Medical sales specialist vs outside sales

The differences between medical sales specialists and outside sales 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 an outside sales takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an outside sales has an average salary of $77,292, which is higher than the $69,959 average annual salary of a medical sales specialist.

The top three skills for a medical sales specialist include patients, medical devices and medical sales. The most important skills for an outside sales are customer service, product knowledge, and ongoing support.

Medical sales specialist vs outside sales overview

	Medical Sales Specialist	Outside Sales
Yearly salary	$69,959	$77,292
Hourly rate	$33.63	$37.16
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	76,398	333,400
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	2	4

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 an outside sales do?

An outside sales representative is responsible for generating the company's sales and revenues by offering goods and services to existing and potential clients, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the products, and researching on possible leads. Outside sales representatives monitor the current industry trends to identify new business opportunities that would help the business adjust to market changes to achieve profitability goals. An outside sales representative must have excellent communication and customer service skills, immediately resolving complaints and assisting on marketing promotions to gain sales prospects.

Medical sales specialist vs outside sales salary

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

	Medical Sales Specialist	Outside Sales
Average salary	$69,959	$77,292
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $102,000	Between $56,000 And $104,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Arlington, VA
Highest paying state	California	New Hampshire
Best paying company	Medline	Morgan Stanley
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Manufacturing

Differences between medical sales specialist and outside sales education

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

	Medical Sales Specialist	Outside Sales
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Medical sales specialist vs outside sales demographics

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

	Medical Sales Specialist	Outside Sales
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2%	Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7%
Race ratio	Black 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, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between medical sales specialist and outside sales 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.

Outside sales example responsibilities.

Plan logistical outside sales route, planned/schedule sales calls with web-base CRM program, manage various sales cycles.
Manage and create all content distribute via various social media outlets: Facebook, twitter, feedback blogs, etc.
Perfect the craft of upselling customers.
Prepare material estimates/bids for houses, windows, doors, trusses, etc.
Increase existing customer base and generate new dealer and customer relationships within the HVAC equipment and sales.
Estimate, price, bid and follow up to all mechanical HVAC and plumbing plan and spec projects.

Medical sales specialist vs outside sales skills

Common medical sales specialist skills

Patients, 19%
Medical Devices, 12%
Medical Sales, 10%
Product Knowledge, 7%
Capital Equipment, 7%
Sales Territory, 5%

Common outside sales skills

Customer Service, 30%
Product Knowledge, 9%
Ongoing Support, 4%
Work Ethic, 4%
CRM, 4%
Flyers, 4%

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Medical Sales Specialist
Medical Sales Specialist vs Outside Sales

Updated January 8, 2025

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