While searching the internet to find education for pharmaceutical reps, I came across the website for the National Assn of Pharmaceutical Representatives (NAPRx). NAPRx offers training to become a certified pharma rep in two different manners. A student can take a course thru one of 300 universities at a cost of $1600, or buy the manual and take the test solo for $230. This also provides membership to Naprx and access to their job postings, and so on. I took the cheaper route, paid $230 and got the manual. That is where the problem started. The manual is rife with errors in content, contains typos throughout, and is poorly organized. It is also contradictory in several major areas. Upon calling NAPRx, the problem was blamed on the publisher, though I'm not sure how the publisher screwed up the book's organization. I was also told ferociously by Ann Schmidt, who repeatedly stated that she wished she hadn't answered the phone when I called, that she had contacted all the colleges that are using the textbook and that none of them complained about the errors. When I stated that I was a college graduate, and that I had never had a text book this bad, she retorted that it was a "Vocational" course. I guess that means that you shouldn't expect high quality at that level of education.
I was also confused and disappointed by their promise to provide current job listings. After attaining certification, I looked at the postings. The newest posting was 30 days old (this was blamed on their interns) and they didn't link with actual jobs. They merely took you to corporate websites, which I could have done through a google search. One link actually took me to another job posting site called INDEED. Then you had to go thru the whole process of setting up an account without knowing if there was any actual job to begin with.
Sadly, I've been disappointed by the lack of professionalism and low quality that has been exhibited by this organization both in the training manual and by one of the people with whom I've conversed. For a vocation that insists on attention to detail, professionalism and concern for the client, it is sorely lacking at NAPRx. $250 is a lot to spend to get so little in return from NAPRx. I'm just glad I didn't spend $1600 to take it from a college.
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