Over the last decade, physicians’ earning potential and satisfaction have declined in real terms. With inflation, rising operating costs, reimbursement cuts, and increased administrative burdens, doctors are asking, “How can I grow my income while increasing my work-life balance?”
If you’re a doctor who feels your income doesn’t match your effort, we have a remedy. Enter side hustles, or gigs.
So, are side hustles worth it? The answer is a resounding yes! However, not all side gigs are created equal. In this article, we cover the best side hustles for healthcare professionals, what to consider before starting, and how to maximize your income without seeing more patients or taking on more clinic work.
Why getting a side hustle is a good idea as a physician
Many doctors across specialties start healthcare side hustles for a variety of reasons. As a GP explains on Sermo:
“The field of health no longer generates enough income to meet all our needs, so we are forced to carry out other types of activities that generate income.”
Sermo recently surveyed physicians in our community to find their primary reason for starting a side hustle:
41% say earning extra income is the main benefit.
21% of physicians take on a side hustle to improve their skills.
17% value the opportunity to expand their professional network.
12% of doctors choose a side gig to build their reputation
A growing number of physicians are opting for part-time roles, citing reasons ranging from work-life balance to pursuing personal interests or entrepreneurial ventures. These roles provide more freedom and time to explore opportunities outside of traditional clinical work while maintaining a steady income.
“Having an additional hustle and bustle is necessary, some more than others to be able to meet our needs, in addition to improving our style and quality of life. Do it not only in the health field but in other tasks that help us generate income. Today the world economy is unstable being a salaried employee is less and less influential in improving our quality of life.”
21% of physicians take on a side hustle to improve their skills.
And 17% value the opportunity to expand their professional network.
Benefits of working a side gig as a physician
According to a recent Sermo survey, 46% of physicians have a passive income. Here are the primary reasons doctors across nearly every specialty are joining the side hustle movement.
1. Extra income
Earning extra money is a leading reason for starting a healthcare side hustle. Over one third (38%) of Sermo survey respondents report earning between $1,000 and $15,000 annually from their side gigs. Interestingly, older physicians (age 60+) are just as likely to pursue side hustles as younger ones, reflecting a trend toward diversifying income sources and addressing burnout.
Side hustles also provide a financial cushion amid stagnant or modest physician salary growth and increasing dissatisfaction with compensation. As a pediatrician and Sermo member shares:
“Side hustles can be a great way to diversify income, explore personal interests, and achieve financial goals.”
2. Flexible Hours
The average physician is already working over 40 hours per week, so flexibility is a must. Physician side hustles offer relaxed work hours, enabling doctors to choose when and how much they work, which is crucial given their demanding and unpredictable clinical schedules. Many side gigs let physicians work during free moments, such as evenings or weekends, helping them maintain a better work-life balance.
3. Skill Diversification
Side hustles for medical professionals provide a paid outlet to develop and apply new skills outside of clinical medicine, such as consulting, medical writing, or teaching. Taking on diverse roles broadens their expertise, strengthens their professional capabilities, and can even increase job satisfaction. Healthcare side hustles make physicians more well-rounded and better prepared for career shifts.
4. Reduced Burnout
Side jobs for doctors can ease burnout by offering a mental break from routine clinical tasks and adding variety to your work life. Side gigs aligned with personal interests or passions help doctors recharge emotionally and support overall well-being. These activities promote autonomy and creativity, which counteract the stress and exhaustion common in medical careers.
5. Professional Networking
Healthcare side hustles expose physicians to different industries and professional groups, enabling them to expand their networks beyond traditional settings. Collaborating with other professionals in consulting, tech, or writing fosters connections that can benefit career development and innovation. A broader network supports career resilience and opens new opportunities.
6. Career Exploration
Side gigs let physicians explore alternative career paths or interests without abandoning clinical practice. They can experiment with roles in healthcare technology, education, research, or entrepreneurship, helping them identify potential future jobs or passions. This exploration supports long-term career growth and adaptability in an ever-changing healthcare landscape.
7. Increased Financial Security
Additional income from side hustles improves physicians’ financial security by supplementing often stagnant salaries and helping pay off debt faster. This extra income also affords opportunities to invest, save, or fund personal goals, reducing financial stress. When combined with passive-income wealth-building strategies, such as index funds, real estate investing, or high-yield savings accounts, side gigs can quickly add up to a sizable supplement to your salary.
75% of surveyed physicians already use telemedicine in their practice (up from 14% in 2018) to make their day-to-day workflows more efficient and create space to refocus on mental health and schedule flexibility. Telemedicine doctors earn as much as, and sometimes more than, they do during regular clinic hours. Plus, you can save time and energy by seeing patients through telemedicine.
Telemedicine is a side gig for doctors that provides a lot of flexibility – a rarity in the medical industry. For physicians who specialize in adult or pediatric care and psychiatry, telemedicine is specifically a great option. Niche websites offer calls for certain specialties, but telemedicine opportunities are available to most physicians, especially those in internal medicine, family practice, dermatology, or pediatric specialties.
2. Medical surveys
Paid medical surveys are the most straightforward way to earn extra income. 33% of surveyed physicians on Sermo report participating in medical surveys. You get paid to share your opinion with pharmaceutical companies, market research companies, and clinical researchers. Most survey companies compensate participants per survey, while some pay per hour (especially for focus groups, interviews, and advisory board opportunities). Generally, the longer the survey, the more income you will earn.
Paid medical surveys for physicians utilize your specialized knowledge to facilitate new research studies and contribute to the latest medical developments, making them one of the most fulfilling side incomes for physicians. You can complete as many surveys as you want, whenever you want, since most platforms don’t have a minimum requirement.
Physicians can register for a free Sermo account and start taking surveys in minutes. Top sites like Sermo match you with survey opportunities based on your expertise and send them straight to your inbox. For a complete guide on earning extra income with surveys, visit our complete guide to taking paid surveys
3. Chart or utilization review
Physicians perform chart or utilization reviews by auditing medical records for accuracy and compliance, often on a freelance basis. This side hustle requires board certification and offers flexibility to work remotely on a schedule that fits yours. Average pay varies, with many earning substantial supplementary income while supporting quality patient care and regulatory adherence.
4. Medical writing
In a recent Sermo survey, 12% of physicians have engaged in paid medical writing at some point. Many research companies, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, and medical institutions pay doctors substantial amounts to write articles.
Medical writing can be a valuable side gig for physicians, allowing them to leverage their medical knowledge and writing skills to communicate scientific information in simple terms. It offers flexible hours and the option to work remotely, providing an additional income stream without significantly affecting clinical work.
Furthermore, medical writing can support your career development by strengthening research, critical analysis, and communication skills, which are essential in many roles. Interested in writing with Sermo? Contact us today.
5. Expert witness work
When medical cases reach the courtroom, an attorney may need to call upon a med-legal expert to inform the prosecution or defense. Offering your services as a consultant can pay more per hour than seeing patients or doing clinical work. Primary care physicians typically earn $340–$450/hour, with specialists pulling in $450–$600/hour. Some specialties, such as PM&R, dermatology, and urology, average around $600–$735/hour.
If you need to actually appear in a courtroom, it is not unheard of for a doctor to clear their schedule and receive a handsome payout of $10,000 per day. Some doctors may even receive a retainer from an attorney or legal group they work with regularly.
Medical expert witness work is one of the most lucrative side hustles available to physicians. Additionally, it typically involves sharing your knowledge and experience in the pursuit of justice.
6. Locum tenens work
As the medical employment environment evolves, more physicians are exploring locum tenens jobs as an option outside traditional employment or private practice. Locum tenens is a Latin term meaning “placeholder” and refers to physicians who step into practices or hospitals that need additional staffing or are temporarily short-staffed. See our guide on the best locum tenens staffing companies to get started today.
As an OBGYN writes on Sermo, “I can honestly say it has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. One of the biggest advantages was regaining control over my schedule while still earning competitively—sometimes even more than in traditional roles. Transparency in pay structure is crucial, especially when considering physician jobs as an independent contractor. The average salary can be quite compelling.”
7. Teaching or speaking (CME, adjunct faculty)
Physicians can earn extra income by delivering Continuing Medical Education (CME), lecturing at universities, or serving as adjunct faculty. 10% of physicians in our survey have been paid for teaching or speaking engagements. Establishing yourself as a subject matter expert and networking in academic circles can open doors to paid speaking and teaching engagements. This can strengthen your professional standing while supplementing your income through flexible, fulfilling roles.
8. Review health insurance claims
Like expert medical witness work, health insurance companies also call on medical professionals in their line of business.
Reviewing insurance claims can be time-consuming, as they often come with lots of charts and statistics. However, committed doctors with the time can potentially earn thousands every month doing this work.
Most cases involve doctors who billed for a procedure the insurer suspects was elective. If an insurer appeals a claim, an independent doctor must review it.
Connecting with an insurer and offering your services as an independent medical reviewer is an excellent side hustle for doctors.
How to find the best physician side gigs
There are numerous ways to find side hustles for doctors, but these methods have proven to be the most effective:
Join a trusted physician community:Sermo offers additional income opportunities for physicians, as well as a place to network and collaborate with peers working on side projects. Physicians in the Sermo community have collectively earned more than $25 million in the last year from taking medical surveys. They also receive the latest medical news updates, complimentary physician resources, easy and secure ways to collaborate, and the ability to network with doctors worldwide across 97+ specialties.
Your feedback can help shape the future of medicine. Suppose you’re ready to seize new opportunities and further your personal growth. In that case, we encourage you to join our market research and social network for doctors and partner with more than 1 million physicians worldwide.
Use LinkedIn to connect with doctor side hustles: go to the search bar and enter the job category (like “physician witness”). You can also set your job interests for these categories to receive email alerts when these types of jobs become available.
Start earning extra with side gigs and Sermo
Physician side gigs offer a compelling solution for doctors who want to earn extra income and combat burnout without compromising their demanding schedules. These flexible, low-risk opportunities offer a practical way to meet financial goals and improve work-life balance across most medical niches.
Among the most accessible options are telemedicine, medical surveys, and chart review work, each providing unique benefits and accommodating diverse expertise. To find and engage with real, vetted side-gig opportunities, join Sermo’s most trusted physician community. By embracing these diverse avenues, physicians can secure their financial future, sharpen their skills, and enjoy more flexibility.
How paid surveys work:
Curious about how to get started? Start earning in 3 simple steps:
We’ll send an email invitation to complete a survey that’s tailored to your unique qualifications
You complete the survey. Surveys have expiration deadlines and a limited number of available respondents, so we recommend acting fast!
You’ll receive your honoraria, which you can redeem in multiple different forms of payment, including Amazon gift cards or a Mastercard debit card. The choice is yours.
Get started immediately
If you’d rather not keep refreshing your inbox in hopes of receiving a survey invitation, you can log in to Sermo and click on the “Surveys” tab in the top right-hand corner of your screen. This is where you’ll find all open surveys. Just be sure to review the participant criteria, and you’re all set.
Physicians registered with Sermo have collectively earned more than $25 million in the last year from taking medical surveys. They also receive the latest medical news updates, complimentary physician resources, and easy, secure ways to collaborate and network with doctors worldwide across 90+ specialties.
Your feedback can help shape the future of medicine. If you’re ready to seize new opportunities and grow professionally, we encourage you to join our market research and social network for doctors and partner with more than 1 million physicians worldwide.
Ready to start earning through your expertise? Join the HCP community that Newsweek ranked among America’s Best Online Platforms for 2026.
