You’ve devoted years to mastering one of the most emotionally demanding specialties in medicine. Every day, you navigate difficult diagnoses, guide patients through life-changing treatment decisions, and manage rapidly evolving science. It’s meaningful work, but it can be draining and unpredictable.
With that, you may be considering picking up work on the side, a practice that’s common across physician specialties. A Sermo poll in the physician-only community found that 54% of respondents now maintain a side hustle. Additional feedback reveals that they don’t just seek side gigs for financial reasons, but to reclaim a sense of balance and purpose.
For oncologists, the right side venture can provide space to innovate, share your knowledge and build something that sustains you outside of the clinic.
Why do oncologists seek a side gig?
A Sermo poll found that 46% of members have some kind of passive income stream. Among oncologists members, the decision to engage in a side gig stems from a common set of professional challenges and opportunities.
High emotional burden and burnout
Oncology is an emotionally taxing field, requiring you to manage difficult cancer diagnoses, navigate complex treatment plans and guide patients and their families through end-of-life discussions.
Sermo members also blame institutional practices for burnout. “I try to reach a good work-life balance on my own, but the institution doesn’t pay attention and treats us as tools to produce more,” one Italy-based oncologist writes on Sermo. Another oncologist has a similar take: “I think that a little less bureaucracy would allow us to spend more time outside our work environment and therefore have greater opportunities to enjoy our lives.”
While side gigs require additional work, they can give you room to protect your well-being. When you take on an additional income stream, it may allow you to scale back your clinical hours, negotiate part-time schedules or take periodic breaks from full-time practice without sacrificing financial stability.
Monetizing expertise in novel therapies
As an oncologist you have expertise in cutting-edge areas like immunotherapy, personalized medicine, targeted therapies and complex clinical trials. This specialized knowledge is valuable to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, which are constantly developing new cancer treatments. You can engage in consulting, advisory roles or medical writing to earn income on the side from this expertise.
Financial leverage and autonomy
While oncologists are well-compensated, the financial pressures of modern medicine, from student loan debt to practice overhead, are substantial. A side income can reduce your reliance on a single employer and empower you to push back against excessive RVU (Relative Value Unit) demands, which often prioritize quantity of care over quality.
When asked about the benefits of a side hustle, 41% of Sermo members cited earning extra income as the primary driver. Another Sermo poll showed that 40% of physicians aim to make $0-$1,000 per year from their side gigs, 22% aim for more than $15,000 annually and 10% target more than $50,000.
Influence on research and development
Some oncologists are driven by a desire to advance the field and improve patient outcomes on a systemic level. Side gigs in research and development offer a direct path to achieve this. By taking on roles that influence the design and implementation of clinical trials, serving on advisory boards or consulting on new drug development, you can help shape the future of cancer treatment.
9 Side gigs for oncologists in 2026
Based on a Sermo poll, the most common side hustles physicians participate in are medical surveys (33%), contributing to a community (14%) and writing (12%). These are the eight best-suited side hustles for oncologists in particular.
1. Sermo paid medical surveys
Participating in paid medical surveys is one of the most accessible part-time side gigs for doctors. Communities like Sermo connect physicians—including oncologists— with pharmaceutical companies, market research firms and healthcare organizations seeking expert opinions on new drugs, treatment protocols and medical devices. Because oncology is a research-intensive specialty with rapidly evolving treatment landscapes, oncologists are highly sought-after for surveys due to their expertise in evaluating clinical data, real-world drug performance, and patient response trends.
One orthopedic hand surgeon on Sermo relies on a combination of side hustles, including “surveys (thanks Sermo!), investing, writing.” These surveys can be completed online at your convenience, making them an easy way to earn extra income without a significant time commitment.
2. Oncology consulting
Doctor consulting jobs can involve advising biotech startups, established pharmaceutical companies or investment firms. Oncologist consultants might provide insights on clinical trial design, market access strategies or the unmet needs in specific cancer types. This work is intellectually stimulating and can be highly lucrative. The key is to leverage your specific area of expertise—whether it’s in a rare cancer, a novel therapeutic class or patient advocacy.
3. Oncology pharmaceutical second opinion
Pharmaceutical companies often need external experts to provide a second opinion on their internal research, development strategies or marketing materials. This role allows oncologists to review confidential data and offer unbiased feedback. It’s a high-impact position that requires a strong ethical compass and a deep understanding of both the science and the clinical landscape.
4. Oncological clinical research
If you have a passion for science, you might enjoy clinical research. This can range from serving as a principal investigator for a trial at your institution to consulting on protocol development for a contract research organization (CRO). These roles can allow you to make a difference beyond individual patient care. “I started doing research in this field because I believe that Functional Medicine, chronic diseases are not helpless,” reveals one oncologist on Sermo.
5. Oncology chart review
Insurance companies, legal firms and healthcare quality organizations frequently hire physicians to perform chart reviews. This involves assessing medical records to determine the appropriateness of care, validate diagnoses or evaluate claims. It’s a route that one OBGYN on Sermo recommends. “Consider contacting medical review companies that provide services for attorneys to evaluate medical records for determining whether malpractice did or did not occur,” they suggest. This work is flexible and typically remote.
6. Oncology cases expert witness work
You can serve as expert witnesses in medical malpractice lawsuits, disability claims or other legal cases. The work involves reviewing case files, preparing reports and sometimes providing testimony in depositions or at trial. “I did consulting with attorneys doing medical malpractice suits on ‘both sides of the fence,’” recounts a radiologist on Sermo. “I was frequently able to advise plaintiff’s attorneys that their case was unlikely to be successful at trial, when the evidence so indicated.” The work requires knowledge of the subject matter, a pediatrician on Sermo warns. “I do a bit of expert witness work – which if you do it right is great but beware that you are an actual expert when asked to be an expert witness,” they caution.
7. Medication utilization review
In this role, oncologists work with insurance companies or pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to review and approve requests for high-cost or off-label cancer drugs. It’s a critical function that balances cost containment with patient access to necessary treatments. This side gig requires you to stay current with the latest clinical guidelines and evidence, and it provides a unique insight into the economic forces shaping cancer care.
8. Oncology medical writing
Medical writing involves creating content for various audiences, including patient education materials, articles for medical journals, promotional content for pharmaceutical companies or continuing medical education (CME) programs. “Medical editing and medical review… can offer an opportunity to supplement income for overseeing medical accuracy and medical communication for a specific audience,” shares a neurologist on Sermo.
9. Oncology Tele-consultation/Telemedicine
Through a telemedicine platform, you can offer second opinions to patients in underserved areas or provide peer-to-peer consultations to general practitioners. Some physicians practice telemedicine as their main job. “I only dedicate myself to the practice of medicine with orientation work through telemedicine with colleagues from other countries,” notes one oncologist on Sermo. Others view it as a side hustle. “I would view telemedicine as a way to make some extra income, but probably not enough to justify changing your work status if you need to work full-time,” an OBGYN member writes.
Sermo paid medical surveys as a means to reach your goals
For many oncologists, the biggest barrier to a side hustle is time. “One gets so tired after work that it is difficult to go for a side hustle,” one oncologist on Sermo shares. This is where Sermo’s paid medical surveys for oncologists offer a practical and flexible way to boost your income. Your earnings from surveys can be a viable source of funds to pursue personal or professional goals. Whether you’re saving for a down payment, paying for a secondary degree or certification, or simply building a financial cushion, the earnings from surveys can add up. You can do so on your own schedule, fitting this work into the small pockets of free time you have—such as between clinic sessions, after hours, or even during administrative time—without adding more stress to your life.
How to find success with a side hustle
The intense intellectual and emotional demands of oncology make strategic side gigs a valuable tool for financial health and personal satisfaction. Your specialized knowledge is a valued asset, particularly in the rapidly advancing biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. As you explore these opportunities, maintaining ethical diligence is paramount, especially in high-stakes consulting roles where your expertise can shape the future of treatment.
Sermo provides a community not just for earning extra income through paid medical surveys, but connecting with peers while you navigate the side hustle landscape. You can find success stories and words of caution from other physicians who have explored alternative income streams. Join the community to continue your research on side gigs and start leveraging your expertise.
