Marvelous teeth... and a reputation for not being above skullduggery

Much of my life is spent dealing with pharmaceutical sales representatives (aka 'drug reps').  These are the perfect physical specimens you see chatting to the receptionist whilst you're waiting to see your doctor.  It's a strange sort of career; you're degree educated, generously paid and you work for a well-known, well-respected company yet what you actually do is of questionable value.

For fifty or so years drug reps barely registered in the public consciousness; unless you worked in the health care profession or for a pharma company you didn't know the job existed.  I'm always meeting people who are genuinely bemused that a brand new life-saving medication needs a sales force.

Over the last few years reps made their way onto the edges of popular culture; Heather Locklear in 'Scrubs', Catherine Heigl in 'Side Effects' and Jake Gyllenhaal in Love and Other Drugs.  As beautiful as these actors are for once they're probably a representative sample of the profession they're portraying.

My favourite observations about drug reps in pop culture come from a 2009 discussion thread on the fansite for the American version of the reality show 'Survivor': -

"Is it me or is there a pharmaceutical sales rep cast every season?  Does casting have a booth at pharmaceutical sales conferences?  This season it's Natalie; Gabon - Corinne; Palau - Stephanie; Thailand - Penny.  I'm sure the list goes on.  Evidently it's a job exclusively for women."

"Daniel from Panama also falls into that category."

"I can think of a few reasons for having sales reps as regular cast members, as well as people from certain other fields:

1) there are a lot of pharmaceutical reps in So Cal, the casting ground for Survivor.

2) they tend to be young, good looking, and have marvelous teeth.  (it's a sales job where the clients are physicians and other health professionals - clean looks are essential)

3) they have a reputation for not being above skullduggery, which makes the show more interesting

4) it's not a big deal to give up the job for the show."

"Pharmaceutical companies hire good looking men and women to go shmooze and get the attention of doctors.  At least that's what my wife says, I never worked in a hospital or office.  Heard the same story from a friend who has a father and brother and sister that work together at a clinic.  You also have to be a go getter too.  Two good qualities for being on this show."

This week I'm working with a Swedish sales team; a ridiculously beautiful subset of a population that's already ridiculously beautiful, but less of a reputation for skullduggery so I suppose that's something.