Working in healthcare isn’t what it used to be. With rapid industry changes, many physicians are exploring opportunities beyond traditional clinic roles.
Doctors worldwide are recognizing that side gigs present a variety of benefits. Whether driven by burnout, compensation disparities, or a desire to diversify their skill sets, physicians across specialties are discovering that side gigs can provide financial security, professional growth, and renewed professional satisfaction, and can serve as alternative career options.
That’s why 1 in 2 surveyed physicians on Sermo have a side gig. Physicians across specialties can earn extra income through a range of side gigs beyond clinical patient care. From locum tenens assignments at hospitals to telemedicine consultations and speaking gigs, these side hustle opportunities allow doctors to leverage their medical school training.
“A ‘side hustle’ for a physician can be a great way to diversify income, explore personal interests, and achieve financial goals,” a pediatrician in France summarizes. Keep reading to see the best side gigs for primary care physicians.
Why do primary care physicians seek a side gig?
Primary care physicians (PCPs) face unique challenges that make exploring side gigs particularly appealing. When asked about the benefits of a side hustle, 41% of physicians on Sermo cited earning extra income as the primary motivation, followed by improving their skill set (21%), expanding their network (17%), and building a reputation (12%).
PCPs increasingly encounter mounting administrative and regulatory pressures that drive them toward seeking non-clinical side income opportunities.
Administrative burnout
PCPs can spend excessive, unreimbursed time on tasks like prior authorization and complex charting, leading to decreases in job satisfaction due to burnout. This administrative overload creates a profound sense that the system prevents physicians from providing the care they were trained to deliver, driving many PCPs to seek side work that allows them to utilize their expertise free of crushing bureaucratic demands.
A cardiologist comments on Sermo: “All docs need a side hustle. It’s healthy for the mind.”
Compensation often does not match workload
The average physician in the U.S. works around 50 hours per week, and despite managing complex, long-term patient relationships and serving as the first line of defense during outbreaks, PCPs often receive compensation that lags significantly behind that of subspecialists.
A general practitioner states, “The field of health does not generate enough income to meet all the needs, so we are forced to carry out other types of activities that generate income.”
Financial goals for side work vary considerably. 40% of surveyed physicians on Sermo aim to make $0-1,000 per year from a side hustle, 19% target $1,001-5,000, another 19% seek $5,000-15,000, 12% aim for $15,000-50,000, and 10% seek $50,001 or more annually.
Primary care physicians coordinate care, manage multiple chronic conditions simultaneously, and provide preventive services, yet their compensation rarely reflects this complexity. This gap drives many PCPs to seek physician advisor side gig opportunities and other supplemental income sources.
Skill diversification
Side work enables PCPs to develop non-clinical skills (such as business acumen, subject-matter expertise, or informatics) that are crucial for future leadership or administrative roles. Whether it’s medical writing or healthcare consulting, these experiences broaden a physician’s professional toolkit and open doors to new career opportunities.
The Sermo physician community has spoken clearly about the value of side work. A pediatric endocrinologist from the USA notes, “A side hustle can leverage the skills, experience, and perspective of a physician’s training for the benefit of a greater circle of people.”
An emergency medicine physician explains: “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, and being a salaried employee is less and less influential in improving our quality of life.”
8 Side gigs for primary care physicians in 2026
The Sermo physician community is actively engaged in diverse side work. Another internal medicine doctor from the USA admits, “I have so many side hustles I can’t keep track.” One internal medicine physician from South Korea reports, “ I did data labeling for machine learning last year, and I earned $ 7,000.” A family medicine doctor says on Sermo, “Clinical research has been very interesting,” while another family medicine physician notes, “I do telemedicine part-time.”
Several side gig opportunities are particularly well-suited for primary care physicians to leverage their broad medical knowledge, patient communication skills, and clinical experience.
Sermo paid medical surveys
Sermo offers one of the easiest entry points for PCPs seeking supplemental income. Survey data reveal that 33% of physicians have participated in medical surveys, making it the most popular side hustle.
By participating in paid medical surveys, physicians share their clinical expertise with pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare researchers while earning money on their own schedule. These surveys only take minutes to complete during downtime between patients, lunch breaks, or evenings, and with the right strategy, can quickly add up. The flexibility is among the highest of any physician side gig, requiring no long-term commitments, additional certifications, or complex onboarding.
Get started taking paid medical surveys on Sermo now.
Telemedicine provider
A recent Sermo survey found that 11% of physicians currently provide telemedicine as a side gig. “I do Telemedicine and radio programs for the community,” an emergency medicine physician shares.
Telemedicine has rapidly transformed healthcare, offering faster, more accessible, and flexible care, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. While promising, it necessitates new tech and practice adjustments for physicians. Within the Sermo community, 75% of doctors have used telemedicine in their clinical jobs, citing improved efficiency, better focus on mental health, and greater scheduling flexibility. Many platforms handle scheduling, billing, and technical support, making it straightforward for PCPs to start with minimal setup. The broad diagnostic skills PCPs possess make them ideal candidates for virtual urgent care.
Doing conferences / public speaking
10% of surveyed physicians have already spoken at events as a side gig. Primary care physicians possess deep expertise in prevalent conditions, preventive medicine, and patient communication; knowledge that’s highly valued on the speaking circuit.
Whether presenting at medical conferences, corporate wellness events, or continuing medical education programs, PCPs can turn their experience into a lucrative side income while boosting their professional reputation and expanding their network. An internal medicine physician from the USA shares on Sermo, “I am a speaker for multiple pharmaceutical companies. I also do moonlighting.”
Medical chart review
Insurance companies, disability determination services, and legal firms frequently need experienced physicians to review medical charts and provide expert opinions. This work involves reviewing patient records, assessing whether standards of care were met, determining disability status, or evaluating claims. Chart review can be done entirely remotely on a flexible schedule, drawing directly on the diagnostic and documentation skills physicians use daily. Some roles—particularly expert witness and specialized consulting work—can command hourly rates that rival or exceed clinical compensation.
Expert witness work offers lucrative consulting opportunities for physicians willing to provide deposition testimony and conduct utilization reviews. Attorneys frequently seek medical experts through organizations like Expert Institute to evaluate malpractice cases. This side hustle typically commands a premium hourly rate, making it an attractive option for doctors seeking to earn additional revenue.
Independent medical examinations and chart-review consulting are high-demand side gigs in which physicians earn by applying clinical expertise without direct patient interaction. These opportunities span multiple specialties, allowing doctors to work flexible hours while maintaining their primary practice. The hourly rate for this type of consulting is often higher than standard clinical compensation.
Medical writing / editing (CME content, patient education)
Survey data shows that 11% of physicians have participated in medical writing as a side hustle. Medical writing for PCPs represents a growing field with diverse opportunities. PCPs can write or edit continuing medical education content, create patient education materials, contribute to medical journals, or develop healthcare website content. The broad knowledge base that primary care training provides makes PCPs well-suited to create educational content across multiple topics. Medical writing can be done on a freelance basis with flexible deadlines, and experienced writers command impressive rates.
Concierge medicine consulting
As direct primary care (DPC) and concierge medicine models continue to grow, there’s increasing demand for DPC consulting services from physicians experienced in these practice models. PCPs can also advise other physicians on business planning, patient recruitment, fee structures, legal considerations, and operational workflows. Medical consulting work typically pays well and can be done via phone or video conference.
Weight loss / wellness coaching
Global market analysis estimates the U.S. health and wellness market at about 1.28 trillion dollars in 2023, with projections of roughly 2.19 trillion by 2033, implying about 5.4% CAGR from 2024 to 2033.
An emergency medicine doctor explains: “I am doing network marketing in an international nutrition company. I provide consultancy on weight control and food supplementation. I create my own team, and I work with my team.”
The intersection of primary care and preventive medicine positions PCPs perfectly for the booming wellness and weight loss industry. PCPs can offer evidence-based weight management programs, lifestyle coaching, metabolic health optimization, or comprehensive wellness services. Many physicians find success with hybrid models combining virtual consultations, personalized nutrition plans, exercise recommendations, and ongoing support.
Online course creation (patient or resident education)
Creating online courses allows PCPs to package their expertise into scalable educational products, generating ongoing passive income. Whether developing courses for patients on managing chronic diseases, creating board review materials for medical students, or producing professional development content, online courses offer significant returns on initial time investment. Once created, courses can be sold repeatedly with minimal additional effort.
An emergency medicine physician comments on Sermo: “I am working on creating medical education content and educating medical students.”
Sermo paid medical surveys as a means to reach your goals
Among various side gig options, Sermo paid medical surveys provide a combination of accessibility, flexibility, and earning potential. In fact, Sermo has already paid out over $25 million in honorarium just last year to physicians through paid surveys. Whether saving for a secondary degree, pursuing additional certifications, building an emergency fund, paying down student loans, or creating wealth for long-term financial security, consistent income from Sermo surveys can accelerate progress toward these objectives.
Unlike side gigs that require significant upfront investment, additional training, or major time commitments, Sermo allows you to monetize the knowledge you already possess. You can complete surveys during brief windows of downtime throughout your day.
For PCPs testing the waters of side work or with limited time, Sermo offers a risk-free starting point. There’s no need to establish a business entity, obtain additional malpractice insurance, or navigate complex contracting. You simply share your medical expertise through surveys and receive compensation for your time. As earnings accumulate, you may reach financial milestones more quickly than you thought possible.
Next steps to physician side gigs
The comprehensive, generalist training primary care physicians receive provides the perfect foundation for diverse, high-value side gigs. From telemedicine physician jobs to medical writing for PCPs, from DPC consulting to speaking engagements, opportunities for generating side income have never been more abundant. The skills that make you an effective PCP: diagnostic reasoning, clear communication, patient education, preventive thinking, and managing complexity, translate remarkably well into countless side ventures.
As data and testimonials shared by physicians worldwide on Sermo show, side work is no longer an exception but an increasingly common strategy for achieving financial security, professional growth, and personal fulfillment. Whether seeking to supplement income modestly or build substantial wealth through multiple revenue streams, the key is to get started and keep informed of the best opportunities.
If you’re ready to explore primary care physician side gigs but aren’t sure where to begin, join the Sermo community. Connect with fellow PCPs navigating similar career questions, share resources and strategies, and access peer support as you contemplate your next move. Most importantly, start earning supplemental income today through Sermo’s paid medical surveys, a simple, flexible way to monetize your expertise while maintaining your current practice. Your knowledge has value beyond the exam room, and Sermo provides a platform to translate that value into meaningful financial rewards. Join thousands of physicians already building more secure, diversified, and satisfying professional lives through strategic side work.
