Nearly all of us have seen the Pharma Industry in action. Either as a part of it or observing the customer interface while waiting in a doctor's chamber ; The Medical Representative or commonly known as the MR. The image of the MR you see is not very flattering to the Pharma Industry.
From being the cream job 2 decades back ,it is now the domain of missed (or misplaced ) aspirations and mediocrity.
While debates may go on as to why the Pharma Industry is not able to attract talent , one thing is clear. What is missing in today's MRs is the basic pride in the job. As someone has said that to get respect from others we must first respect ourselves. Majority of the MRs today do not respect themselves. It is evident in the way they carry themselves in public as well as in the clinic.
If you happen to hear a group of MRs talking amongst themselves in the waiting room , you will understand what I mean. Be it the content ; gossip ,bad mouthing company , bosses , customers , policies or be it the language used.
The communication 'skills' displayed in the clinic makes one sympathise with the doctors who bear at least 20-25 MRs DAILY....
We look in the mirror and we see the same face staring at us for the last 3 decades. Realization hits us when we see the old graduation photograph.
Realization hit me when I happened to meet a 75 year old gentleman last month. A pharma industry veteran of more than 4 decades experience in Pharmsales. The erect posture , the clear spoken English , the firm handshake spoke of an era gone by. The era when Pharmaceutical Selling was a coveted profession. An era when a doctor would consider a Pharmaceutical MR as not only as an equal but as a prospective son in law.
That , my friends was what this industry was about.
A far cry from what it is today...Don't you think?
From being the cream job 2 decades back ,it is now the domain of missed (or misplaced ) aspirations and mediocrity.
While debates may go on as to why the Pharma Industry is not able to attract talent , one thing is clear. What is missing in today's MRs is the basic pride in the job. As someone has said that to get respect from others we must first respect ourselves. Majority of the MRs today do not respect themselves. It is evident in the way they carry themselves in public as well as in the clinic.
If you happen to hear a group of MRs talking amongst themselves in the waiting room , you will understand what I mean. Be it the content ; gossip ,bad mouthing company , bosses , customers , policies or be it the language used.
The communication 'skills' displayed in the clinic makes one sympathise with the doctors who bear at least 20-25 MRs DAILY....
We look in the mirror and we see the same face staring at us for the last 3 decades. Realization hits us when we see the old graduation photograph.
Realization hit me when I happened to meet a 75 year old gentleman last month. A pharma industry veteran of more than 4 decades experience in Pharmsales. The erect posture , the clear spoken English , the firm handshake spoke of an era gone by. The era when Pharmaceutical Selling was a coveted profession. An era when a doctor would consider a Pharmaceutical MR as not only as an equal but as a prospective son in law.
That , my friends was what this industry was about.
A far cry from what it is today...Don't you think?
