Selling with Integrity

Addressing Burnout in Primary Care

From products to service, Jessica Curry’s customers know they –and their patients – can expect nothing but the best.

The plan was to become a veterinarian, says Cardinal Health cardio venous sales specialist Jessica Curry. She wanted to work in some type of medical field, she recalls, and growing up around farm animals and dogs made animal health a logical career choice. But her experience caring for family members when they required assistance and her awareness of the growing nursing shortage at the time led her to pursue a dual college degree in nursing and psychology.

“I helped finance college by working part-time in a home for children with special needs – a rewarding experience that further helped mold my path,” she says. That, and her experience as a nurse assistant, exposed her to various acute and post-acute opportunities in healthcare. “My first clinical rotation was in the psychiatric ward at the VA in Fayetteville, North Carolina,” she says. “It was a true test of whether I would be able to handle some of the more challenging clinical interactions with patients. And little did I know that working at the special needs group home would prepare me to be a parent to my own special needs child many years later.”

Curry’s first job out of college was in clinical research, with a bit of nursing on the side. A few years later, she completed her MBA, which prepared her to join the medical sales industry. “My first opportunity in medical sales was as a pharmaceutical rep,” she says. “Medical sales provided an opportunity to use my clinical knowledge and experience, as well as my business acumen. Given how much healthcare has evolved over the past two decades, having both a clinical and business background has been a huge benefit with regard to customer partnerships and relevance. For instance, my past exposure to different clinical specialties, together with my experience in clinical research, showed me that all products are not necessarily equal, nor are they all the right fit for every patient.” In fact, she recommends that patients research which medications and medical products best suit them –something she deals with daily as a parent of a special needs child. “I felt confident to advocate for my son’s needs, and I’m teaching him to be resilient and persistent, just as I must be in sales.

“I’m not the kind of person who can sell just any product,” she continues. “I will only sell the best products available in each category.” It’s been important to work for companies that reflect this value, she adds –companies with a clear vision, where she can continue to learn the best ways to support her customers. She began her career in medical sales in 2002 as a territory manager at Wyeth, then joined Kinetic Concepts Inc in 2007. In 2013 she joined Covidien, which was acquired by Medtronic three years later. Then, in 2018, her division was acquired by Cardinal Health. “This year marks 10 years in my current position and 24 years in the healthcare industry.”

Meeting challenges head-on

The past three years have presented a few bumps in the road for Curry. In addition to having to navigate her way through the COVID-19 pandemic, she learned of her son’s diagnosis with autism. In both cases, she responded with careful consideration and integrity. Thanks to a positive experience growing up in a diverse community, with supportive, loving parents, she felt equipped not only to deal with these daily challenges, but to succeed at doing so.

“The pandemic changed so many things, especially how we’ve done business as vendors and as reps,” she points out. “Due to pandemic restrictions, the days of dropping by a customer unannounced were over. We were limited to communicating via email, phone calls or virtual meetings. In addition, supply chain constraints made things even more challenging. In my career, I never dealt with backorders or inventory depletions until the pandemic.” In spite of these challenges, her deep clinical knowledge and commitment to selling with integrity enabled her to continue providing her customers with the necessary products to provide the best possible patient care. “Selling with integrity means something!

“I quickly adapted to the changes, in part due to the instincts and skills I developed over the course of my career and personal life, and also because I have had wonderful mentors along the way,” she continues. “To help my customers navigate the new healthcare environment, I created cross references to a wider variety of product options. I wanted to ensure their needs were met, even when I didn’t carry the product they required. I also set up routine customer calls to create plans of action and help organize the complexities of supply chain issues. My efforts did not go unnoticed and were greatly appreciated. As it turns out, selling with integrity will always be in style.”

A diverse community

Though she wasn’t an army brat, Curry enjoyed the unique experience of growing up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near Fort Bragg. “Growing up next to the home of the 82nd Airborne was an honor,” she says. “The Fayetteville community and surrounding areas appreciated the military being there. We would always salute the many Vietnam and Korean War vets and thank them for their sacrifices. There was a true sense of pride and patriotism. During any deployments, it was clear there was an absence, bringing the community closer together.

“Fort Bragg was an open base at the time, so I was able to attend many concerts for the troops, as well as every Fourth of July celebration,” she says. “Because Fort Bragg is one of the largest army bases in the country, I was exposed to different cultures and languages early on. Retired military veterans often settled there with their families, and many of my friends who were stationed there had lived all over the world. Because of this, I was never afraid to travel or move to another area. I’ve met many people, but I’ve never felt like I’ve met a stranger – something that’s especially helpful being in sales.

“It’s very special to be surrounded by soldiers and their families, and I am truly grateful to have been part of such a special community.”