Published by Lookforzebras
- Writing
- Physician and medical provider education
- Expert consulting
- Clinical work
- Taking paid surveys
- Concluding thoughts
Despite a fairly widespread interest in physician side gigs, many doctors feel stuck on how to get started with a side gig, where to find one, how to choose one, and how to negotiate favorable terms for the work. There is no single right way to go about it, so it’s difficult to provide advice that applies to all physicians wanting a source of extra income.
What I can offer, though, is some insight based on my own experience. I’ve had many physician side gigs that vary in how I got into them. They have also benefited my career in different ways. This post describes 5 types of physician side gigs that I’ve had and answers to these questions for each of them:
- What was the work that I did?
- How did I find the opportunity?
- How did I benefit from it – either as a source of extra income or to further my career (or both!)?
- Compared to other physician side gigs, how would I rate it?
Doctors have endless options for using their knowledge and skills. Some physician side gigs are better suited to certain doctors than others. My hope is that the information below will help you in determining what might be a good side gig option for you and guide you in taking steps to get started.
1. Writing
There are many types writing gigs for doctors. I’ve tried out several of them and currently spend a significant portion of my time on paid writing work. Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a cheerleader of writing as a both a side hustle and a full-time non-clinical job because it is flexible, can often be done from home, and is usually low stress. Moreover, most types of writing that physicians choose to do requires a satisfying blend of scientific knowledge and creativity.
Medical communications
What I’ve done: I wrote documents for pharmaceutical medical affairs and medical education, including CME content, needs assessments, physician surveys, and scientific manuscripts.
How I found it: I found my first work as a freelance medical writer through Hitt Medical Writing (now Nascent Medical), for whom I was a subcontractor. The work in this area that I do currently is a position that I found on Indeed.
How I’d rate it: Very high. I love the extent to which medical knowledge assists with high quality output as a medical communications medical writer. Moreover, since most of the funds for this type of work are directly or indirectly coming from pharma companies, the pay can be good.

Patient education materials
What I’ve done: I wrote and edited content on health-related topics for online publications intended to educate patients and the general public. This was primarily for LIVESTRONG and eHow, which are run by Demand Media, Inc (now Leaf Group).
How I found it: I applied as a writer on Demand Media’s position page.
How I’d rate it: I don’t enjoy this type of writing as much as I do medical communications geared toward a professional audience. It also doesn’t pay nearly as well, at least in my experience. For those who want to churn out a lot of content despite the low compensation, a publisher like Demand Media should be a consideration. They always had a queue full of topics that needed articles, and writers were able to search through it and claim articles whenever they wanted.

Blogging
This is the only one where I’ve truly developed an idea and grown my own business. Instead of working for someone else’s company, I’ve put in the effort for myself.
What I’ve done: I write blog posts here on Look for Zebras, generally one per week. I also offer career services, which involves writing documents like resumes and cover letters. My blog audience’s interest on the topic of nonclinical careers led me to write the book 50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians.
How I found it: I founded Look for Zebras and grew it myself. Along the way, I used various tools and services to support my progress.
How I’d rate it: I’ve learned a lot by blogging, especially about web development and marketing. My blog has grown enough that I have been able to monetize it. Although it generates income, it requires a lot of effort to maintain and consistently produce new content.

2. Physician and medical provider education
There are a lot of opportunities to participate in physician education outside of a traditional academic setting. CME companies, test prep companies, and employers seeking to improve the performance of their physician workforce are all in need of subject matter experts and educational content developers.
Clinical documentation improvement consulting
What I’ve done: I worked as a physician consultant with a company that helps hospitals implement clinical documentation improvement programs. During the implementation, I spent a week at the hospital educating providers about the program. I explained how they could contribute to its success and benefit from it.
How I found it: A job listings search engine advertised this consulting position.
How I’d rate it: I loved this work and it paid really well. Unfortunately, the large company made decisions quickly. One day, they decided to stop using physician contractors and instead have their in-house team conduct provider education.

EHR implementation support
What I’ve done: I worked as a contractor for a small company called ITphysicians and for Encore Health Resources (now emids), offering “at-the-elbow” physician support at hospitals implementing new EHR systems.
How I found it: If I recall correctly, the first company’s owner found my profile on LinkedIn and contacted me. My involvement in the first project helped me build connections and secure similar work in the future.
How I’d rate it: This physician side gigs was almost as good as CDI consulting. The pay was significantly less for EHR implementation support, though I was able to do it as a resident. It was a great opportunity as a resident. I like working with EHRs, so also found it to be a fun gig.

Test prep content development
What I’ve done: I wrote multiple-choice questions for companies that offer exam prep services to medical professionals. I also provided explanations for these questions.
How I found it: A variety of job boards, digests, and freelancing platforms, including The Hitt List, Upwork, and Indeed. My previous medical writing work made me a strong candidate when vying for these roles.
How I’d rate it: Writing multiple choice questions on scientific topics is one of my very favorite types of writing. While it can take a long time (often an hour or more) to draft a question, the fact that questions can be written one at a time makes this an ideal physician side gigs to squeeze into your sporadic free time.

3. Expert consulting
This category includes any physician side gigs work in which you provide advice or an opinion based on your knowledge of a particular topic area. When most people think of consulting, they think of large consulting firms or formal consulting businesses; however, doctors can earn income by expert consulting alongside a full time job with intermittent and short-term projects.
This physician side gigs is a bit different than the others as you need a baseline amount of expertise in something. This can a tough one to get into as, say, a resident or early career physician. But, conversely, it can be particularly lucrative for doctors with a lot of experience under their belts.
Medical legal consulting
What I’ve done: I’ve worked as a consultant for law firms, reviewing and formulating a medical opinion for medical malpractice lawsuits.
How I found it: For the first case I was involved in, a law firm contact me out of the blue. I am not sure how they got my contact information or identified me as an appropriate expert for their case. That firm then recommended me to the firm that retained me for the next case I worked on.
How I’d rate it: Medical legal work can be very lucrative. For me, though, the work is somewhat stressful.

Subject matter expert consulting
What I’ve done: I’ve conducted phone calls with clients of expert consulting networks such as Guidepoint and GLG, providing answers to their questions on a specific topic, industry, or market.
How I found it: I secured my first assignment after an employee from the network contacted me through Linkedin. I enjoyed doing a call with his client, so I signed up for a couple other expert networks after that.
How I’d rate it: I rate this physician side gigs highly. You essentially get paid to talk about a topic that you enjoy and are knowledgeable about. However, you can’t depend on having consistent work and you can’t predict when you’ll match with a client.

4. Clinical work
physician side gigs don’t need to be non-clinical. Doing clinical work on top of your regular job can have several benefits in addition to the income it generates. For example, it can allow non-clinical doctors to keep up their clinical skills. It can assist any type of medical doctors in gaining experience in an sub-field or patient population that they don’t see in their day-to-day practice.
Telemedicine
What I’ve done: I conducted telemedicine visits with patients on platforms that hire contracted physicians to work on an as-needed or part-time basis.
How I found it: I got started doing telemedicine as a side gig when I applied to be a doctor for HealthTap.
How I’d rate it: I honestly haven’t enjoyed telemedicine as much as some of the other physician side gigs that I’ve done. I’ve really only dipped my toe into the waters of all the ways that doctors can get involved in telemedicine. If I put in the time and effort, I feel confident that I could find a telemed company – or even start my own telemedicine practice – that I’d probably rate as 4 or 5 stars.

Moonlighting
What I’ve done: I’ve work as a contracted physicians for outpatient practices in my area, for both PRN and scheduled work.
How I found it: A pharmaceutical rep in the area put me in touch with the owners of two clinics that I’ve work at. For another one, a recruiter contacted me on Linkedin.
How I’d rate it: There’s something to be said for good, old-fashioned moonlighting. Clinical work is what we’re trained and licensed to do as physicians. As such, it’s a good match for our skill set and it pays well. This has been the main way in which I keep my clinical skills up to par amidst the nonclinical work that I do.

5. Taking paid surveys
Doctors can easily earn by sharing their opinions through market research surveys and interviews. While some may not see it as a true side gig since it pays an honorarium, it can still provide a valuable income stream. Moreover, it’s taxed like any other 1099 income!
What I’ve done: I’ve taken surveys offered by a bunch of different companies, on a wide array of topics. I’ve given my opinion on potential new drug names, what EHRs I like, and how I manage patients with renal disease, just to name a few.
How I found it: I joined the physician panels for each of the survey companies, my favorite of which you can read about here.
How I’d rate it: I like taking surveys because it’s an easy way to earn enough for a nice dinner out, and can be done from home in your PJs. But I wouldn’t give it 5 stars because most surveys have lengthy screening processes that take time and then kick you out when you don’t qualify to take them.

Concluding thoughts
The composite of my physician side gigs experience leads me to draw a few general conclusions:
1. To have a successful side gig, you don’t need a grand idea that will “take off.” It is completely reasonable to earn money on the side without the expectation that it will become your full-time work. Side hustles can be both lucrative and satisfying without growing into full-blown businesses or otherwise getting yourself noticed.
2. Networking isn’t the be-all and end-all of finding side gig opportunities. Neither is relentlessly searching through job postings or being part of any particular organizations. Great opportunities can be found in many ways. This is why I say you should be on the lookout for zebras in your career.
3. Like many life challenges, starting can be one of the hardest parts. Identifying and securing side gigs becomes easier the more side work that you do. You realize which strategies work best for you. Identify the types of work that fit your personal situation. You amass experience and, in some types of work, you get your name out there.
For readers interested in any of these side gigs, keep an eye on the Look for Zebras job board. It frequently has medical writing and consulting opportunities.