Gastroenterology is a demanding and rewarding specialty. With an annual salary averaging $450,000 to $600,000, it stands as a high-paying medical specialty. Still, the day-to-day realities of the job—including a heavy call burden and the pressure of urgent procedures—can lead GIs to seek opportunities beyond their primary practice. In fact, 54% of surveyed physicians on Sermo already have a side hustle.
The good news is that the gastroenterologists’ expertise is in high demand across various sectors. GI physicians can consider various avenues for side income, from flexible remote work to high-stakes investment ventures. Apart from providing extra cash, a side hustle can allow you to gain more control over your time, potentially reducing burnout.
Among all the ways you can earn extra money as a physician, several options stand out as the most promising side gigs for gastroenterologists. Learn about flexible options that fit into a busy schedule, as well as the opportunities that tend to be the most lucrative.
Why GIs can benefit from a side gig
Earning a top-tier salary doesn’t always translate to a perfect work-life balance or even financial freedom. For many gastroenterologists, seeking diversified income streams is a strategic move driven by the following factors:
Heavy call burden and burnout
GI is notorious for its call-heavy nature. Urgent GI bleeds and other emergent procedures don’t stick to a 9-to-5 schedule, leading to unpredictable hours and a high risk of burnout. For some gastroenterologists, the extra income from a side gig can eventually open the door to a more balanced clinical schedule. Once that financial cushion grows—whether from consulting, telemedicine or expert review work—it can make it realistic to reduce call hours or shift into a less demanding outpatient or academic role. Even when the income isn’t enough to replace full-time earnings, side hustles can provide the flexibility to make career choices based on personal well-being rather than financial pressure. In that way, a side gig isn’t just about earning more—it’s a step toward reshaping your workload on your own terms.
Monetizing procedures beyond professional fees
Gastroenterologists perform a high volume of procedures like colonoscopies and endoscopies. While your professional fee compensates you for your time and skill, the facility fee (or technical component) is where a substantial portion of the revenue lies. By investing in an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), you can capture this technical fee, significantly boosting your total income from the procedures you already perform.
High demand for specialized opinion
Your knowledge is incredibly valuable outside the clinic. GI conditions and procedures such as colonoscopies are common subjects in medical malpractice litigation, making your expert opinion valuable for legal consulting. As one GI physician on Sermo remarked, “…a personalized doctor-patient relationship and assiduous communication of the results of the investigations, the reasons that lead us to proceed with specific investigations, the difficulties encountered and the need to involve other professionals are the strategies that limit at most malpractice problems.”
Similarly, pharmaceutical and medical device companies rely on GI expertise to guide drug development and innovation. This creates a lucrative market for GI practice ancillary revenue that doesn’t require seeing more patients.
Rise of obesity medicine
The explosion in demand for weight management, fueled by GLP-1 agonists and a greater understanding of metabolic health, presents a massive opportunity. As a gastroenterologist, you’re uniquely positioned to lead in obesity medicine consulting, given your deep knowledge of gut health and metabolic processes. Launching ancillary services in this area can create a highly profitable new income stream.
Remote and flexible side gigs for gastroenterologists
If you want to supplement your income without adding to your clinical workload, remote side gigs offer the perfect solution. You can complete the work on your own schedule, from home or between cases.
Sermo paid medical surveys
One of the simplest ways to start earning extra income is by participating in paid medical surveys. Sermo allows you to provide your expert insights on new drugs, medical devices and treatment protocols in your field. You get paid for your opinion on topics you already know inside and out. It’s a low-commitment, high-flexibility way to monetize your downtime.
One gastroenterologist on Sermo shared, “My personal experience with Sermo has been really gratifying, I have had the chance to interact with colleagues from all over the world. I have found relevant news in the feed, and I’ve earned with the surveys.”
Another Sermo member and GP spoke to how the Sermo community supports more than just their financial growth, saying, “I have been a member of the Sermo community for several years. Here, I have learned a lot, interacted with colleagues from various specialties and countries, and shared various interesting and challenging cases when implementing new treatments. What I like most about the community is the sense of belonging and the genuine exchange between colleagues from all over the world. I love being able to share real clinical experiences, discuss interesting cases, and receive diverse opinions that enrich my medical practice. The content I enjoy the most is the clinical surveys, shared clinical cases, debates on ethical dilemmas or complex therapeutic decisions, and the evaluation of different medications.”
Gastroenterology consulting
Your clinical experience is invaluable to the companies developing the next generation of GI technologies and therapies. As a consultant in medical device or pharma development, you can advise on product design, clinical trial protocols and marketing strategies. These roles are often project-based and remote.
Gastroenterology locums or call coverage
If you’re looking to leverage your clinical skills but want a change of scenery or a more flexible schedule, locum tenens work is an excellent option. You can fill in for other GIs on a short-term basis, often with higher pay rates and paid travel expenses. Similarly, offering to take on extra call coverage for a local hospital or group can be a straightforward way to boost your income, though it does add to your clinical time.
Digestive health coach/influencer
With a growing public interest in gut health, you can take advantage of an opportunity to become a trusted voice in the digital space. By starting a podcast or social media channel, you can share your knowledge with a broader audience. You may eventually monetize your efforts through brand partnerships, online courses or creating a paid newsletter. It’s a way to build a personal brand while educating the public.
Gastro second opinion services
Patients are increasingly seeking second opinions for complex GI conditions like IBD or motility disorders. Platforms like 2MDOpinion and Penn Medicine’s virtual second opinion program allow physicians to offer remote, asynchronous second-opinion consultations. This side gig allows you to help patients with challenging cases without the overhead of a full clinical practice.
Gastroenterology utilization management or chart review work
Insurance companies and healthcare systems need GIs to review cases for medical necessity and appropriateness of care. This work is typically remote and involves reviewing patient charts and treatment plans. While it can be administrative, it offers steady, flexible work that draws directly on your clinical judgment.
Emerging and high-paying gastroenterologist side gigs
These high-paying side gigs involve strategic investments and entrepreneurial initiative, offering the chance to build significant wealth.
Investing in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC)
For procedural specialists like gastroenterologists, investing in an ASC is arguably one of the most lucrative and strategically aligned side gigs available.
The financial model is relatively straightforward: as a partner, you typically commit to performing a minimum volume of your procedures at the center—often a set number per month or per quarter—to help maintain case flow and profitability. In return, you receive distributions based on the center’s overall profits, which means you earn income even when you’re not actively performing procedures. This is where the passive income potential comes in: once the initial investment and volume commitments are met, your share continues to generate returns tied to the performance of all physicians’ cases, not just your own.
Because gastroenterology is a high-volume specialty with steady procedural demand, ASC investments can yield significant ancillary revenue. Some GI physicians view ASC ownership as both a business move and a form of career leverage, offering greater autonomy and a buffer against burnout from hospital work.
That said, physician investors must navigate several legal and regulatory requirements. Ownership structures must comply with the federal Stark Law, which prohibits physician self-referral for certain designated health services, and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), which makes it illegal to receive compensation in exchange for patient referrals. Many ASCs operate under a federal safe harbor exception—the ASC Safe Harbor—allowing physicians to invest if specific criteria are met.
Compliance with state-level regulations and licensing rules is also essential, as laws vary depending on the jurisdiction. Physicians generally work with healthcare attorneys or compliance consultants to structure ownership appropriately.
ASC investment offers both financial and professional benefits, but it’s crucial to build the venture on solid regulatory footing to avoid costly penalties or loss of licensure.
Obesity medicine
Weight management is undergoing a revolution, and gastroenterologists are at the forefront. The advent of GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy has increased demand for medical weight loss programs. Total spending on GLP-1s in the U.S. increased by 500% from 2018 to 2023, according to a 2025 study.
As a GI, your expertise in metabolic health, digestion and endoscopic bariatric procedures gives you a unique advantage. You can launch an ancillary service within your existing practice focused on obesity medicine consulting. This could involve prescribing and managing weight loss medications, offering nutritional counseling and providing endoscopic weight loss procedures. It’s a rapidly growing field with immense potential for both patient impact and financial reward.
Weight management or nutrition coaching
Building on the theme of obesity medicine, you can also develop a more focused coaching service. This could be a cash-based ancillary practice offering personalized nutrition plans and lifestyle coaching for patients during their weight loss journeys.
Directing a medical center
Your clinical and leadership experience can qualify you to serve as a medical director for various healthcare facilities. This could be a dialysis center, an infusion center, or even a non-GI-related facility.
It’s a shift that one gastroenterologist on Sermo made late in their career. “Now that I am retired I continue to do visits and consultations in my specialty, but my side activity is to be a medical director in a center for autistic children,” they share.
This role typically involves administrative oversight, quality assurance and ensuring regulatory compliance. It’s a prestigious position that often comes with a significant stipend and can be less time-consuming than full-time clinical work.
Build your financial future beyond the clinic
As a gastroenterologist, your expertise is an asset. The landscape of gastroenterologist side gigs is diverse and filled with lucrative opportunities, from flexible remote consulting to high-stakes investments in ASCs. These ventures offer more than just extra income; they provide a path to greater career autonomy, potentially reducing burnout.
Whether you’re thinking of monetizing your downtime with paid medical surveys on Sermo, leveraging your procedural volume with an endoscopy ASC investment, or pioneering a new service in obesity medicine, you can lean on your peers for guidance. On Sermo, you can engage with more than a million verified physicians, many of whom are sharing their experiences with side gigs. It’s a place to get transparent feedback that can help you make the best decisions for your career and financial future.
