Medical sales encompasses a wide range of industries, products, technologies, and career opportunities. Explore the specialties below to learn more about the products they represent, the professionals they serve, and the career opportunities available in each field.
What Is Medical Sales?
Medical sales professionals sell or represent products and solutions used throughout the healthcare industry.
Depending on the position, a medical sales representative may:
- Build relationships with healthcare professionals
- Develop new business
- Manage an assigned territory
- Educate customers about products and technologies
- Demonstrate products
- Develop hospital and healthcare accounts
- Manage existing customer relationships
- Identify new sales opportunities
- Present products and solutions
- Meet sales and revenue objectives
- Attend industry meetings and training
- Stay current on products and market developments
The day-to-day responsibilities can vary significantly depending on the type of medical sales position.
Types of Medical Sales Careers
Medical sales is a broad industry with many different specialties.
Medical Device Sales
Medical device sales professionals represent products and technologies used in healthcare, medical procedures, and patient care.
Products may include surgical devices, orthopedic products, implants, medical equipment, capital equipment, robotics, wound care products, and other medical technologies.
Explore Medical Device Sales Careers
Pharmaceutical Sales
Pharmaceutical sales representatives educate healthcare professionals about prescription medications and therapies while developing professional relationships and managing sales territories.
Explore Pharmaceutical Sales Careers
Biotechnology Sales
Biotechnology sales combines science, healthcare, and sales and may involve highly specialized products used in research, diagnostics, therapeutics, and life sciences.
Explore Biotechnology Sales Careers
Healthcare Sales
Healthcare sales can include services, technology, solutions, equipment, and other products sold to healthcare organizations, hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare customers.
Explore Healthcare Sales Careers
Surgical Sales
Surgical sales is a specialized area of medical device sales that may involve working directly with surgeons and operating room teams and providing product or procedural support.
Explore Surgical Sales Careers
Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales
Laboratory and diagnostic sales professionals represent testing technologies, laboratory equipment, diagnostic products, reagents, automation, and other solutions used by clinical and research laboratories.
Explore Laboratory & Diagnostic Sales Careers
Dental Sales
Dental sales professionals represent products, equipment, technology, supplies, and services used by dentists, dental specialists, laboratories, and dental organizations.
Veterinary Sales
Veterinary sales focuses on products and services used by veterinarians, veterinary practices, animal hospitals, and other animal-health organizations.
Explore Veterinary Sales Careers
Clinical Support
Clinical Support Specialists work with healthcare professionals to provide product education, clinical guidance, training, demonstrations, and procedural support.
Explore Clinical Support Specialist Careers
Medical Sales Engineering
Medical Sales Engineers combine technical expertise, healthcare knowledge, and professional sales to represent complex medical products, equipment, technologies, and solutions.
Explore Medical Sales Engineer Careers →
Marketing
Medical and healthcare marketing professionals develop strategies, products, brands, campaigns, and communications for organizations throughout the healthcare industry.
Executive-Level Positions
Executive-level medical sales positions include sales directors, vice presidents, commercial leaders, and other senior professionals responsible for leading teams, developing markets, and driving growth.
Explore Executive-Level Positions →
What Does a Medical Sales Representative Do?
The responsibilities of a medical sales representative depend on the product, customer, territory, and specialty.
A typical position may involve:
Territory Management
Managing a geographic territory, customer base, sales pipeline, appointments, and daily activities.
Customer Development
Building relationships with physicians, healthcare professionals, administrators, executives, and other decision-makers.
Product Education
Learning complex products and communicating their applications, features, and value to customers.
Business Development
Identifying prospective customers, developing new accounts, and expanding existing business.
Account Management
Maintaining relationships with existing customers and identifying opportunities for additional business.
Sales Performance
Meeting quotas, developing revenue, and achieving company sales objectives.
What Skills Are Important in Medical Sales?
Successful medical sales professionals typically combine sales ability with healthcare knowledge, communication skills, and business development expertise.
Communication
The ability to communicate complex information clearly and professionally is essential.
Relationship Building
Medical sales is highly relationship-driven. Building credibility and trust with healthcare professionals can be critical to long-term success.
Sales Ability
Prospecting, presenting, handling objections, negotiating, closing, and developing business are important skills.
Product Knowledge
Medical sales professionals must understand the products they represent and be able to communicate their value.
Business Development
Successful representatives identify opportunities and develop strategies to grow their territories.
Organization
Managing customers, travel, sales opportunities, follow-up, and administrative responsibilities requires strong organizational skills.
Persistence
Medical sales can involve competitive markets and long sales cycles. Consistency and persistence are important.
Adaptability
Healthcare and medical technology continue to evolve, requiring professionals to continually learn.
How Do You Get Into Medical Sales?
There is no single path into medical sales. Some professionals enter the industry with previous medical sales experience. Others transition from B2B sales, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, technical sales, business development, or clinical careers.
Relevant backgrounds can include:
- B2B sales
- Outside sales
- Business development
- Technology sales
- Pharmaceutical sales
- Healthcare sales
- Medical device sales
- Biotechnology
- Laboratory sales
- Clinical healthcare
- Technical sales
- Professional services
Many companies prefer or require a bachelor’s degree, although educational requirements vary by company, specialty, and position.
Most importantly, employers want to see evidence that you can communicate, build relationships, learn complex information, develop business, and produce results.
Learn How to Get a Job in Medical Sales
Can You Get Into Medical Sales Without Experience?
Yes. You don’t necessarily need previous medical sales experience to enter the industry. Some companies consider candidates with strong B2B or outside sales experience, while others look for specific medical, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or technical experience.
If you’re transitioning into medical sales, focus on transferable accomplishments such as:
- Quota attainment
- Revenue growth
- New business development
- Territory growth
- Major accounts won
- Sales rankings
- Awards
- Customer relationships
- Promotions
Your résumé should demonstrate what you accomplished, not simply describe what you were responsible for doing.
Learn How to Get a Job in Medical Sales Without Experience
Can Healthcare Professionals Move Into Medical Sales?
Yes. Healthcare professionals can bring valuable clinical knowledge to medical sales, particularly in medical device and surgical positions.
Potential backgrounds include:
- Nursing
- Surgical Technology
- Radiology
- Medical Technology
- Respiratory Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Other clinical healthcare disciplines
Clinical experience can help professionals understand healthcare environments, procedures, terminology, and the challenges faced by healthcare providers. However, clinical expertise and sales expertise are different.
Professionals transitioning from clinical careers should also develop skills in business development, relationship building, presentations, prospecting, negotiation, and closing.
Learn how to transition your career to a career in medical sales.
Medical Sales vs. Medical Device Sales
Medical sales and medical device sales are closely related, but they are not exactly the same.
Medical sales is the broader category and can include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, laboratory, dental, veterinary, and medical device sales. Medical device sales specifically focuses on medical devices, equipment, technologies, instruments, implants, and related products.
Some medical device positions may involve working directly in hospitals, operating rooms, or other clinical environments. Understanding the difference can help candidates identify the type of medical sales career that best matches their interests and experience.
Explore Medical Device Sales Careers
Medical Sales Education & Training
Educational requirements vary by company and position.
Many medical sales companies prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in fields such as:
- Business
- Marketing
- Biology
- Life Sciences
- Healthcare
- Biomedical Sciences
- Other related fields
Once hired, medical sales professionals typically receive training on their company’s products, sales process, customers, and market.
Depending on the position, training may include:
- Product knowledge
- Anatomy and physiology
- Clinical applications
- Sales methodology
- Competitive products
- Healthcare regulations
- Customer education
Professionals who are willing to continually learn can position themselves for long-term success.
Medical Sales Compensation
Medical sales compensation varies considerably depending on the specialty, company, product, territory, experience, and level of responsibility.
Compensation may include:
- Base salary
- Commission
- Bonuses
- Performance incentives
- Car allowance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Benefits
- Other incentive programs
Rather than focusing on a single salary range, candidates should evaluate the entire compensation opportunity.
Consider:
- Base salary
- Commission structure
- Bonus opportunity
- Quota
- Existing territory business
- Growth potential
- Travel requirements
- Benefits
- Career advancement
Medical Sales Travel & Lifestyle
Travel requirements vary significantly between medical sales positions.
Some representatives work primarily within a local territory, while others may cover multiple states or a larger regional area.
Travel may include:
- Driving between customer accounts
- Overnight travel
- Regional travel
- National travel
- Conferences
- Customer training
- Hospital visits
Certain surgical and medical device positions may also require early mornings, evenings, weekends, or on-call availability.
Understanding the actual lifestyle and travel expectations is important when evaluating a medical sales opportunity.
Medical Sales Career Advancement
Medical sales can provide several opportunities for career advancement.
Professionals may progress into positions such as:
- Senior Sales Representative
- Territory Manager
- Account Manager
- Key Account Manager
- Regional Sales Manager
- District Sales Manager
- National Account Manager
- Business Development Manager
- Sales Director
- Vice President of Sales
- Commercial Leadership
Some professionals also transition into:
- Marketing
- Product Management
- Clinical Education
- Business Development
- Sales Training
- Commercial Operations
Career advancement depends on individual performance, experience, company opportunities, and career goals.
What Employers Look for in Medical Sales Candidates
Medical companies often look for candidates who can demonstrate results, not simply experience.
Employers may consider:
- Sales performance
- Quota attainment
- Revenue growth
- Territory development
- New business development
- Relevant industry experience
- Customer relationships
- Clinical or technical knowledge
- Communication skills
- Presentation ability
- Career progression
- Leadership experience
For many sales positions, a history of successful sales performance can be one of the strongest differentiators between candidates.
Find Medical Sales Jobs
If you’re looking for a career in medical sales, explore current opportunities and learn more about what employers are seeking.
Explore Careers in Medical Sales™
Our Careers in Medical Sales™ resources provide information about entering the industry, building your résumé, interviewing, networking, working with recruiters, and advancing your career.
Medical Sales Recruiting
Global Edge Recruiting has specialized in medical sales recruiting since 1997.
Our recruiters work with medical and healthcare companies to identify sales, marketing, management, and executive professionals across a variety of specialties.
Our recruiting expertise includes:
- Medical Device
- Pharmaceutical
- Biotechnology
- Healthcare
- Surgical
- Laboratory & Diagnostics
- Dental
- Veterinary
- Clinical Support
We recruit for both established organizations and growing companies, including Fortune 500 companies and healthcare startups.
Our approach focuses on identifying candidates with the experience, skills, industry knowledge, and track record needed to succeed.
Explore Our Recruiting Expertise
Build Your Career in Medical Sales
Medical sales offers the opportunity to combine healthcare, technology, science, relationship building, and professional sales in a career with opportunities for growth.
Whether you’re an experienced medical sales professional, a successful salesperson looking to enter healthcare, or a clinical professional considering a transition into sales, understanding the industry is the first step toward finding the right opportunity.
