Michelle Lemus, MBiotech
Business Development Manager
Michelle is currently a Business Development Manager at Intellijoint Surgical Inc. She earned her undergraduate degree from Queen’s University with a focus on biochemistry followed by a graduate degree in Biotechnology from the University of Toronto.
*The views and opinions expressed in this profile are those of the professional and do not necessarily reflect the official policies of their employer.
What made you choose this career?
I did an undergraduate internship (8 months wet-lab research) where I realized that wet-lab work wouldn’t be part of my future because it lacked the human interaction that I cherish and enjoy the most.
I decided to enroll in the Master of Biotech program at UofT to bridge the gap between science and business to better prepare myself for the transition from academia into industry.
The program provided me with a fantastic internship opportunity where I learned the nuances of the pharmaceutical industry. At first, I started working in clinical trials but soon realized that this position did not offer enough of the human interaction I had hoped for.
With this in mind, I began looking for opportunities where I could leverage my interpersonal skills while practicing the business of science and that’s how I got into sales.
Tell us what your role entails
Prior to my transition into business development, I was a pharmaceutical sales representative. Sales associates combine their knowledge of company products with their talent for customer relations to increase their company’s market share.
They identify and build relationships with healthcare professionals within the target market to inform, educate and change prescribing habits, with the end goal of improving patient care.
Their role is distinct from the role of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) as sales associates focus on customer relations, prescribing, and on-label data while MSLs focus on knowledge translation and off-label data.
What does a typical day or project in your position look like?
“You have to try new things to find out what you like. Don’t be scared to try things out and move on if they're not a fit for you.”
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It really varies day-by-day, but typically you are constantly researching and strategically identifying which healthcare professionals within your assigned geographical area would be interested in or could address patient needs better using your products.
You would reach out to them, set up meetings, and start building relationships to engage doctors and pharmacologists in conversations related to these products.
This can include discussing current and/or unmet patient needs, the benefits or unique qualities of your company’s product, and on-label questions with the ultimate goal of expanding the market share of your product.
What other advice can you give graduate students who would like to pursue careers in this industry?
When working in a lab, we become so focused on science and the project that we may not take time to explore what our future careers may be or what they might entail.
If you have identified sales as a path you want to take after graduate school, then start preparing by reaching out to people and researching about the industry, the role, and the position requirements.
Identify and strengthen skills that are required to land the position. Most importantly, understand how you can leverage and showcase your graduate experiences and skills to land the position you want.
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