Brandon Benson - Medical Sales College

Brandon Benson

Smith + Nephew

Tell me a little about your background.

I graduated from Georgia College with a marketing degree. I have a big athletic background playing baseball in college and professionally. After my baseball career ended, my first job was with an independent DME company as an associate sales rep. I knew I wanted to be in medical sales and after a few interviews with medical device companies I decided Medical Sales College was my best route.

Why were you interested in pursuing medical sales as a career?

I loved that it is a very competitive job where you can make a difference in patients' lives. I love the idea of building relationships with surgeons and hospital staff everyday and being in the O.R environment.

How did you learn about Medical Sales College?

After searching for medical device jobs for a while I found a Medical Sales College listing for an internship and then continued researching on the MSC website. When the Atlanta campus opened up I was excited and jumped on the opportunity.

What ultimately made you decide to attend?

I knew I wanted to be in this industry and I knew I didn't have a clinical background or any knowledge in the industry. I saw real value in the course and I knew it would put me in a good position to land a job.

Please describe your training experience at Medical Sales College.

I was very pleased with the class I chose. Sports medicine, Reconstruction, and Trauma were all very interesting. The instructors all provided different experiences from their time as sales reps and they all cared about preparing us to enter the industry. All of the students wanted to be there and it was a great environment to learn.

Why should someone attend Medical Sales College?

If you know you want to be in this industry and feel that your background lacks clinical knowledge this is the perfect opportunity. It is definitely worth the investment to grow your knowledge and prepare yourself for a career in the medical device industry.

How long did you try to get into the industry before attending MSC? What was that experience like?

About a year

Please briefly explain your job interview process with your hiring company.

It was about 2 weeks long from the first call being with a recruiter. That led to a short phone interview with the manager. I then did a one way video interview online, which got me to my final in-person interview with the manager and two leaders of the sales team.

What from your training did you specifically use during the interview process that ultimately helped you land your position?

I think the course format was great and there was a lot of valuable information throughout the course. The anatomy was very helpful to me since I only had a marketing background. Also, the products and procedures I learned combined with how to profile surgeons and hospitals really set me apart in interviews.

What do you know now that you wish you had known before entering the industry/attending Medical Sales College?

Before attending the class, I thought it would only be about anatomy and products/procedures. It actually had a lot more value in how to approach doctors and how to execute a short and long sales call.