8. How would you approach a doctor who does not meet Medical Representatives?
Answer:
Yes, there can be doctors who are difficult to catch but many of these could be the most effective ones. In order to get hold of such doctors, you can:
i. Communicate with their staff and send your product literature.
ii. Send an email to the doctor informing them about the product.
iii. Invite the doctor to some conferences of his interest, try to build a rapport with him and ask for an appointment.
iv. Make yourself available at events where these doctors are going to be attendees.
9. You are given a list of physicians from a particular area, how will you start?
Answer:
Planning is very important before you start your work. Try to understand the area and prepare a strategy. Also, try to understand your customers and their sales potential.
To answer this question you can say: Before I start with the field work, I prepare a strategy and analyze the given data. I try to understand which doctors out of these will start prescribing my product. Also, I'll try to see if there's an influential doctor in the area whom others follow. I'll then prioritize the list and give myself a time frame to finish the calls.
10. How many sales calls can you make in a day?
Answer:
Since your sales in pharma industry depend on how many doctors prescribe your drugs, it is important to see them. Some of them will be fresh calls while others may be follow ups and relationship building calls.
Based on your past experience, tell the interviewer about the number of calls you could make, what was the best time to meet the doctors in that domain, how much time does each call approximately take etc.
You can also talk about how you plan your calls for the local retailers and stockists.
These details provide them the confidence that you really have some experience of being in the field.
11. How do you end your sales visit with a doctor?
Answer:
As a medical representative, the outcomes I expect after meeting each doctor are different and based on those expectations, I end my sales call. The expectations that we have in each case fall into one of the following categories:
i. Convince them for trial usage of product
ii. Motivate them for repeated prescriptions
iii. Convince them for extended and continued usage
12. How important is it for Medical Representatives to maintain a professional attitude?
Answer:
Professionalism is important in all the fields but a medical representative needs to possess a strong professional attitude, as they have to deal with doctors and hospitals. And, doctor is considered to be one of the biggest professions. Moreover, our products deal with human life which is the noblest thing in the world.
In order to be taken seriously by the doctors and get our share of business, maintaining a professional attitude is extremely important.
13. How will you ensure a regular supply of your brand of medicines in the area?
Answer:
Local retailers and dispensing doctors play an extremely important role in ensuring that your drugs are available when prescribed. It is one of the important duties of the Medical Representatives to ensure that the local pharmacy and stockist have sufficient stock of your drugs. If the stock is insufficient, take a P.O.B (Personal Order Booking) and get your drugs delivered to them.
14. What is your greatest strength?
Answer:
When asked about the strengths, most of the candidates can go on and on. Understand that the interviewer is actually interested in your work related strengths. He wants to find out, how can you add value to him?
So, make a list of related strengths and back them up with examples.
For e.g., you can say something like: I plan my day well in advance so that I don't miss any appointments and it helps me stay organized. Also my ability to understand the drugs well helps me have a mature discussion with the doctors and convince them to prescribe our drugs.
