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Medical sales specialist vs field sales representative

The differences between medical sales specialists and field sales representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a medical sales specialist, becoming a field sales representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a medical sales specialist has an average salary of $69,959, which is higher than the $48,460 average annual salary of a field sales representative.

The top three skills for a medical sales specialist include patients, medical devices and medical sales. The most important skills for a field sales representative are excellent time management, customer service, and powerpoint.

Medical sales specialist vs field sales representative overview

Medical Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Yearly salary$69,959$48,460
Hourly rate$33.63$23.30
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs76,398228,254
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4747
Years of experience24

What does a medical sales specialist do?

A medical sales specialist is an individual who advertises, markets, and distributes a specific pharmaceutical product or medical equipment to medical establishments. Medical sales specialists must manage a network of independent representatives and maintain relationships with their clients to attain territory-specific sales goals. They develop marketing strategies and business sales plans to identify key growth areas and deliver short and long-term corporate objectives. Medical sales specialists should also conduct analyses on product and market trends to achieve and exceed sales goals.

What does a field sales representative do?

A field sales representative is an employee who is employed by business-to-business (B2B) and wholesale organizations to visit leads and sell products or services to their customers in person. Field sales representatives must attract new customers and win new accounts so that they can maximize profitability within their territory. They travel around their assigned territory and visit their customers regularly to educate them on how their products can benefit them. Field sales representatives must also maintain records of all sales leads and monitor the organization's competitor, new products, and market conditions.

Medical sales specialist vs field sales representative salary

Medical sales specialists and field sales representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Average salary$69,959$48,460
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $102,000Between $26,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyMedlineVMware
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTechnology

Differences between medical sales specialist and field sales representative education

There are a few differences between a medical sales specialist and a field sales representative in terms of educational background:

Medical Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaSUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Medical sales specialist vs field sales representative demographics

Here are the differences between medical sales specialists' and field sales representatives' demographics:

Medical Sales SpecialistField Sales Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 50.8% Female, 49.2%Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical sales specialist and field sales representative duties and responsibilities

Medical sales specialist example 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.
  • Market and promote dermatology products to dermatologists and allergist in Raleigh market.
  • Secure business from a top-rate dermatology practice that have previously establish preferred vendors.
  • Show more

Field sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage new DSR's.
  • Lead seminars for the CPA community for CPE credits.
  • Develop and manage sales in major retail accounts in the Mid-Atlantic region.
  • Manage and assist a vast customer base in the market for new roofing needs after a large hail storm in Lubbock.
  • Manage merchandising and POS materials at the retail store level ensuring meticulous compliance with all current corporate initiative regulations.
  • Conduct effective group Medicare HMO/PPO presentations/seminars, as well as one-on-one field sales presentations.
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Medical sales specialist vs field sales representative skills

Common medical sales specialist skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Medical Devices, 12%
  • Medical Sales, 10%
  • Product Knowledge, 7%
  • Capital Equipment, 7%
  • Sales Territory, 5%
Common field sales representative skills
  • Excellent Time Management, 17%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Medicare, 6%
  • Account Management, 6%
  • Sales Presentations, 5%