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What is a medical sales specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. John Hansen,
Ashley Strausser

As a Medical Sales Specialist, you'll identify prospective customers within an assigned area and inform the manager about it. You'll develop and maintain sales relationships with all accounts in your area. You'll serve as a link between the company and its customers regarding product information, pricing, delivery information, payments, service, and inquiries of any kind.

Also, you'll assist in developing and implementing market plans and sales strategies within the area. Moreover, you'll help penetrate accounts and add new ones to increase both sales and margin profit.

Although a bachelor's degree is the preferred educational level, a high school diploma or its equivalent is what many employers require. Candidates must have at least five years of related experience. You must possess time management skills, communication skills, and a valid driver's license. You must be familiar with Microsoft Office. The salary of medical sales specialists varies from $29,000 to $95,000, which is $52,638 on average yearly.

What general advice would you give to a medical sales specialist?

Dr. John HansenDr. John Hansen LinkedIn profile

Professor and Director, Center for Sales Leadership, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Regarding the third question, the only real way to maximize your salary in sales is to perform well against the success metrics in place in your role. Sales is, for the most part, an outcome-based profession, meaning that pay increases (or decreases) based on outcomes attained. Whatever the success metrics are in the position one is currently in, they will maximize their income to the extent that they perform well in relation to these success metrics.
ScoreMedical Sales SpecialistUS Average
Salary
5.5

Avg. Salary $69,959

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 5.15%

Black or African American 3.83%

Hispanic or Latino 14.22%

Unknown 3.71%

White 72.86%

Gender

female 49.18%

male 50.82%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Medical sales specialist career paths

Key steps to become a medical sales specialist

  1. Explore medical sales specialist education requirements

    Most common medical sales specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    78.6 %

    Master's

    10.1 %

    Associate

    7.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific medical sales specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients19.12%
    Medical Devices11.98%
    Medical Sales9.89%
    Product Knowledge6.70%
    Capital Equipment6.64%
  3. Complete relevant medical sales specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical sales specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical sales specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical sales specialist resumes.
  4. Research medical sales specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Demonstrate strong teamwork skills by partnering with Novartis counterparts and other pharmaceutical consultants to achieve company and individual goals.
    • Coordinate memory screenings working primary care and neurology practices using Eisai develop tools to increase Alzheimer's awareness.
    • Increase market share of cardiology, endocrinology and antibiotic products in the Chicago region.
    • Train and educate referral sources and patients on Medicare coverage criteria guidelines.
  5. Prepare your medical sales specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical sales specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a medical sales specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable medical sales specialist resume templates

    Build a professional medical sales specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your medical sales specialist resume.
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
    Medical Sales Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for medical sales specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a medical sales specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first medical sales specialist job

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Average medical sales specialist salary

The average medical sales specialist salary in the United States is $69,959 per year or $34 per hour. Medical sales specialist salaries range between $47,000 and $102,000 per year.

Average medical sales specialist salary
$69,959 Yearly
$33.63 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do medical sales specialists rate their job?

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Medical sales specialist reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

I like helping people and physicians find out about products that can improve their lives. Company car is great too.

Cons

Some offices are just rude


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Marketing products from a traceable companies to consumers and providing a good service to the clients .


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

Working with individuals in general. I'm a huge people person and love the relationships I have now as all of my referral sources are my close friends!

Cons

Wear and tear on vehicle


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.