I will say that all Pharm reps aren’t 100% evil. The way modern medicine is run these days, MD’s have very little time to sit down and do extensive reviews of the latest advancements in medicine. Having someone take the most pertinent information and “distill” into a quick presentation, and then being knowledgable about the subject in order to answer questions about it, is a way to keep MD’s better informed about all of the available treatments out there.
Many MD’s will then do their own research to decide if it’s right for their patients. From personal experience, my father (who is a general/vascular surgeon) has been introduced to some neat technologies through reps. He is now able to do an infinitely better job at treating certain conditions than he was before learning about them. He certainly isn’t getting any kickbacks, except for making his patients healthier and happier—which is the real reason why most MD’s get into the industry. This isn’t to say there aren’t abuses going on.
You can make a hell-of-a-lot more money, with a lot less education, and not having to work crazy hours and take call at all hours of then night, not to mention the incredible stress of having people’s lives literally in your hands. Look at health insurance execs for example… the only real requirement there is to be an unscrupulous piece of human filth with no morals.