3 Things Every Doctor Should Consider Doing as a Side-Gig

Since one never knows the direction medicine is going to head over the next 10 years, here are 3 things all physicians should be seriously thinking about.

The days of physicians finishing residency and then either joining or starting a private practice, staying there through retirement, are long gone. These are different times in medicine and healthcare. The corporatization of medicine has produced a sea change in how doctors view their clinical practice, and their likelihood of staying in any position over the long-term. Of course, give any job a chance. Hopefully things work out for you and you are very happy in your position. Since one never knows the direction medicine is going to head over the next 10 years, here are 3 things all physicians should be seriously thinking about:

1. Telemedicine

We are in the throes of a technological revolution and changes are happening at breathtaking pace. The truth is that many medical consultations can occur remotely, and it’s only a matter of time before healthcare catches up with the rest of the world. If you’re a licensed physician, there are several opportunities out there to try out telemedicine on the side, and you can do so from the comfort of your own home! In fact, telemedicine opportunities are proving especially popular with working moms, who are making up an ever-larger number of the workforce.

2. Chart reviews

Medicine is a bucket load of bureaucracy. This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but chart reviews, “level of care” work, and other compliance measures that must be signed off by physicians, can also be done in an office or remote environment, and can take one away from the high-stress environment of the medical frontlines. You could even go the administration route in your own healthcare organization.

3. Other Work That Requires an MD

It could be a technology startup that wants a physician consultant, a pharmaceutical company, or an insurance organization. There are plenty of lucrative side gigs that can give any doctor an alternative experience and open new doors.

…or how about even just starting your own company if you have an entrepreneurial idea?! But it’s a really good idea to think outside the box Dr, and do something a little different on the side at these challenging times.

Suneel Dhand MD is an internal medicine physician, author and speaker. He is the cofounder of DocsDox (www.DocsDox.com), a service that helps physicians find local moonlighting and per diem opportunities. suneeldhand@outlook.com