The 90-Day Ramp Problem: Why New Medical Reps Take Too Long to Hit Quota
Hiring a new medical rep is expensive. Training them is slow. And every week they're ramping is a week they're not generating revenue.
Most life science companies accept long ramp times as inevitable. But the real problem isn't complexity. It's how we structure the first 90 days.
The hidden cost of slow ramp
When a new rep takes six months to hit quota, the cost isn't just their salary during that period. It's the missed opportunities, the territory coverage gaps, and the competitive ground lost while they're still finding their feet.
In pharma, the stakes are even higher. Reps who aren't ready can damage HCP relationships that took years to build. Compliance mistakes made during ramp can create problems that outlast the rep's tenure. And in fast-moving therapeutic areas, a slow start means missing the window when messaging matters most.
Yet most organisations treat ramp time as fixed. "It takes about six months to get a new rep up to speed" becomes accepted wisdom, even when it doesn't have to be true.
Why traditional onboarding falls short
The typical onboarding programme front-loads information. New reps spend their first weeks absorbing product knowledge, disease state education, competitive intelligence, and compliance training. Then they're sent into the field to apply it all at once.
This approach has three fundamental problems.
Information overload. Cognitive science is clear: people can't absorb large amounts of information in a short period. Most of what's taught in the first two weeks is forgotten by week four. The intensive bootcamp model feels productive but doesn't create lasting knowledge.
No bridge to application. Knowing the clinical data is different from discussing it with a sceptical oncologist. New reps might pass every assessment and still freeze in their first real HCP conversation. The gap between knowledge and skill is where ramp time expands.
Delayed feedback. In traditional onboarding, reps don't get meaningful feedback on their conversation skills until they're in the field. By then, bad habits have already formed. Correcting them takes longer than building good habits from the start.
What actually accelerates ramp
Faster ramp doesn't mean cramming more content into fewer days. It means rethinking what new reps need and when they need it.
Prioritise conversation readiness over content completion. What does a rep actually need to know for their first HCP interaction? Start there. Everything else can come later, introduced as the rep gains experience and context. This isn't about lowering standards. It's about sequencing learning to match how people actually develop competence.
Integrate practice from day one. Don't wait until reps have absorbed all the content before letting them practise. Interleave learning and practice throughout onboarding. After a module on objection handling, have reps practise handling objections. This reinforces learning and identifies gaps early.
Use AI roleplay for volume, managers for depth. New reps need lots of repetition to build confidence. AI roleplay tools can provide that volume without consuming manager time. But manager-led practice remains essential for nuanced feedback and coaching. The combination accelerates development faster than either approach alone.
Create early wins. Confidence matters. Design the first field experiences to be manageable. Let new reps succeed in simpler situations before facing the toughest HCPs. Early wins build momentum and motivation.
Measure readiness, not just completion. Stop tracking whether reps finished the modules. Start tracking whether they can demonstrate the skills. Practical assessments that mirror real conversations tell you far more about readiness than quiz scores.
The manager's role in faster ramp
Managers often underestimate their impact on ramp time. The difference between a manager who prioritises new hire development and one who doesn't can be months of productivity.
Effective managers schedule regular practice sessions, not just check-ins. They observe early field conversations and provide specific feedback. They adjust the development plan based on what they see, rather than following a fixed curriculum.
This takes time. But the investment pays off quickly. A rep who's confident and competent in month three generates far more value than one who's still struggling in month six.
The opportunity
Ramp time isn't fixed. It's a function of how you design onboarding, how you structure practice, and how much attention managers pay to new hire development.
Companies that rethink their approach see measurable results. Faster time to first sale. Higher early-tenure retention. Better HCP relationships from the start.
The 90-day ramp problem is solvable. It just requires treating readiness as the goal, not content delivery.
TrainBox helps life science teams practise real conversations so they're ready when it matters.