MR

MR(Medical Representative) certification system was established in 1995, by the Taiwan Pharmaceutical Outstanding Manager Club(POMC), with the aim to upgrade the quality of pharmaceutical marketing personnel, to improve the overall quality of medical care, and to protect the health of the people, and look forward to MR certification by the rollout of the system, and establish a sound ethical pharmaceutical marketing, the establishment of a world-class pharmaceutical marketing system to enhance national image and competitiveness.

MR certification system passed by 30 years, as at the end of 2024, already 3,107 medical professional marketing personnel had obtained MR certification qualifications. There are 513 personnel served at local companies, 645 at Japanese companies, 845 at Europe/American companies, 649 at the agents/distributors, and 455 at others, accounting for 16.50%, 20.08%, 27.20%, 20.90% and 14.60% respectively. Graduated from the pharmacy which is 970, accounting for 31.22%, Pharmacy related fields 717, accounting for 23.08%, Related departments of non-pharmacy graduates 1,420, accounting for 45.70%.

The promotion of MR certification system has been supported by health authorities over the years, such as Department of Health, Bureau of National Health Insurance, provincial and city health bureau and medical institutions etc. These institutions’ directors often attend personally as the training lecturers, and give affirmation and support to the MR certification system. Nowadays, the MR authentication certificate in our country is a personal qualification, and also is industry independence, issues by TPMMA. In order to be holding the MR qualification, each MR is required to undergo 120 hours of continuing education training in six years after obtaining MR certification. Nearly further, this system may impel into the national system after the enactment of legislation. The person must obtain MR certification prior to their engagement in pharmaceutical marketing, when the time comes after legislating.

MR certification system contains those elements?

1. Elementary education and training.
Training courses: Physiology, Pharmacology, drug’s biotechnology.
Training hours: 108 hours.
Courses credit: 3 credits for Pharmacology and Physiology, 2 credits for Pharmaceutical Marketing, 1 credit for Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Medical Marketing Ethics.
Participant: Graduate from non-pharmacy related department or the one working on pharmaceutical marketing area.
Training university: TAIPEI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, CHINA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, KAOHSIUNG MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, CHANG JUNG CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY)

2. Certification examination
Every want to participate in MR certification training course, must passing the certification qualifying examination. Every want to participate in MR certification training course, must passing the certification qualifying examination.
Test subjects: Pharmacology, Physiology, Marketing, Medicine Matter Laws and Incompatibility (All have exam pools)
Qualifications:
(A)Graduated from Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Nursing department in the college or above. (From January 1, 2023, this clause will no longer apply.)
(B)Completed and Graduated from Elementary education and training.
(C)Graduated from pharmacy related department in the college or above, and also studied the physiology and (or) the pharmacology with a total of six credits or more.

3. Certifications training
Training courses: Pharmaceutical management orientation, the latest marketing trend in pharmaceutical, MR certification system, physician’s point of view in MR, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy management, the price policy of National Health Insurance, pharmaceutical marketing norms, pharmacoeconomics, laws and regulations in medicine, infuse the pour medical concepts into the marketing, new trends in health care administration norms, quality ensuring plan, MR career planning. (The above courses need to be adjusted in difficult situation)
Participant: Person who passes the certification qualifying examination.

4. Continuing education
In order to be holding the MR qualifications, each MR required undergoing 120 hours educational training in six years after obtaining MR certification. The training courses should be pharmaceutical profession or other courses which related to marketing management.