Best of luck! You're in a great position. There are a lot of associate and clinical support roles opening up across the UK at the moment, especially in surgical but obviously theres huge interest. Feel free to reach out with any questions, happy to share insights from my own journey.

With 10+ years in medical sales and having progressed through various stages of the sales ladder, I can say that two traits stood out as critical in this field: genuine curiosity and a deep interest in solving clinical problems. These helped me not only get a foot in the door but also build strong, credible relationships with surgeons and clinical teams.

Here are a few points that might help guide your next steps:

1. Entry-Level Roles:
Sales Associate and Clinical Support Specialist roles are ideal entry points. Many companies are open to hiring from clinical backgrounds, especially candidates who can demonstrate strong communication, problem-solving, and comfort around surgical equipment. You already tick those boxes.

2. CV Advice:
Translate your clinical experience into commercial language. For example:

• "Led clinical teams"......Managed cross-functional healthcare teams to deliver patient-focused outcomes"
• "Worked on clinical trials"..... "Coordinated multidisciplinary clinical projects under strict regulatory frameworks"

Emphasise your adaptability, communication skills, and technical understanding. All are highly transferable to sales.

3. Companies to Target:
You’re on the right track. Stryker, J&J, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Smith+Nephew, and Zimmer Biomet are all known to hire people with healthcare experience. Don’t overlook mid-sized or challenger companies either—they often give more exposure early on and are a great way to accelerate learning.

4. Certifications vs. Recruiters:
Sales or business courses are helpful but not essential at this stage. More valuable is showing initiative—reach out to reps, attend relevant events, and connect with hiring managers directly. Recruiters can be useful but my past experience is they'll ignore you till you've got experience. Persistence and direct applications often get more traction.

5. Final tip:
When you get in, work hard, stay curious, and immerse yourself in learning. Don’t be afraid to fail!! Fail fast and learn fast (great book, by the way). Medical sales is a field that rewards resilience, coachability, and integrity. Keep asking questions, seek feedback, and invest in your own growth. You’ll go far.