Amy Longhurst

Medical Representative - Innovex Australia

Graduated in:

2004

Course completed:

Bachelor of Science majoring in biomedical science

Currently working for:

Innovex Australia

How long have you been working for this organisation?

4 months

Position title and short job description:

I work as a Medical Representative in the area of cardiovascular health. Initially this requires a lot of additional training to learn the product knowledge for our client’s prescription medication. Now that I’m comfortable with this information, I call on different doctors each day to discuss our medications. This involves learning about the doctor’s prescribing habits, answering any questions about the medications, discussing relevant clinical papers, and offering insights into the situations in which our medications can make a difference in the lives of patients.

Working highlight so far:

Having doctors genuinely respond to the information we provide, and hearing their positive anecdotes about patients whose lives have improved under these new prescriptions. It’s great to know that we’re working with doctors towards the same goals.

What are the things you enjoy most about your job?

The role offers incredible flexibility and is very rewarding. Actually using the science I learned in my degree in my everyday vernacular builds incredible confidence. There’s also a huge social aspect as I’m constantly in and out of different clinics, so I’m able to build relationships with the clinic staff.

An area in which you have needed assistance:

It’s definitely a challenging position. It takes a lot of nerve to walk into a clinic uninvited and ask to speak to a busy doctor, and there are many instances in which I’ll simply be turned away. In the end however, provided I stay positive and motivate myself, I find that every day is enjoyable.

What do you intend to do in the future?

I’d like to stay in the pharmaceutical industry, because it’s very dynamic and there is such a variety of roles to work in. I think pharmaceuticals will always remain fresh and exciting because medicine is constantly developing and improving.

#1 tip for current students studying your course:

Get to know your tutors. They’ve done it all before and are your best source of help, as well as usually being hilarious.