So you graduated with a bachelor of science degree and you don’t want to become a doctor, dentist or work in a lab. You also don’t intend to pursue a graduate degree in science either as scientific research is not really your calling. So you might be thinking about what type of careers and jobs are open for university or college graduates with science degrees.

I was in that same situation many years ago as I felt that I would prefer wearing a business suit rather than a lab coat for my working career. I wasn’t interested in Petri dishes, Bunsen burners, flasks or dissection tools anymore. I wanted to carry a snazzy briefcase and have business luncheons instead. So I was fortunate enough to stumble into a career field that I would stay in for fourteen very lucrative and rewarding years. This career was in pharmaceutical sales which turned out to be a perfect match of science and business.

There are many perks and benefits when working as a drug rep in the pharmaceutical industry. Salaries and bonuses could amount to six figures for high achievers and there is the use of a company car. Corporate expense accounts are also available for business entertaining. There are also the travel opportunities that are paid for by the company as many sales meetings as well as medical conventions are often located at nice places. Being a pharmaceutical sales representative also means that there is a lot of freedom and independence with the job as fixed working shifts are no longer the way for a drug rep. Even better is that for 95% of the time, there is no boss to look over your shoulder while on the job.

Being a drug rep also has some intangible rewards I didn’t expect when I first started. The field involves working with medical professionals to bring them useful products that will greatly benefit their patients. Drug reps with pharmaceutical sales forces can be considered as part of the overall health care team since they are playing an important role in helping patients.

So if you are a science graduate and want to do something in business rather than in a purely scientific field, consider pharmaceutical sales as a viable career option.