Pharmaceutical rep as a career?

I am still looking at colleges and careers. Ive been really thinking about majoring in marketing then becoming a pharm rep? Would it be hard for me to get a job as a pharm rep if i didnt have a science degree? Whats your opinion on it as a career? Any insight you have, id be grateful for! Thanks

From the pharmaceutical reps I know, it is a VERY competitive field. Most of the reps I know have science degrees. It’s also very difficult to get hired and retain your job–they have a lot of reorganizations and cutbacks.

why do you want to become a pharmaceutical rep? There are way better sales fields out there if you ask me. Why not med device or something?

As for choice of major, I doubt it really matters. If you can understand the product your selling, that’s gonna be good enough. Take what I’m saying with a grain of salt though, I’m not intensely familiar with the particular world of pharmaceutical sales.

I have a niece who did this for about five years. She did have a pharmacy degree from a large state university. It was an extremely competitive field, and unfortunately, the female reps often seemed to be judged and rewarded with promotions, better accounts, etc. based on their looks. My niece is a stunning young woman, and she did well – she just hated this aspect of the business, so she left and became a consultant to a drug manufacturing company.