How to Ace a Medical Sales Ride-Along

During a medical sales interview process, you may be invited to shadow a rep for a day. That could include time in the operating room, depending on the role.

The rep is evaluating more than whether you understand the product. They’re watching how you behave around their customers, whether you came prepared, and whether they can trust you in an account. The good news is that you don’t need to know everything. You need to be prepared, observant, and respectful.

Prepare before you arrive

Ask the rep, “What procedures will we be seeing? I’d love to study up beforehand.”

Learn the basic anatomy, why those procedures are performed, and what the company’s devices do. (For a broader starting point, see how to prepare before your first medical device role.) You won’t become an expert overnight, but you’ll understand much more of what you’re watching and be able to ask better questions afterward.

Also ask what to wear and where to meet them. You may need scrubs, or the facility may require you to change into its own scrubs. Follow the rep’s and facility’s instructions rather than guessing.

Understand your role in the OR

You are there to observe. The patient and the surgical team have everyone’s full attention, and you should never become a distraction.

Be quiet during the procedure. Watch what the rep does, how they communicate with the team, and when they choose to speak. Keep your phone on silent and put away.

Most importantly, respect the sterile field. Don’t touch equipment, drapes, tables, or anything else unless the team explicitly tells you to. Give the sterile area plenty of space—I tell candidates to stay several feet back when possible—and follow the circulating nurse’s direction about where you can stand. If you’re unsure, ask before moving.

Take notes at the right time

Bring a small notebook and pen if the facility permits them. I prefer that to seeing a candidate on their phone, where it can look like they’re texting instead of paying attention.

But check the facility’s rules first, and don’t write down patient information. If you can’t bring a notebook into the room, jot down your questions after the case.

You’re naturally going to have questions. Save them for an appropriate break or the end of the procedure. The rep and surgeon need to focus on the patient.

Ask thoughtful questions afterward

Once you’re away from the case, ask questions that show you were paying attention:

• Why was that product selected for this patient or procedure?
• What was the rep responsible for before, during, and after the case?
• What concerns do physicians usually have when evaluating this product?
• How does the rep build relationships with the rest of the hospital team?
• What does success look like for someone new to this territory?

You don’t need to fire off every question you wrote down. Pick the ones that help you understand the clinical work and the business. If the rep sells capital equipment rather than implants or disposables, the business side may look quite different; here’s how surgical and capital sales compare.

Follow up

After the ride-along, send the rep a thank-you text or email. Mention something specific you learned and thank them for taking the time to show you the role. Keep that relationship going; it’s part of networking your way into medical sales.

That’s ultimately how you ace a ride-along. Prepare in advance, pay attention, respect the people and the environment, and show the rep that you’re someone they would be comfortable bringing back into their accounts.

Related articles

• Medical Device Sales Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)
• Medical Device Sales Training: How to Prepare Before Your First Role
• Surgical Sales vs. Capital Equipment: What’s the Difference?
• Is Medical Sales Hard? What Is the Job Really Like?
• How to Go From Surgical Tech to Medical Device Sales
• How to Network Your Way Into Medical Sales on LinkedIn