RMSR Medical Sales Designation from a Graduates Perspective

I know a lot of successful sales representatives are interested in attaining a job in medical sales. As a result, I wanted to create this posting to give people a barometer to help them determine if the RMSR designation would help them get hired by a medical sales company.

1. I have completed and passed the RMSR Medical Sales program and examination.
2. I also have a bachelor’s degree which is required by many companies.
3. In addition, B2B sales experience is often a requirement which I have as well.
4. Networking: Many members in my family are in the health care community or in medical sales. In addition, I have lived in my community for 30 years so I am well networked.

Now that a basis is determined I will keep you updated as to my success in establishing employment with a quality medical sales company. In addition, I will continue to study the information within the NAMSR program and post my comments as to the programs overall quality.

Please, feel free to ask me any questions. Please, post to the forum or e-mail me at JNovak4@tampabay.rr.com. I will try my best to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

My review of the program:

The RMSR program presented by NAMSR is a self study program that can be completed quickly if one has the time or spaced out over an extended time period. I believe that even if you complete the program promptly it is important to continue to review the industry terminology. With that being said I think most people would want a general idea as to the quality of the program.

The program is broad based covering everything from medical devices, exciting new technologies, genetics/Human Genome Project, anatomy, regulations (FDA, OIG, AMA, Adva Med, Stark Laws and HIPPA), managed care (MCO’s), Medicare, Medicaid, over 1,000 medical/disease terms and how to read clinical studies and papers. In addition, a lot of focused medical sales based education is covered, such as, how to sell to hospitals, physicians, managed care organizations, hospitalists, the pharmacy department, formulary committees, utilizing hospital displays, clinical papers and the medical education department. In addition, more broad based sales training is discussed: relationship building, prospecting, presenting, asking for the order, territory management, route planning, attitude, time management and organization.

As you can probably already see it covers a lot (from A-Z). However, the author(s) do go into detail but in regards to product knowledge it leaves a lot to be desired. However, I believe this will best be done by the company that hires you since it is their device/product.

Overall, I give the education an A. The presentation is well organized, the information is easily comprehended, and most important I believe the program will be useful if the job seeker is hired.

I have been advised to get my RMSR Certification. Is the only way to get it at www.medicalsalescareer.com ?

Three cheers for the NAMSR (National Association of Medical Sales Reps)which has further raised the bar by requiring that all new medical sales applicants who want to work in the industry meet industry and certification standards. These standards are required by hundreds of medical device companies. Medical sales rep and especially anyone looking to break into a medical sales career would do well to get their RMSR Certification.

I think it's an extremely comprehensive program-the RMSR Certification is designed to help people enter a medical sales career and allow medical device employers to hire trained applicants. The four important components of the system involve medical industry knowledge, healthcare industry selling techniques, medical industry selling regulations, and medical terminlogy. Many companies are requiring NAMSR members and new hire to participate in the RMSR certification program. This is the only program I've seen designed to help both medical sales applicants and the medical equipment companies.

I just found a job as a medical sales rep with Owens & Minor. I love the job so far but I have only been there just over a month. I found the job through the NAMSR Employment Center and I would recommend the NAMSR to anyone. You should look into their medical sales training program--it helped me.

Erica in Pompano Beach, Florida said: I just found a job as a medical sales rep with Owens & Minor. I love the job so far but I have only been there just over a month. I found the job through the NAMSR Employment Center and I would recommend the NAMSR to anyone. You should look into their medical sales training program--it helped me.

Erica, did you have previous B2B experience and a bachelors degree and if so in what?

MedSales in Tampa, Florida said: I know a lot of successful sales representatives are interested in attaining a job in medical sales. As a result, I wanted to create this posting to give people a barometer to help them determine if the RMSR designation would help them get hired by a medical sales company.

1. I have completed and passed the RMSR Medical Sales program and examination.
2. I also have a bachelor’s degree which is required by many companies.
3. In addition, B2B sales experience is often a requirement which I have as well.
4. Networking: Many members in my family are in the health care community or in medical sales. In addition, I have lived in my community for 30 years so I am well networked.

Now that a basis is determined I will keep you updated as to my success in establishing employment with a quality medical sales company. In addition, I will continue to study the information within the NAMSR program and post my comments as to the programs overall quality.

Please, feel free to ask me any questions. Please, post to the forum or e-mail me at JNovak4@tampabay.rr.com. I will try my best to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

Great, I will keep watch to see what you say about your success with that.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you Diane and the rest of the staff of NAMSR. I just recently passed the RMSR exam. I would not have done it without your assistance and all the learning I received from the NAMSR Training Manual. The added RMSR Certification credential has been big factor in my resume as I am now getting called for numerous medical sales interviews.

MedSales in Tampa, Florida said: My review of the program:

The RMSR program presented by NAMSR is a self study program that can be completed quickly if one has the time or spaced out over an extended time period. I believe that even if you complete the program promptly it is important to continue to review the industry terminology. With that being said I think most people would want a general idea as to the quality of the program.

The program is broad based covering everything from medical devices, exciting new technologies, genetics/Human Genome Project, anatomy, regulations (FDA, OIG, AMA, Adva Med, Stark Laws and HIPPA), managed care (MCO’s), Medicare, Medicaid, over 1,000 medical/disease terms and how to read clinical studies and papers. In addition, a lot of focused medical sales based education is covered, such as, how to sell to hospitals, physicians, managed care organizations, hospitalists, the pharmacy department, formulary committees, utilizing hospital displays, clinical papers and the medical education department. In addition, more broad based sales training is discussed: relationship building, prospecting, presenting, asking for the order, territory management, route planning, attitude, time management and organization.

As you can probably already see it covers a lot (from A-Z). However, the author(s) do go into detail but in regards to product knowledge it leaves a lot to be desired. However, I believe this will best be done by the company that hires you since it is their device/product.

Overall, I give the education an A. The presentation is well organized, the information is easily comprehended, and most important I believe the program will be useful if the job seeker is hired.

Are there colleges to take the training or is it all down by correspondence?

Rachel said: Are there colleges to take the training or is it all down by correspondence?

As far as I know this particular program is not offered through any colleges. The course was self paced and taken through the use of an accompanying manual. When you feel that you are ready you can then proceed to complete the examination. The exam is taken online and is open book. However, it is timed and you won't have much time to flip through your book; therefore, it is important that you do know the majority of the material. Personally, I would not rate the exam as being very difficult. It was moderate to easy in its difficulty level. In my opinion the designation is just another way to broadcast yourself as a job seeker who is focused on attaining a career in medical sales.

On another note I have seen a few private courses (in particular for orthopedics) offered on the internet. Many of these private organizations even have their own mock hospitals to allow the students to experience a doctor/sales person experience. The courses seem intriguing but are offered at a steep price.

Good luck!

Update: I did not receive a job offer based on the designation and I attribute my lack of success to the current state of the economy. In addition, I would say that many top tier medical sales companies are complex in their hiring process. Their hiring procedures limit them by not allowing them to become inundated in the skill sets that a job candidate posses without some element of good fortune shining (odds game) upon the candidate.

I don't have a degree and received my RMSR about 3 years ago. I work for a Cardiology company presently but looking to get into Orthopaedics. If anyone hears anything please post here. The RMSR programs is very valid and they have good leads for people looking to break into a medical device sales career.

Erica in Pompano Beach, Florida said: I just found a job as a medical sales rep with Owens & Minor. I love the job so far but I have only been there just over a month. I found the job through the NAMSR Employment Center and I would recommend the NAMSR to anyone. You should look into their medical sales training program--it helped me.

Did you get your RMSR Certification through the association.

A Tucker in Chicago, Illinois said: I think it's an extremely comprehensive program-the RMSR Certification is designed to help people enter a medical sales career and allow medical device employers to hire trained applicants. The four important components of the system involve medical industry knowledge, healthcare industry selling techniques, medical industry selling regulations, and medical terminlogy. Many companies are requiring NAMSR members and new hire to participate in the RMSR certification program. This is the only program I've seen designed to help both medical sales applicants and the medical equipment companies.

I am interviewing with Medtronic and they are looking for me to complete the RMSR Certifcation in order to move forward with the process. Where did you get your RMSR Training? I want this job badly, please help.

Susan in Ballwin, Missouri said: From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you Diane and the rest of the staff of NAMSR. I just recently passed the RMSR exam. I would not have done it without your assistance and all the learning I received from the NAMSR Training Manual. The added RMSR Certification credential has been big factor in my resume as I am now getting called for numerous medical sales interviews.

Susan, thanks for your feedback. I have also talked with Diane and she is fantastic.

Are you all really getting hired because of the NASMR certification? Or are these marketers disguised as testimonials trying to sell you a certification? I just want the truth. I mean medical sales is probably the highest demand job in a bad job market, and they can pick and choose who they want in a large list of candidates.People with Masters and Doctorate Degrees can't find jobs in their area of expertise, so how is a quick certification going to get you hired? Also be careful with "medical sales recruiters" who want you, the job hunter, to pay them when the recruiters should be getting their cut from the billion dollar medical sales companies who are looking to hire. While not preying on the unemployed who can't afford it.

Jeffrey in Ballwin, Missouri said: I would definitely recommend the RMSR Training to anyone looking to get into medical device sales. The program is required by numerous medical companies and is the only vocational training for a medical sales career. From my research I have found that over 1000 RMSR graduates enter the industry as sales reps every 6 months. The training is very comprehensive and is now accredited. Go to www.medicalsalescareer.com for for more information.

Do you have any interview tips, I am a RMSR graduate interviewing this week with Owens & Minor. Please respond.

Endeavoring to become a Medical Device Sales rep can be challenging, but equally rewarding. Becoming a medical device sales rep can provide an excellent, but it also means that you can help people in need of healthcare and medical supplies.

According to recent surveys, sales of medical supplies are expected to steadily grow through the year 2014 at a rate higher than all other industries combined. For this reason, many sales professionals turn to the medical device products and supply industry to advance their sales career.

If you are looking to transition into medical sales it is vital to invest in your education to become a medical sales rep, if you do not already have a college degree that is still fine with many medical device companies. Due to an increased volume in medical sales being realized over the last few years, and stiff competition in the industry, more manufacturers and supply companies require that a medical sales rep have some medical sales training or education.

Emphasize your medical knowledge and sales experience if you do not currently possess a college degree. Many medical companies prefer that you become Certified as Registered Medical Sales Representative (RMSR). Many medical supply companies will interview you if you have the appropriate background, certification, skills and experience.

Demonstrate that you have a professional attitude, medical knowledge, enthusiasm for developing new business (this is key), excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Your first opportunity to do so will be from your resume and cover letter, followed by an initial interview (usually by phone) and finally a personal meeting.

To the person above from North Carolina who wants the truth. I received my RMSR Certification and it did qualify me for numerous medical sales jobs. It was the reason I am obtaining so many interviews. In no way did I ever expect it to get me the job or an offer. That is up to me and selling myself in those interviews. Almost all medical companies expect applicants to posess medical industry knowledge, understanding of medical terminology, operating room procedures, managed care, healthcare regulations (HIPAA, AMA, ConMED, etc.) etc. I know have all of this because of my study for the RMSR Certification. Oh, and by the way I am not unemployed.

OK, then please convince me why it is worth paying $300 for a certification. Show me a link to a legitimate medical sales company website that considers a NAMSR certification as qualification taken seriously.In other words,show me a source, other than then link you provided, which takes you directly to a pay site for purchasing the cerification.

Does anyone know of any medical sales recruiter agencies/people that does not require a payment to use their services/ or one who gets paid by the company? Any information would be appreciated

Elizabeth in Raleigh, North Carolina said: Tony,
Recruiters are paid by the company they place you with and should NOT charge a fee to the candidates. I have seen a trend where some recruiters try to sell "resume writing" or coaching, which is completely new and of some concern. If you do not have current industry experience, you are faced with an additional challenge. Most recruiters are not actually looking for candidates without current experience. There are companies that do hire candidates without experience though, but you will most likely need to apply to them directly. You may want to look at Linkedin and some of their groups. There are many quality recruiters there that seem to have solid industry experience. I am NOT a recruiter, but will provide a one hour consultation, give industry advice and a resume critique at no charge. You may contact me directly at elizabeth@clinicalstrategist.com.

Hi Elizabeth, thank you, I will contact you now along with sending my resume.

To all of the naysayers on this blog I can only tell you from my experience that they are 100% inaccurate. I recently interviewed with a top 20 medical device company who is utilizing the NAMSR to fill over 130 entry level medical sales jobs. They are looking for applicants that have received the RMSR training.

The RMSR Certification is basically a marketability booster. First, certification training listed on your resume demonstrates your ability and your desire to stay current; this is no small task in the medical industry where skills can become obsolete as quickly as they became cutting edge. Second, it shows that you take initiative, a trait many employers look for. The medical field continues to be a worker's market. Almost anyone who's any good at all is able to get work. But when it comes to landing just the position you're after, you'll always benefit by differentiating yourself from your competitors, especially when it comes to the more desirable positions.

Usually those with higher salaries and cutting edge work will have plenty of applicants lining up for consideration. Picture a hiring manager sorting through a pile of resumes, searching for clues that elevate one candidate above another. She may have six resumes that indicate the desired experience level and qualifications.

I really appreciate it what the RMSR Certification and the NAMSR did for me. I really enjoyed the RMSR Ttraining. It was interesting and informative. I enjoyed it more to your than any of my university courses which I took long ago. The Employment Center was vital as that is where I found my new medical sales jobs. Good job to all at the association.

First, certification training listed on your resume demonstrates your education, technical skills and ability to sell medical devices; this is no small task in the medical industry where skills can become obsolete as quickly as they became cutting edge. Second, it shows that you take initiative, a trait many employers look for. The medical field continues to be a worker's market. Almost anyone who's any good at all is able to get work. But when it comes to landing just the position you're after, you'll always benefit by differentiating yourself from your competitors, especially when it comes to the more desirable positions. Usually those with higher salaries and cutting edge work will have plenty of applicants lining up for consideration. Picture a hiring manager sorting through a pile of resumes, searching for clues that elevate one candidate above another.

These blog posts are very enlightening. I have 3 degrees (including pre-Med and an MBA), 15 years sales experience in the Biotech/Pharmaceutical research industry. I want to get a Medical Device or Clinical instrumentation sales job.
I had never heard of NAMSR or RMSR Certification. I can see the certification being a way to differentiate myself from the competition and showing the customer (hiring manager) that I (the product) will be more likely to meet his/her needs. Can anyone give me an estimate of the % of Med jobs out there that have it listed as a requirement? . I also agree with the comments, never pay a recruiter to find you a job. There are a lot of good ones out there that are paid by the employer. Network, Network, Network. 90% of the jobs filled are never even advertised especially in the market we have these days.

Exactly Mary from San Diego. When you ask these people who sell the NAMSR certification, they cannot point you to one company that takes this certification seriously, it is a scam. Look at any job posting and see if any med sales company list NAMSR as a certification. Or ask any real medical sales rep if they take it seriously. They don't. Take it from a job seeker who is not profiting off this product.

I think Stanley comes closest to the truth in his statement about certification showing initiative. NRMSR could be considered a competitor of ours, or at least existing in the same marketspace, so to the poster above looking for a non-biased opinion, mine could be said to as unbiased as it gets.

This field is highly competitive, and the distributor or hiring manager you are talking to is interviewing a lot of other people, many of them promising to flip business or use their existing relationships to quickly win business. Coming in from the outside, it is critical that you take every edge you can find. So it's less about whether the certification matters or is necessary to the company. It's more about the content you learn. And it's most about your opportunity to demonstrate your work ethic and desire to excel.

I appreciate the good summary in this thread from "MedSales In Tampa" as people ask us from time to time our thoughts re: NRMSR. Best of luck in your continued efforts to break into the industry.

Tom
American Institute of Medical Sales
www.aimedsales.com

Tony in Fayetteville, North Carolina said: Does anyone know of any medical sales recruiter agencies/people that does not require a payment to use their services/ or one who gets paid by the company? Any information would be appreciated

There are many, many medical sales recruiters that do not charge you to find a job. They are paid by the companies that hire them to find candidates.

Google medical sales recruiters and you'll find many.

Good luck!

Demonstrating to others that you have been board certified and have met the rigorous standards required for a medical device sales career is something worth pursuing at the first available opportunity. Why wouldn’t you want people to know how qualified you are to do your job as a medical sales rep. My company always looks for a RMSR Certified applicant. Also, to the above blogger, the NAMSR does not charge for their recruiters. BOB - J & J

The RMSR Certification helped me and now it has helped my cousin enter a career in medical sales. If you want to enter a career in medical sales the RMSR Certification will make it easier to obtain interviews and eventually job offers.

MedSales in Tampa, Florida said: My review of the program:

The RMSR program presented by NAMSR is a self study program that can be completed quickly if one has the time or spaced out over an extended time period. I believe that even if you complete the program promptly it is important to continue to review the industry terminology. With that being said I think most people would want a general idea as to the quality of the program.

The program is broad based covering everything from medical devices, exciting new technologies, genetics/Human Genome Project, anatomy, regulations (FDA, OIG, AMA, Adva Med, Stark Laws and HIPPA), managed care (MCO’s), Medicare, Medicaid, over 1,000 medical/disease terms and how to read clinical studies and papers. In addition, a lot of focused medical sales based education is covered, such as, how to sell to hospitals, physicians, managed care organizations, hospitalists, the pharmacy department, formulary committees, utilizing hospital displays, clinical papers and the medical education department. In addition, more broad based sales training is discussed: relationship building, prospecting, presenting, asking for the order, territory management, route planning, attitude, time management and organization.

As you can probably already see it covers a lot (from A-Z). However, the author(s) do go into detail but in regards to product knowledge it leaves a lot to be desired. However, I believe this will best be done by the company that hires you since it is their device/product.

Overall, I give the education an A. The presentation is well organized, the information is easily comprehended, and most important I believe the program will be useful if the job seeker is hired.

Hello!

I am convinced! I have been trying to get into medical sales. I have some sales experience, a BAS and MHA. Do I need to have some B2B experience?

PLEASE respond!

Thanks

Richard - Medical Recruiter said: Endeavoring to become a Medical Device Sales rep can be challenging, but equally rewarding. Becoming a medical device sales rep can provide an excellent, but it also means that you can help people in need of healthcare and medical supplies.

According to recent surveys, sales of medical supplies are expected to steadily grow through the year 2014 at a rate higher than all other industries combined. For this reason, many sales professionals turn to the medical device products and supply industry to advance their sales career.

If you are looking to transition into medical sales it is vital to invest in your education to become a medical sales rep, if you do not already have a college degree that is still fine with many medical device companies. Due to an increased volume in medical sales being realized over the last few years, and stiff competition in the industry, more manufacturers and supply companies require that a medical sales rep have some medical sales training or education.

Emphasize your medical knowledge and sales experience if you do not currently possess a college degree. Many medical companies prefer that you become Certified as Registered Medical Sales Representative (RMSR). Many medical supply companies will interview you if you have the appropriate background, certification, skills and experience.

Demonstrate that you have a professional attitude, medical knowledge, enthusiasm for developing new business (this is key), excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Your first opportunity to do so will be from your resume and cover letter, followed by an initial interview (usually by phone) and finally a personal meeting.

Hello Richard!

I enjoyed reading your post and am considering taking the RMSR training. I have a Master of Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Communication Arts. In addition, I have some sales training, but not B2B.

Tony in Fayetteville, North Carolina said: Are you all really getting hired because of the NASMR certification? Or are these marketers disguised as testimonials trying to sell you a certification? I just want the truth. I mean medical sales is probably the highest demand job in a bad job market, and they can pick and choose who they want in a large list of candidates.People with Masters and Doctorate Degrees can't find jobs in their area of expertise, so how is a quick certification going to get you hired? Also be careful with "medical sales recruiters" who want you, the job hunter, to pay them when the recruiters should be getting their cut from the billion dollar medical sales companies who are looking to hire. While not preying on the unemployed who can't afford it.

Even people with advanced degrees might blow it at the interview level. Medical sales jobs are usually pretty intense, multi-staged and require some kind of role playing. There's ample opportunity for someone to rule themselves out of the process, especially if they do not have any experience.

If you're looking, don't ever give up. Eventually YOU will be the best candidate.

I find it odd that no one ever states how much this course costs.

I really appreciate it what the RMSR Certification and the NAMSR did for me. I really enjoyed the RMSR Ttraining. It was interesting and informative. I enjoyed it more to your than any of my university courses which I took long ago. The Employment Center was vital as that is where I found my new medical sales jobs. Good job to all at the association.

Does anyone have an in at Intuitive Surgical. I am RMSR Certified and poseess 4 years of sales experience. I did an initial interview with them and have not heard back. I am patiently waiting and I thought the interview went extremely well. If anyone can help please respond.

I thank the National Association of Medical Sales Representatives all of time and so does my employer—Baxter. I will recommend the RMSR Certification (Medical Device Sales) training course to anyone looking to get into medical sales.

Is there and age limit for getting into medical sales? I am in my mid 50's and have 20yrs of B2B experience and looking to make a change. Any input would be appreciated.

We are looking to fill medical sales positions, if you have a RMSR Certification please email your resume to jobs@owens-minor.com

Hi, do you really work for ownes-minor or are you someone selling the RMSR certification. What is you name and contact number. I work for Owens-Minor and have never heard of RMSR certification as something taken seriously.

Yes, I do work for Owens-Minor and operate a territory in Charlotte. If you work for Owens-Minor look me up in the directory for Sales-Charlotte. Jacob, do you really work for us? Call me.

If you are RMSR Certified make sure to apply to Ethicon-Johnson & Johnson

We are thrilled with our recent RMSR Certified hires. The industry is appreciative to a trade group like yours that services all of the medical device industry needs. We truly feel that these RMSR applicants have met and exceeded the necessary industry and product knowledge. The biggest challenge we have when we look to fill medical sales positions is to find good sales rep candidates who possess medical device industry knowledge, terminology, hospital protocol, HIPPA guidedlines, etc. If reps from outside of our industry want to enter a medical sales career then they need to gain skills to be able to communicate with physician, hospitals, clinics, etc. We look forward to a long and bright future together.

hi Iam haamza ali i work a sales rep in pharmacy and hospital and midcal in alain city with pharma plus and i have exp in supermarket in alain city and abu dhabi

thank you

Is anyone interviewing for the SonoSite medical sales positions? They just called me for an interview on Friday. I am RMSR Certified but limited on expert knowledge for the products they sell, I know just what I learned from the RMSR training. If anyone is aware, please respond.

I am RMSR Certified and just went on my 2nd interview last week for a medical sales position with Orbit Medical. I have heard nothing back, if there are outsiders with knowledge of how many interviews are required to get an offer at Orbit Medical that insight would be great.

Continuing medical education is not a new concept. I am a veteran DME rep of over 24 years (Styker, St. Jude, & more) From essentially the beginning of institutionalized medical instruction (medical instruction affiliated with medical colleges and teaching hospitals), health practitioners continued their learning by meeting with their peers. A RMSR Certification is essentially the groundwork for someone to become a Medical Sales rep. Every medical device company highly values industry training and the RMSR Certification is the best at doing that for entry level applicants.

Continuing medical education (CME) refers to a specific form of continuing education (CE) that helps those in the medical field maintain competence and learn about new and developing areas of their field. These activities may take place as live events, written publications, online programs, audio, video, or other electronic media. Content for these programs is developed, reviewed, and delivered by faculty who are experts in their individual clinical areas. Similar to the process used in academic journals, any potentially conflicting financial relationships for faculty members must be both disclosed and resolved in a meaningful way. However, critics complain that medical device manufacturers often use their financial sponsorship to bias CMEs towards marketing their own products.

In the United States, many states require CME for medical sales sprofessionals to maintain their licenses. For example, Arizona requires an average of 40 hours of CME every two years. Specific associations (such as the NAMSR) are responsible for the development and implementation of all certifying examinations.

I talked to my brother who is currently a medical device rep and he speaks very highly of the RMSR Certification. The main thing he pointed out is that medical device companies want sales rep applicants who have been trained on the industry technology and terminology. That makes alot of common sense to me.

i hope find work with youer comany
and i wite the answer my mobil number
and my email hamzaodeh424@yahoo.com

How is the overall job market these days for medical sales?