Is Medical Sales Hard? What Is the Job Really Like?
Medical sales varies widely by role and territory. Here's an honest look at the hours, a typical day, travel, managers, and who tends to thrive.
Anthony Giglia
· 3 min read
I would not describe medical sales as a particularly difficult career overall. It can be rewarding, impactful, and extremely lucrative. Personally, it has completely changed my life financially.
But the experience varies so much that you can’t judge the entire industry by one role. Let’s talk about what can make the job hard and what the day-to-day is really like.
The hours depend on the role and territory
Case-heavy roles can be brutal, especially if you’re taking call. There are reps working 80-hour weeks, responding to trauma cases and constantly adjusting their schedules around physicians and hospitals.
On the other hand, there are medical sales jobs where you won’t set foot in a case at all. (Here’s how surgical and capital equipment roles compare.)
Your hours depend on the company, the role, and your specific geography. Even two reps at the same company can have very different experiences. One territory might have accounts close together and predictable case volume. Another might require long drives and much more time in the hospital.
What does a typical day look like?
Usually, it’s a combination of admin days, which you may be able to spend working from home, and days when you’re out in your accounts. Sometimes you’ll do a mix of both in the same day.
When you’re in your accounts, you might be supporting a case, meeting with a physician, providing an in-service to hospital staff, or building relationships with the team. On an admin day, you might be prospecting, following up with customers, working on a business plan, or handling the other tasks that keep your territory running.
There isn’t one typical day. That variety is one of the things I enjoy most. You work with different physicians and personality types, and you’re constantly learning. The day-to-day stays novel and exciting.
Travel can change your experience
Some reps spend most of their time at one hospital. Others cover multiple states.
If you have a large territory, you may spend a lot of time driving or flying. You might travel to an area the day before a meeting or case, stay in a hotel, and have downtime between appointments. Some people enjoy that flexibility. Others find the travel exhausting. Again, it depends on the territory.
Your manager matters, too
A boss who micromanages you can make the day-to-day more stressful. In my experience, that’s rare, but it can happen in medical sales just like it can in any other job.
As you interview, talk to reps who work with the hiring manager. Ask what it’s like working on the team and what support they receive. They can give you insight into the role that you won’t get from a job description.
Who tends to thrive in medical sales?
The people I see do well are disciplined and curious. They spend time in their accounts, value relationships, and genuinely want to help. They don’t walk in and push for a sale every chance they get.
If you consistently show up for your accounts and put the patient first, good things tend to happen.
My honest take
In my opinion, medical sales is one of the best careers you can have. You get to work with physicians, learn about new technology, and help bring solutions to patients. It’s impactful and rewarding, and there aren’t many careers where you can potentially make over $500,000 a year at a young age without a graduate degree.
The difficult parts are real, but they aren’t the same in every role. If you find that your territory, hours, travel, or specialty aren’t right for you, you can use your industry experience to pursue a better fit. That range of opportunities is another reason I think this is such a great career.
