CSPP FAQs - Pharma Sales Training

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Making a career as a specialty pharma professional can be very lucrative and is highly coveted in both the medical and sales field. The pharma sales industry is highly competitive. Breaking into industry and securing a specialty pharma rep job can be difficult.

Certification demonstrates that you’ve attained proper industry knowledge, clinical training and pharmaceutical sales education. Certification also helps to establish your value for a long time to come.

Studies have shown that individuals who are certified in their field have higher salaries and better promotion opportunities.

CSPP is a Certification accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education / American National Standards Institute (IACET/ANSI).

You are eligible for certification if you…

  • Have completed at least a bachelor’s degree.
  • OR
  • Have 2 years of relevant professional sales experience.

Once you enroll in the CSPP program, you have up to 2 months to complete the program. There are 15 hrs of content in the program. Because the entire program is online, you can work at your own pace & comfort level to complete the program. If you require an extension, there may be a fee associated with extensions granted.

Once you are accepted, you will receive confirmation and instructions via email. The program learning content can be accessed on an online, learning management system.

It will be a CSPP professional designation. For example, John Doe, BS, CSPP.

To use the CSPP credential, you must:

  • Successfully complete all modules in the training program
  • AND
  • Pass the CSPP final certification exam

The examination is of intermediate difficulty. It is meant to assess your core competencies in the areas covered within the CSPP program.

The candidate can take the exam anywhere, anytime. The final certification exam is available on the program’s learning management system (LMS). The exam tab will be enabled once the candidate has completed all module quizzes.

The exam is offered asynchronously. That is, the candidate may sit for the exam anytime, anywhere as long as the candidate has access to the CSPP program’s learning management system (LMS).

Yes, you can retake the CSPP exam up to 4 times. Four exam attempts are included in the CSPP program cost, so there are no additional costs for retaking the CSPP certification exam. If you fail all 4 attempts, there are additional costs required to be granted additional attempts.

All four exam attempts are included in the program cost. Any additional attempts beyond the 4 provided will incur additional costs and a waiting period.

If a candidate fails the exam on the fourth try, there will be a waiting period of 1 year before retaking the exam up to four more times, and a reexamination fee of $250.00 USD.

Certificates are downloaded directly online. Alternatively, you can request to have the certificate mailed to your home.

In order to protect the integrity of the CSPP program, no exam questions or the answer key will be released to any individual or organization.

The Certified Specialty Pharma Professional is valid for two years. You’ll need to recertify at that time. Recertification requires either 10 hours of valid continuing education or successfully passing the certification exam.

While prior experience in the pharmaceutical industry is not strictly necessary for the Certified Specialty Pharma Representative (CSPR) program, it is designed with experienced pharmaceutical sales representatives in mind. The program aims to help these professionals specialize and advance their careers in specialty pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical device sales.

No. Familiarity with sales may help, but the pharmaceutical representative role is more about being a good communicator and responsive partner to the physicians you work with. This, and more, is covered in the CSPP program. No prior experience working directly in the industry is required. You do need a firm commitment to your own efforts to succeed in the industry. You also need to dedicate yourself to learning and demonstrating mastery of the program content.

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