Career development and future prospects of PSR MCQs With Answer

As a B.Pharm student, understanding career development and future prospects of PSR (Pharmaceutical Sales Representative) is essential for mapping professional growth, skills development, and job readiness. This introduction covers key topics such as PSR roles, sales skills, product knowledge, regulatory compliance, ethical promotion, CRM tools, performance metrics, and pathways to advanced roles like Territory Manager or Zonal Head. Emphasis on networking, internships, certifications in medical sales, digital detailing, and pharmacovigilance awareness will boost employability. These MCQs are designed to deepen your conceptual understanding, prepare you for interviews, and sharpen practical decision-making in pharma sales careers. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What does PSR commonly stand for in the pharmaceutical industry?

• Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
• Pharmacovigilance Safety Reporter
• Patient Safety Regulator
• Pharmacy Systems Researcher

Correct Answer: Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

Q2. Which qualification is most directly relevant for entry-level PSR roles?

• B.Pharm degree
• MBBS degree
• MBA in Finance
• Diploma in Graphic Design

Correct Answer: B.Pharm degree

Q3. Which skill is most critical for effective PSR performance in the field?

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Advanced laboratory techniques
• Programming in Python
• Graphic design proficiency

Correct Answer: Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Q4. Which guideline or framework must PSRs follow when promoting medicines ethically?

• Code of ethics for pharmaceutical promotion (e.g., OPPI)
• General tax regulations
• Building construction codes
• Food safety HACCP

Correct Answer: Code of ethics for pharmaceutical promotion (e.g., OPPI)

Q5. What is the primary day-to-day responsibility of a PSR?

• Promoting approved drugs and medical products to healthcare professionals
• Designing new drug molecules in the lab
• Conducting surgical procedures
• Managing hospital inventory systems

Correct Answer: Promoting approved drugs and medical products to healthcare professionals

Q6. Which tool is most commonly used by PSRs to record calls, appointments, and feedback?

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
• Electronic lab notebook
• Image editing software
• Accounting spreadsheets only

Correct Answer: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software

Q7. Which metric is widely used to evaluate a PSR’s sales performance?

• Sales target achievement
• Number of lab samples processed
• Website page views
• Number of published articles

Correct Answer: Sales target achievement

Q8. If a healthcare professional reports an adverse event to a PSR, what is the correct course of action?

• Report it immediately to the company’s pharmacovigilance team
• Ignore it because PSRs cannot handle safety data
• Post about it on social media
• Tell the reporter to consult Google

Correct Answer: Report it immediately to the company’s pharmacovigilance team

Q9. A typical career progression in field sales often follows which sequence?

• PSR → Senior PSR → Territory Manager → Regional/Zonal Manager
• PSR → Research Scientist → Lab Head → CEO
• PSR → Hospital Administrator → Surgeon → Dean
• PSR → Pharmacist → Chemist → Formulation Scientist

Correct Answer: PSR → Senior PSR → Territory Manager → Regional/Zonal Manager

Q10. How does an MSL (Medical Science Liaison) primarily differ from a PSR?

• MSLs focus on scientific exchange with KOLs while PSRs focus on sales and promotion
• MSLs only work in marketing events; PSRs work in hospitals
• MSLs prescribe medications; PSRs manufacture drugs
• MSLs handle inventory; PSRs conduct clinical trials

Correct Answer: MSLs focus on scientific exchange with KOLs while PSRs focus on sales and promotion

Q11. During a product launch, which activity is most important for a PSR?

• Market research and physician (customer) mapping
• Running laboratory dissolution tests
• Designing the product packaging artwork
• Conducting hospital accreditation audits

Correct Answer: Market research and physician (customer) mapping

Q12. Which short-term certification can enhance a PSR’s employability?

• Certification in Medical Sales / Pharmaceutical Marketing
• ISO auditor certification
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• License in architectural design

Correct Answer: Certification in Medical Sales / Pharmaceutical Marketing

Q13. Which digital skill is increasingly important for modern PSRs?

• Using e-detailing platforms and digital engagement tools
• Setting up laboratory centrifuges
• Writing embedded C code
• Carpentry and workshop skills

Correct Answer: Using e-detailing platforms and digital engagement tools

Q14. What typically composes a PSR’s compensation package?

• Base salary plus incentives or commission based on sales
• Only hourly wages with no incentives
• Full stock options without salary
• Payment only in product samples

Correct Answer: Base salary plus incentives or commission based on sales

Q15. How should a PSR manage drug samples in the field?

• Follow company sample policy and maintain a proper sample log
• Leave samples with anyone who requests them
• Sell samples to cover expenses
• Discard samples after each visit

Correct Answer: Follow company sample policy and maintain a proper sample log

Q16. Which activity supports continuous career development for PSRs?

• Attending CMEs, workshops, and sales training regularly
• Only reading fiction books
• Avoiding feedback and never changing approaches
• Focusing solely on personal hobbies

Correct Answer: Attending CMEs, workshops, and sales training regularly

Q17. When a physician raises an objection about price, the best PSR response is to:

• Address concerns with clinical data, value proposition, and empathy
• Ignore the objection and change the subject
• Promise unauthorized discounts to close the deal
• Tell the physician to buy from a competitor

Correct Answer: Address concerns with clinical data, value proposition, and empathy

Q18. Which subject knowledge is most valuable for a PSR discussing product benefits?

• Therapeutics and clinical pharmacology
• Plant taxonomy
• Advanced inorganic synthesis methods
• Software development life cycle

Correct Answer: Therapeutics and clinical pharmacology

Q19. Competitor analysis by a PSR typically includes which elements?

• Product profiles, pricing, market share, and competitor promotional strategies
• Only competitor office addresses
• Competitors’ home phone numbers
• Competitors’ personal hobbies

Correct Answer: Product profiles, pricing, market share, and competitor promotional strategies

Q20. Effective territory management involves:

• Optimizing call frequency, route planning, and prioritizing high-value customers
• Visiting every doctor equally regardless of potential
• Only working on weekends
• Avoiding documentation to save time

Correct Answer: Optimizing call frequency, route planning, and prioritizing high-value customers

Q21. How can PSRs contribute to patient medication adherence?

• Educating HCPs and patients about proper use, side effects, and adherence strategies
• Prescribing alternative medications themselves
• Providing medical diagnoses directly
• Withholding information to increase prescriptions

Correct Answer: Educating HCPs and patients about proper use, side effects, and adherence strategies

Q22. Which statement reflects compliance in pharmaceutical promotion?

• All promotional material must comply with national regulatory guidelines
• Promotional claims can be made without evidence
• Promotions are exempt from scrutiny if samples are provided
• Sales targets justify any promotional practice

Correct Answer: All promotional material must comply with national regulatory guidelines

Q23. Which soft skill most improves daily productivity for a PSR?

• Time management and planning
• Ability to memorize long poems
• Expertise in abstract painting
• Proficiency in foreign cooking

Correct Answer: Time management and planning

Q24. What type of data should a PSR regularly record in CRM after each call?

• Appointments, prescribing feedback, customer concerns, and follow-up actions
• Personal travel photos
• List of unrelated shopping items
• Private messages between colleagues

Correct Answer: Appointments, prescribing feedback, customer concerns, and follow-up actions

Q25. What detail on a PSR resume most attracts hiring managers?

• Quantified sales achievements (targets met, prescriptions gained)
• Number of hobbies listed
• Favorite movies
• Unrelated volunteer work without metrics

Correct Answer: Quantified sales achievements (targets met, prescriptions gained)

Q26. Which practice is prohibited under most pharmaceutical promotional codes?

• Offering gifts or inducements to influence prescription decisions
• Providing scientific literature to support claims
• Arranging unbiased educational events
• Reporting safety data promptly

Correct Answer: Offering gifts or inducements to influence prescription decisions

Q27. Which activity most directly improves a PSR’s short-term job prospects?

• Completing internships, field training, and building professional networks
• Starting an unrelated hobby club
• Changing career every month
• Ignoring feedback from mentors

Correct Answer: Completing internships, field training, and building professional networks

Q28. What is a common reason for promotion from PSR to Territory Manager?

• Consistent achievement of sales targets and demonstrated leadership
• Always being the youngest employee
• Completing only theoretical exams without field results
• Refusing additional responsibilities

Correct Answer: Consistent achievement of sales targets and demonstrated leadership

Q29. How can analytics help a PSR improve efficiency?

• Identify high-prescribing doctors and optimize call plans based on data
• Predict the weather for travel plans only
• Replace clinical knowledge with algorithms
• Reduce documentation to zero

Correct Answer: Identify high-prescribing doctors and optimize call plans based on data

Q30. Which role typically handles clinical trial coordination rather than field sales?

• Clinical Research Associate (CRA)
• Pharmaceutical Sales Representative (PSR)
• Medical Sales Representative
• Field Marketing Executive

Correct Answer: Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

Download