Expectations of Your Job in Medical Device Sales
Most candidates entering medical device sales have little to no prior industry experience.
That’s normal—and expected.
Based on our experience with thousands of successful placements, nearly every candidate we work with begins in one of two roles:
- Associate Sales Representative (ASR)
- Full-Line Sales Representative
Understanding the expectations of each role is critical—not just to getting hired, but to succeeding once you are in the field. Our onboarding platform is intentionally designed around these realities.
Associate Sales Representative (ASR)
The ASR role is the most common entry point into orthopedic medical device sales.
What the Role Involves
- Supporting senior reps in live surgical cases
- Managing trays, instruments, and implants
- Learning case flow, anatomy, and surgeon preferences
- Being present in the OR—often early mornings, and potentially late nights and weekends.
What Success Looks Like
- Mastery of products and instrumentation
- Flawless preparation and attention to detail
- Calm execution under pressure
- Reliability above all else
ASRs are not hired to “sell.” They are hired to support cases without mistakes.
Full-Line Sales Representative
In some situations, candidates may be hired directly into a full-line sales role, particularly in smaller territories or emerging markets.
What the Role Involves
- Full responsibility for cases, inventory, and surgeon support
- Direct interaction with surgeons and OR staff
- Managing logistics, consignment, and scheduling
- Representing the company independently in the OR
What Success Looks Like
- High clinical and procedural competence
- Strong professional communication
- Anticipation of surgeon needs
- Ownership mentality and accountability
Even in full-line roles, clinical readiness and OR competence come before sales growth.
Why Candidate Readiness Matters More Than Experience
Medical device sales—especially orthopedics—is not learned through interviews or online coursework alone.
New reps struggle when they:
- Enter the OR unprepared
- Don’t understand tray setup or case flow
- Fail to anticipate surgeon needs
- Panic under pressure
These are the primary reasons early hires fail—not lack of motivation.
How Our Onboarding Platform Solves This
Our onboarding platform is designed for readiness, not resumes.
We Focus On:
- Role-specific expectations (ASR vs Full-Line)
- OR etiquette, hierarchy, and professionalism
- Product and procedural understanding
- Real-world case preparation
- Accountability and performance standards
Each candidate receives a custom readiness plan based on:
- The role they are pursuing
- The expectations of hiring managers
- Their individual strengths and gaps
Our Philosophy
Getting hired is important.
Being ready is what keeps you employed.
That’s why our platform doesn’t just help candidates get jobs—it prepares them to perform immediately once hired.