"She finished the induction training. She can start on Monday."
Finishing training and being ready are not the same thing.
Kirkpatrick's well-known model of training evaluation separates how people felt about a course from what they actually learned. Level two asks a simple question: can they show it?
Before a new rep in my teams goes solo, I want to see four things:
Product knowledge. Can they answer a doctor's common questions accurately, in their own words? Memorised slides fall apart at the first follow-up question.
A full call. One complete call with a friendly doctor, with me watching. The pieces often work separately in role play and come undone together in a real clinic.
The hard question. A side effect or a competitor question, answered honestly and accurately, even under pressure.
Compliance basics. What they may say, what they may not, and how to report a side effect. This protects the rep and the doctor.
Three habits keep it fair. We agree the checklist on day one, so there are no surprises. "Not ready yet" means more practice, not failure. And when we sign off, we do it together and I tell the rep what they did well.
The hardest part is resisting the pressure of an empty territory.
“Certify what they can show, not what they have attended.”
Lesson 8 of 12 in Step 7: Hiring and onboarding, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.