Post job

Surgical sales representative vs field technical representative

The differences between surgical sales representatives and field technical 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 surgical sales representative and a field technical representative. Additionally, a surgical sales representative has an average salary of $73,379, which is higher than the $52,665 average annual salary of a field technical representative.

The top three skills for a surgical sales representative include medical sales, product knowledge and GYN. The most important skills for a field technical representative are customer service, technical support, and customer satisfaction.

Surgical sales representative vs field technical representative overview

Surgical Sales RepresentativeField Technical Representative
Yearly salary$73,379$52,665
Hourly rate$35.28$25.32
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs124,729200,868
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4747
Years of experience22

What does a surgical sales representative do?

A surgical sales representative is responsible for selling surgical devices for health care facilities with cost-efficient offers but high-quality standards. Surgical sales representatives negotiate contracts with existing and potential clients by discussing the features and benefits of their products that would attract the clients' purchasing decisions. They also manage their business proposals by sending out e-mail campaigns or personally visiting the clients' area. A surgical sales representative must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in identifying the recent medical technology trends that would generate more revenue resources for the business.

What does a field technical representative do?

Owning wide knowledge about an application, a field technical representative ensures that the customer knows how to use any application by providing technical support and solving issues if one arises. They also give advice on what application is best to use for a certain concern. They can also evaluate and give an honest review to further improve the application. They help companies install the application and apply every bit of enhancements incorporated in it to the best of their advantage.

Surgical sales representative vs field technical representative salary

Surgical sales representatives and field technical representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Surgical Sales RepresentativeField Technical Representative
Average salary$73,379$52,665
Salary rangeBetween $47,000 And $113,000Between $35,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City-Battle Creek, MI
Highest paying state-Maryland
Best paying company-MSC Software
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between surgical sales representative and field technical representative education

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

Surgical Sales RepresentativeField Technical Representative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Surgical sales representative vs field technical representative demographics

Here are the differences between surgical sales representatives' and field technical representatives' demographics:

Surgical Sales RepresentativeField Technical Representative
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 66.6% Female, 33.4%Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between surgical sales representative and field technical representative duties and responsibilities

Surgical sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage products in gastroenterology, cardiology, endocrinology, psychiatry, rheumatology, and OB-GYN categories.
  • Develop relationships with surgeons and other appropriate personnel within the spine product environment.
  • Recognize as a subject matter expert with insight into optimal equipment for treating patients with respiratory conditions and sleeping disorders.
  • Promote pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of allergies, hypertension, BPH, dementia, chronic bronchitis.
  • Promote Merck's asthma/allergy medication to pulmonology, allergy, otolaryngology and pediatric offices.

Field technical representative example responsibilities.

  • Serve as a SME and the main point of contact when agents and other leads have questions.
  • Update systems with new application and OS version.
  • Write, implement, and maintain SQL queries and reports.
  • Attend advanced training courses for PC OS and hardware troubleshooting.
  • Maintain the SQL database, track updates per version of server, and replace system files.
  • Handle a large volume of tech support issue via remote desktop and phone calls and performance of administrative functions.
  • Show more

Surgical sales representative vs field technical representative skills

Common surgical sales representative skills
  • Medical Sales, 13%
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • GYN, 8%
  • Surgical Procedures, 8%
  • Product Portfolio, 7%
  • Territory Sales, 7%
Common field technical representative skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Technical Support, 19%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 9%
  • Product Knowledge, 6%
  • Technical Issues, 4%
  • Cooling Towers, 3%