to be independent of drug company control. For example, much of the negative data on hormone replacement therapy was done in Europe all the while those drugs were #1 in USA. Same with cell phone data/and brain tumors.

Most drug reps do have a college education, but it tends to be business types.
I have met two physical therapists along the way. But pharmacists and doctors are now discouraged. (they tend to balk at lying).

If you want to read about how "sterling" the drug rep business is....go to
www.cafepharma.com and click on "boards" and pick the Darkened Sample Closet (under General discussion) and/or the company boards. It is not for the faint of heart! You may be even shocked. Pfizer for Lipitor.
Lilly is interesting, they call Lilly WeLie Lilly. (Lilly has a long track record of lying during studies...goes back to Oraflex which killed people, includes Prozac lies, Cymbalta lies, and BIG Zyprexa lies).

This one is interesting:
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/sho...d.php?t=208331
"what skills have you learned to transfer to another job if you left Pharma?"

Eli Lilly board:
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/sho...d.php?t=207917
Cymbalta + Liptor warning discussion

Here is a doosey on "fake calls"
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=89452

Since some here use Cymbalta, here is another doosey:
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/sho...d.php?t=207484

(and no, I don't post there, none of it is ME! LOL). But I do read it occasionally. These are the tamer examples I could put up here, others would not be appropriate, and you'll have to discover them yourselves!

What drug companies do is an intense educational overview for reps with selected drugs. This may take a month for them, and is very narrow in scope. The companies have access to data about their competitors, and specific things they will divulge. During the Vioxx revelation, memos were published showing reps how to deflect and not answer questions about cardiac involvement. None of the negatives about SSRIs were divulged until the Attorney General of NY sued Glaxo for example, about Paxil. As the SSRIs went off patent more and more was revealed. For example there are studies showing Paxil does not work in children! (kept secret), and some studies showed Prozac less effective than placebo!
Most drug reps are chosen for personality style, (good verbal command) and appearance. You never see an average person selling drugs. They all dress to the hilt and have some sex appeal, now. Many have simple B.As. or business degrees. When I started in my profession there was a requirement that drug reps be pharmacists or doctors. That flew out the window sometime in the 80's. (perhaps earlier for some companies). And I have heard some stories about sexcapades with doctors. Best trait to have above all is to be a good convincing LIAR.