CNPR Pharmaceutical Sales Training FAQ's
Unfortunately, applicants make many mistakes. The number one mistake is that applicants are not familiar with the pharmaceutical industry. Applicants who are interviewing and not familiar with the pharmaceutical company’s product lines and the therapeutic areas they are treating. Applicants are also not familiar with pharmaceutical terms, medical terminology and the Research and Development process, as well as clinical trials of the pharmaceutical company. The applicant needs to spend time preparing for their interview as well as a better understanding of the pharmaceutical industry.
A Pharmaceutical sales rep requires the combination of technical science skills and sales ability. If you want to use your scientific background in a fast paced sales environment pharmaceutical sales is the career for you. If you are lacking a medical/scientific education you can still acquire it by taking the CNPR training program. The most qualified pharmaceutical sales candidates will have some education in pharmacology, physiology, anatomy, and medical terminology. Sales experience or having sales ability such as good interpersonal skills and rapport building are essential in the interview process.
The CNPR Pharmaceutical Sales Training Program provides an entry level applicant a thorough overview of the pharmaceutical industry and necessary information they should know when interviewing with a Pharmaceutical Sales Manager or pharmaceutical recruiter. We present the information in a manner that is easy to understand and does not overwhelm the applicant with unnecessary details.
The National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives has a 14 day return policy and guarantee to anyone who purchases its product.
All pharmaceutical companies will provide some additional training to their new hires. However, company training programs are intense with lots of information to be absorbed in a short period of time. New hires must pass exams at the training programs to advance into a pharmaceutical sales job. New hires who do not score well on the exam will be sent home and typically not asked to come back. This is quite a risk to many pharmaceutical sales rep applicants. For CNPR graduates these training programs can it most cases become nothing more than review. Also, when interviewing for positions candidates with CNPR training are more attractive to pharmaceutical employers because they already have been trained.
We have been asked this question a few times and they answer is no. The CNPR Program provides an overview of the profession and is considered industry vocational training. The CNPR training consists of product knowledge, medical terminology, rules-regulations, effective drug sampling and some physician selling techniques that almost all reps utilize. Once a candidate is hired each pharmaceutical employer will train on their particular company products.
Too many times applicants pursue Big Pharma jobs with large pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, Pfizer, J & J, etc. and they ignore the medium or smaller companies such as inVentiv Pharmaceutical, PDI Pharma, Tap Pharmaceuticals to name a few. Do not limit your hiring potential by just focusing on larger pharmaceutical companies.
The National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representativesonline Career Center lists pharmaceutical companies of all sizes and their contact information. The applicant can research and contact potential employers.
Over the past 25 years, prescription drug use has grown significantly as the increased availability of better and cost-effective new medicines has changed health care practice to focus more on prevention and treatment of a growing range of illnesses with pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical innovation has been central to creating a fundamental shift in healthcare—patients spend less time in the hospital and more time at the prescription counter.
