Med/surg sales is a pressure cooker. Whether it’s helping a customer solve an urgent supply issue, managing dozens of competing priorities across a large territory or ensuring critical supplies arrive when they’re needed most, med/surg sales representatives operate in an environment where responsiveness and reliability matter.
These young professionals share what pressure looks like in their roles, and how they have adapted to manage it.
What does pressure look like in your role on a typical day?
Melissa Spero: For me, the pressure is tied to the high standard of service I set for myself. When a customer reaches out with a need, my goal is to provide an immediate resolution. Because I pride myself on being highly responsive, the most challenging moments occur when I am navigating interdependencies. While our internal support teams are exceptional, I am constantly looking for ways to streamline those processes so I can deliver results for the customer as close to real-time as possible.
Luke Kuna: To me, pressure in this role often comes down to prioritization and execution. On any given day, there are a hundred different things I could be doing to try and drive business – customer meetings, follow-ups, project planning, demos, internal coordination, prospecting or supporting existing accounts. The challenge is determining what the best use of my time is and how to structure my day in the most effective way possible.
We receive incredible support and training from our managers and leadership team, and I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today without that guidance. But at the end of the day, once you’re out in the field, it’s up to you to decide which actions are going to create the greatest long-term impact for your territory.
One of the biggest lessons I learned early on was the difference between letting the territory control you versus learning how to control your territory. When I first started, I was much more reactive. Over time, I’ve become far more intentional about how I plan my schedule, especially covering a large geographic area. I’ve learned that I can’t justify a five-hour drive just to plug in a chair and hand out a brochure. If I’m traveling, I need to maximize that time strategically by building around one major “anchor” appointment while layering in several additional meetings, project discussions or relationship-building opportunities along the way.
That level of planning and discipline has probably been one of the biggest shifts in how I handle pressure today compared to when I first started.
Elise Mancabelli: The competitive nature of this industry is a constant, but the real pressure comes from the critical nature of the supplies we manage. We are the lifeline for these practices, and the urgency surrounding supply chain logistics, whether it’s expediting a drop-ship order or navigating delivery windows, is something I take very seriously. When I am managing those moving parts, I am always mindful that a delay is not just an administrative hiccup; it has a direct impact on patient care and the practitioner’s ability to serve their community.
Matisyn Schaut: The pressure is about organization. On any given day, I am balancing a complex portfolio of priorities: hitting performance targets, managing pricing structures, conducting customer visits, and staying current with ongoing training. Success in this role requires a disciplined approach to time management. Staying organized isn’t just about managing my own schedule; it’s about ensuring that I am fully present and prepared for every customer interaction, regardless of how much else is happening behind the scenes.
What keeps customers up at night
A significant part of the pressure customers face involves proactive inventory management, said Henry Schein’s Mancabelli. “We are essentially the backup plan for our practices, ensuring they are fully stocked for the next day’s procedures,” she said. “Naturally, there are moments of high urgency when a customer realizes at the eleventh hour that they are running low on a critical item. While those moments can be intense, they are where I believe we provide the most value. My role is to be a calm, reliable partner in those situations and to help them navigate the unexpected so they can keep their focus exactly where it belongs: on their patients.”