title: The self-perceived role and educational needs of pharmaceutical representatives: a survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite considerable debate in the medical literature about the educational utility of pharmaceutical representatives (PR), little is known about their attitudes towards their role as marketers and/or educators, their ability to provide comprehensive information about products and their learning needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were mailed to 606 PRs from five Canadian pharmaceutical companies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 309 (51%) respondents, 98% strongly agreed or agreed they had a role in educating doctors, while 52% strongly disagreed or disagreed their main goal was marketing. Overall, 92% agreed they had received adequate training to perform a well-informed detail, and 96% reported the information they provide is accurate. The majority (66%) felt a university-accredited program would improve the quality of their detailing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most PRs believe their main goal is education. Despite most reporting that they had received adequate training, they felt that a university-accredited educational program would improve the quality of detailing. The number of years that a PR spent in the industry appears to have an effect on how they perceive their role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Henderson Site, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. odonnm@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D004345:Drug Industry; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D012380:Role; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce