Opportunities in Pharmaceutical Sales Training

1. Opportunities in Pharmaceutical Sales Training Lynne Lederman, PhD Freelance Medical Writer AMWA DVC 2009 Freelance Workshop © 2009 Lynne Lederman

2. But it’s really… • Education • Medicine • Science • Pharmacology • Clinical trials • Treatment guidelines • Competitive therapies • Managed care

3. The Customer • Pharmaceutical Companies • Often indirectly • Project or account manager • Trainers • Medical, legal, and regulatory reviewers • Agencies • Directly • Medical communication • Medical education

4. The Audience • Pharmaceutical sales representatives • District managers • Account managers • Regional business managers • Medical science liaisons (MSL) • Clinical nurse consultants (CNC) • Medical directors • Patients

5. Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives • “Detail” to • Doctors, hospitals, formularies • Free-standing blood banks, infusion centers • Persuade clients to use their drugs • Varied educational background • May represent several unrelated therapies • Won’t represent all of a company’s drugs

6. MSL/CNC • Advanced degrees • RN, PhD • May interact with MDs conducting trials for drug approval • May interact with peers to promote approved drugs

7. MDs • Educate other MDs • Background on rare conditions for which drugs are being developed • Can provide copies of publications • Off-label use (MDI department)

8. Patients • Rarely part of a formal sales training program • Package insert instructions for patients • Patient registries

9. Roles • Writers • Editors • Illustrators • DTP • Project managers • SME • Train the trainers/workshop leaders • Others

10. Writers • Love explaining science and medicine • Specific content knowledge or expertise • Helpful qualities • Respect for deadlines • Knowledge of how drug development and sales work • No fear of “selling” • Knowledge of managed care

11. Editors • Instructional editing • Instructional design • “Adult learning styles” • Copy editing • Style guide • Write • Compile

12. Illustrators and DTP • Computer-based graphics • Hand drawing now rare • DTP • Templates • Layout and design • Graphics

13. Project Managers • Interaction and coordination • Client • Writers • Editors • Illustrators • DTP • Production • Scheduling • References

14. SME: Subject Matter Experts • Not always used • On client side • Most often MD • May be the medical reviewer • On agency side • Independent expert • Could be a knowledgeable writer

15. Trainers and Workshop Leaders • “Train the trainer” • Workshops

16. Others • Proposal developers • Agency business account managers • “Going over to the dark side”

17. Types of Content • Self-study modules (still usually print) • On-line computer-based training (interactive e-learning—multimedia) • Audio scripts • Video scripts • Workshops (in person) • Physician monographs • Non-specific support material • Off-the-shelf products: monographs, games

18. Subject Matter • Whatever is in development and approaching approval • Pharmaceuticals • Trend for agents used in long-term therapy • “Boomers” • Diagnostics • Kits, equipment, reagents • Devices • Heart valves, stents

19. What the “Target” Expects • Product knowledge • Clinical data: efficacy, safety • Reimbursement • Formulary/compendium status • Disease state • Current therapies • Competitive therapies

20. Stages of a Project • Proposal • Content outline • Expanded outline • First draft • Revised draft • MLR review • Final copy for approval • Production

21. Module Organization • Self-study text • Introduction/purpose • Learning objectives • Content • Glossary • References • Structure • Advanced organizer (introduce) • Content (describe) • Summary (restate)

22. Types of Modules • A&P (“normal”) • Pathophysiology (disease state) • Diagnosis • Treatment • Product (technology, annotated PI, clinical trials) • Competitive therapies • Selling (SWOT, benefit/risk) • Managed care • Once upon a time: new vs. experienced reps

23. Module Content • TOC/index • Introduction • Chapters • Learning objectives, sections • “Enhancers” • Call-outs, boxes • Summary • Q&A (not always) • Glossary • References • Appendices (sometimes)

24. Learning Objectives • L.O.s describe measurable performances that can be accomplished • Important (need to know) • Concrete (list, identify, define) • Identifiable in text • If they are well-written, they will help with questions as well as content • Not always easy with complex topics

25. Questions and Answers • Types of questions • Multiple choice • T/F • List • Fill in blank • Matching • Usually one question per L.O. • Specifically tests the L.O. • Clear and fair • Answers • Clearly correct • Worth remembering (need to know)

26. Call-outs and Boxes • Need to know • Fast facts, pronunciation, lingo, selling tips • To avoid insulting the audience • Mixed audience • They should already know this • “Did you know” • Nice to know • Can’t resist • Usually don’t test on these

27. Background Resources • Medical texts • Community college texts • Anatomy and physiology • Nursing texts • Patient advocate sites • Peer-reviewed literature

28. Product Resources • PI • Client company web site • News releases • Pipeline • Competitors’ web sites • Ask the client

29. Keys to Success • Write well • Be knowledgeable or a quick study • Know the industry and the FDA • Specialize in a few areas • Then build your expertise • Stay up to date on advances in medicine, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, devices • Keep up with technology • Word, Templates, Acrobat, PPT, multimedia, file sharing sites

30. Should you…. • Take a writing test? • Provide writing samples?

31. Getting Started • SPBT: Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers • http://www.spbt.org/en/home/ • Vendor directory • http://memberservices.spbt.org/iMISpublic/Vendor_Directory/Default.aspx?&iSession=42b07b9d639c420688a7e653d5638c3e