Side Hustle

[FrkyBgStok]

Do any of you have any lucrative side hustles? Just thinking about how other specialities have spa clinics or optional stuff like Botox but there is just no way to do that come from peds. I am in PEM and have some time and I would really love to parley my training into something fun and beneficial. I have no interest in the investment stuff and would rather invest in something fairly safe and forget it instead of playing games. I just feel I have a little entrepreneurial spirit but not enough to not practice medicine or figure this out on my own.

Just curious if you guys and gals do anything hobby-wise or extra work wise to supplement your income.

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[hlancaster]

You could try telemedicine. There are many start ups looking for PCP and EM type physicians to do telemedicine urgent care. Would that be of any interest? Another thing I’ve seen is companies looking to consult with a physician on business ideas on an hourly basis. Not sure how to break into that sphere though.

 

[Cuthbert]

I have focused my time into the multispecialty clinic that I am a shareholder in. I sit on multiple committees (we get paid for those meetings). I am also now on the board. So that extra time spent is my current "side hustle." It amounts to over 20K a year, so I think it is worth my time at this point. I also have a larger say in my company as a member of our board.

Some of my friends have gotten into real estate or VRBOs. It has been working well for them. For me, it is not worth the risk or hassle. But like I said, it works very well for others.

Check out The White Coat Investor if you have not already: The List of Physician Side Hustles | White Coat Investor
It is an excellent website with good advice. I have purchased his book both for myself and have bought one for all of our new pediatricians when they come on.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

First of all, buy index funds.

Second, if you are flexible, locums pays really well.

 

[DeadCactus]

If you want to make money, I doubt you will beat just working clinical PEM shifts unless you're really willing to take the gamble and get a true entrepreneurial endeavor off the ground: starting an urgent care, buying up clinical office space to lease, starting a clinic, etc.

If you just want to make some money doing something different, there are plenty of niche areas of medicine that are mostly practiced by people with an interest and some CME courses. There is nothing complicated about T-clinics, aesthetics, or medical spa type work that would stop a pediatrician from doing it. Hyperbarics and wound care have a low barrier to entry. Palliative and child abuse can still be done in many places without a formal fellowship. A direct primary care service would probably be feasible and leverage your fellowship training.

For non-clinical stuff you can look into consulting/speaking for device or drug companies or doing medical legal work.

Or just go completely off the rails and start a brewpub or bike shop...

Really depends what your interests are, what your goals are, and how much time you want to put into it. Most people would probably be happier working an extra shift for money and then picking up a new hobby.

 

[Sushirolls]

Become the forensic / IME child abuse expert.

Reach out to EM departments to be the person on call to do child exams.

 

[Stitch]

Become the forensic / IME child abuse expert.

Reach out to EM departments to be the person on call to do child exams.

So child abuse pediatrics is a three year fellowship and full time job. There are some who do it without that training because they have been involved for a long time, but this isn't a side gig. The outpatient and inpatient responsibilities are pretty extensive now, and legally some lawyers have managed to get expert testimony thrown out because it didn't come from a board certified child abuse pediatrician.

Child sexual exams in the ED are falling to SANE nurses almost exclusively, and if you mean abuse work ups for concerning injuries, these are far better and more consistently done by those with fellowship training.

None of this should be considered a 'side gig.'

 

[Goneril]

For side gigs which are clinical in nature, such as working in an Urgent Care or telemedicine, is there any obligation to disclose this to your main employer?

 

[Stitch]

For side gigs which are clinical in nature, such as working in an Urgent Care or telemedicine, is there any obligation to disclose this to your main employer?

This will depend on your specific contract. Some forbid it entirely. Also important to consider is whether your malpractice will cover you. Locums will usually supply their own, just make it's occurance based and not claims.

 

[Dave1980]

medinfluencer

 

[BabyDoc86]

Agreed with Stitch above!