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Hospital sales representative vs pharmaceutical sales representative

The differences between hospital sales representatives and pharmaceutical sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a hospital sales representative and a pharmaceutical sales representative. Additionally, a hospital sales representative has an average salary of $93,625, which is higher than the $68,571 average annual salary of a pharmaceutical sales representative.

The top three skills for a hospital sales representative include patients, territory sales and healthcare professionals. The most important skills for a pharmaceutical sales representative are patients, pharmaceutical products, and develop strong relationships.

Hospital sales representative vs pharmaceutical sales representative overview

Hospital Sales RepresentativePharmaceutical Sales Representative
Yearly salary$93,625$68,571
Hourly rate$45.01$32.97
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs165,793102,935
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 85%
Average age4747
Years of experience22

What does a hospital sales representative do?

Hospital sales representatives sell medical supplies to clinics, hospitals, doctors, and facilities. The representatives promote their company's products like medical equipment and/or pharmaceutical products. They increase product awareness, provide advice, introduce new products, and answer queries. It is also part of their job to explain the benefits and features of the products. They are expected to be responsive, keep their patient in mind, communicative, have good customer service, and should be knowledgeable in medicine.

What does a pharmaceutical sales representative do?

The job of pharmaceutical sales representatives is to inform and educate doctors about a company's medical and pharmaceutical products. They serve as the link between a company and healthcare professionals to hit sales targets. They have varied responsibilities, including assessing clients' needs and presenting suitable products, delivering product samples, and working sales teams to develop and implement brand strategies. This role's qualifications include relevant work experience, excellent communication, sales, negotiation skills, and a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Hospital sales representative vs pharmaceutical sales representative salary

Hospital sales representatives and pharmaceutical sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Hospital Sales RepresentativePharmaceutical Sales Representative
Average salary$93,625$68,571
Salary rangeBetween $62,000 And $141,000Between $42,000 And $110,000
Highest paying City-Boston, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry-Pharmaceutical

Differences between hospital sales representative and pharmaceutical sales representative education

There are a few differences between a hospital sales representative and a pharmaceutical sales representative in terms of educational background:

Hospital Sales RepresentativePharmaceutical Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 85%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Hospital sales representative vs pharmaceutical sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between hospital sales representatives' and pharmaceutical sales representatives' demographics:

Hospital Sales RepresentativePharmaceutical Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 58.9% Female, 41.1%Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between hospital sales representative and pharmaceutical sales representative duties and responsibilities

Hospital sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage products in gastroenterology, cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, rheumatology, and OB-GYN categories.
  • Educate clinicians at top teaching institutions across the southeast on appropriate care and therapies for critically ill patients.
  • Promote Genoptix Oncology/Hematology diagnostic services in the private oncology clinic and hospital laboratory.
  • Trained/developed influential physician advocates for product lines, including top gastroenterology practices and recruiting top physicians as regional speakers.
  • Acquire knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and diseases to sell respiratory equipment and nebulizer medication.

Pharmaceutical sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage and establish relationships within specialty urology and neurology markets to drive new and existing therapies.
  • Demonstrate strong teamwork skills by partnering with Novartis counterparts and other pharmaceutical consultants to achieve company and individual goals.
  • Manage Santa Rosa/San Francisco territories, marketing and selling respiratory, urology, cardiology to pharmacies and primary care physicians.
  • Retail sales division promoting drugs in gastroenterology, endocrinology, pain management and infectious disease.
  • Call on and maintain relationships with primary care physicians, cardiologists, nephrologists, internists, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists.
  • Call on primary care physicians, cardiologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, and vascular surgeons.
  • Show more

Hospital sales representative vs pharmaceutical sales representative skills

Common hospital sales representative skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Territory Sales, 7%
  • Healthcare Professionals, 6%
  • Medical Sales, 6%
  • Sales Quota, 6%
  • Sales Growth, 5%
Common pharmaceutical sales representative skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Pharmaceutical Products, 8%
  • Develop Strong Relationships, 6%
  • Territory Management, 5%
  • FDA, 4%
  • Business Plan, 4%