product division structures territories differently. The fact that a territory in one role does more in revenue than a territory in a role at a different company does not carry much meaning. The most important thing is how the revenue of a specific territory aligns with attaining quota and the overall compensation structure.

In my experience, most geographies pull in around two to three million in revenue. But of course this means different things at different organizations.

5. Can I Get A Medical Sales Representative Job Without A Car?

It is pretty much impossible to make outside sales calls without a car. The day to day of most medical sales jobs revolves around driving around to different customer sites. But the company typically pays for the car.

This is typically structured in two different ways. Either you are provided a company car at the time of being hired, with insurance and a gas card. Or the company provides a monthly car allowance. In the case of the car allowance, the rep will get something like $500 a month and be expected to use their own vehicle. With the second option, you will need to get your own car. Do not make this seem like a problem!

6. Which Degree Should I Study To Become A Medical Sales Representative?

This question is top of mind here at the Medical Sales Authority. The top three are biology, engineering, and business administration. Check out our article Medical Sales Rep Qualifications to learn more.

7. I Want To Get Into Medical Sales. I Have No Previous Sales Experience. What Are The Best Companies To Work For To Prepare For A Medical Sales Career?

I look at this as two different questions. The first question is about breaking into medical sales. The second question is about the best companies to work for in the industry. Unfortunately, beggars can’t be choosers. When you are first interviewing, the sole objective is get into the industry. Some entry level jobs are better than others. But the most important thing is building experience and forward momentum. Once you have some industry experience it is time to set your eye on working for one of the premier companies. At this point, read our article Best Medical Sales Companies to learn more.

Related: Check out Jacob McLaughlin’s insights after talking with reps across the industry.