Career transition Q&A: From the hospital to the electrophysiology team at J&J

After seven years working across cardiac catheterization labs and intensive care as a nurse in the U.K., Marco P. knew what it meant to support patients during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

What he didn’t know yet, however, was that by moving into electrophysiology at J&J he could directly apply his clinical expertise and impact patients' lives.

In the following short Q&A, Marco reflects on his career transition. Find out why he says, "I have absolutely no regrets"—and how you can join him on our electrophysiology team right now.

Q: What was your background prior to joining us?

A: I'd been working for about seven years as a nurse, primarily across cardiac catheterization labs and intensive care. I cared for critically ill patients—people experiencing cardiogenic shock or recovering from cardiac surgery, for example.

Working in cath labs, naturally, I was introduced to electrophysiology, and I saw for the first time the ways cutting-edge innovations could transform patients’ lives.

Q: What were your biggest concerns about leaving your career in nursing for a role in "sales"?

A: Leaving nursing wasn’t easy, since I was well established in my role and had invested years of education and training to get there. My perception was that "sales" simply meant selling widgets.

Since then, I’ve learned that sales is about exchanging value through partnership. This is something that occurs in healthcare settings every day, often with the goal of educating patients, supporting families or advocating for better care, to cite a few examples—we just don’t label it “sales.”

In my role as an account manager now, I’m partnering to teach, challenge the status quo and tailor different solutions to different clinical environments. It’s exciting! Every day brings new scenarios, new conversations and new opportunities to impact patients’ lives.

Q: What’s it like to be an electrophysiology manager at J&J?

A: My role involves significant planning and collaboration with a wider team to ensure we deliver the best possible support to hospitals and patients. For example, I advise healthcare providers in hospitals across central London, supporting electrophysiology teams during cardiac ablations, including 3D electroanatomical mapping. I also train hospital teams on our products and support the onboarding and development of new hires.

I feel fully embedded within the hospital environment and fortunate to work with such a large, supportive team.

Q: How have you grown since joining our team?

A: I've already been promoted three times, from Technical Specialist to Senior Technical Specialist and now Sales Specialist. Along the way, I’ve completed a growth project in intracardiac ultrasound, sat for the IBHRE exam and become involved in training new hires, both within the U.K. and across EMEA.

Q: Is it helpful to have a hospital nursing background?

A: Yes. It allows me to understand the priorities, pressures and challenges of this space. I constantly ask myself: If I were in my former position, what would I want to know? What would make my job easier? And what would lead to better outcomes for my patients?

When I decided to move into industry, one thing was nonnegotiable: I needed to feel that I was still making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. I knew that by joining J&J, my work would remain centered around improving outcomes and increasing access to the most advanced therapies available. Understanding the significant burden that arrhythmias place on patients—physically, emotionally, socially—makes this work even more meaningful, because I’m directly supporting better outcomes.

Q: How do you feel about your career transition so far?

A: I can tell you that I have absolutely no regrets. At J&J, I felt supported from the moment I made the decision to join and it has truly been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life.

Q: Any final advice for people considering a similar career move?

A: If you’re curious, reach out and initiate the conversation. Trust me, people at J&J will be open to sharing their experiences. You should also probably know that managers at J&J really prioritize well-being and work-life balance, which matters a lot. I’ve consistently found that J&J’s values align with my own.

Ready to join the team at J&J?

You can help shape the future of health and be part of what’s next—check out all of the electrophysiology jobs available at J&J right now.

Plus, sign up for our talent community if you want to stay in touch, connect with our recruiters and even find out about new opportunities as soon as they become available.