If you find yourself running low on cash, or are looking to have a taste of something different, there are a lot of side hustles for nurses and doctors to dig into. You can get gigs on a freelancing platform, or take some time out of your busy schedule to administer flu shots in your community. There are some qualifications and criteria you’ll have to meet, but there’s nothing you can’t manage if you’re willing to put a bit of your mind into what is needed. Here are some great ways you can earn extra income as a health care provider:
1. First Aid Instructor
If you’re a nurse, you probably have ample experience administering first aid. You can be a first aid instructor as a side hustle. You might not realize this, but you have a lot of knowledge regarding this field, and people will be willing to pay to learn the proper ways of administering first aid. From performing CPR the right way to providing first aid assistance, there’s a lot you can contribute.
However, you will need a certification or license to work as a first aid instructor. American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer a variety of training courses for free so that you can get these certifications without a hassle. Specifically, the AHA targets healthcare providers and also organizes a monitored class to make sure you’ve covered everything that the course requires. You will also have to find an effortless way to work-life balance so that you don’t get sucked into two worlds and have no time to take a breather. Here are some of the requirements you need to be a First Aid Instructor:
- High School Diploma or GED
- Basic-level American Red Cross Adult CPR/AED
- Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor Certification
- Good teaching skills
- Must be 16 years or older
2. Clinical Instructor
Healthcare providers have demanding jobs, and they can barely have time for other things. The least they can do is a day of free time. When you have a day on your hands to make some extra money, working as a clinical instructor for your respective medical field can be your best bet.
The best thing about being a clinical instructor is you get to control your own schedule. You get to decide the number of classes you want to instruct, and there are options to work in diverse environments, such as technical schools and rehabilitation centers.
Furthermore, to be a useful clinical instructor, you should be competent with technical and clinical skills. You should also be able to build positive relationships with your students while having supportive learning, which can improve your communication skills and your student’s enthusiasm.
To spice up your classes and get the attention of your students, you can give real-life examples from what you have experienced. It’s going to be a great way to put your mind and heart into things and enjoy your time as an instructor.
3. Medical Transcriptionist
A Medical Transcription is responsible for transcribing recordings of medical personnel, such as nurses, doctors, lab attendants, and converting them into documents. It requires keen hearing and excellent typing skills. You have to be committed, and you have to be precise in creating a document. There is voice recognition software that can be used to achieve accuracy, as well.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a medical transcriptionist must edit and organize the documents transcribed by voice recognition software before handing them in.
To work as a medical transcription, you need a basic understanding of word processing software and proficiency in spelling and grammar. Although certifications aren’t usually required, it may increase your chances of getting the job.
For people willing to transition to a new career, being a medical transcriptionist might be a more suitable career. Here are some of the required abilities and skills for being a medical transcriptionist:
- Knowledgeable of medical terminologies.
- Excellent grammar, memory, writing, typing, and communication skills.
- Able to accurately transcribe information, especially patient information.
- Capacity to discern instructions and directions.
- Experience in medical transcription.
- Research skills to check references and resources to ensure the use of correct terminology.
4. Administering Flu Shots
This is usually a seasonal side job. A lot of people have their annual flu shots, and some get a flu shot when the flu season is coming. You can get in contact with companies or clinics that administer flu shots as part of their health insurance package. They usually pay on an hourly basis, starting from 20-25$/hr. A few of the potential clients are churches, rehabilitation facilities, and grocery stores, other companies, and business establishments.
September is the month when most flu shots are administered. If this is something that interests you, take some time out to read some job postings as there’s a considerable possibility of making profits during this season. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s flu vaccination coverage 2018-19, 45.3% of the adults in the US received the flu vaccine.
5. Medical Writing
Healthcare providers don’t have to restrict their expertise and experiences to their workplace. They can share their knowledge with other people online. Medical Journals often post ads to encourage registered physicians, general doctors, and nurses to showcase their creative writing skills and contribute to their platforms. Some examples are The American Journal Of Nursing and American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
If you’re not comfortable making a living writing for medical journals, you can explore a lightheaded medium, such as blogging. Many platforms like Upwork and Guru have a multitude of freelance writing jobs targeted at healthcare professionals. Registered nurses can also explore the possibility of taking advertising assignments pertinent to their fields, such as drug packaging and insurance brochures.
6. Telemedicine
Modern technological innovations have facilitated the beginning of a new profession — telemedicine. Notably, in the age of COVID-19, working remotely has gathered massive traction. Many doctors have jumped at the opportunity to attend patients on popular teleconferencing software, such as Zoom. The most common professions indulging in this are clinical psychiatrists. Therapy sessions can now be efficiently conducted through video calls, and this lessens the need to go out amidst the pandemic.
You can incorporate telemedicine into your routines with your patients and make some extra money on the side. This gives you the possibility of working with a flexible schedule and in the comfort of your home. However, this can be tricky, especially if your patients reside in multiple states that have a poor internet connection. As of now, telemedicine is becoming a massive industry. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to capitalize on this one.
7. Medical Expert Witness
If done right, this is one of the most profitable side hustles for doctors. Whether it’s regarding a vehicular accident or a murder, attorneys need a medical expert’s advice to know the truth about the case. Most of the time, doctors are called to court, requested to testify, and provide their professional opinion to help the jury make their decision about the inflicted injuries.
Some physicians are working directly for law firms to be an expert witness. The value of their clinical experience is what they bring to help any legal cases. It is usually a part-time job, and those who are a full-time expert witness are called ”hire guns.” It usually means that they’ve already lost touch with a clinical practice that they prefer to work full-time as an expert witness instead of practicing their license as a medical professional.
The great thing being a medical expert witness is that you get to set your own financial terms. You can either charge by the hour or set up a fixed-rate contract. Being an expert witness has at least an average pay of $2,000 to $5,000 per legal case, which can be an excellent fee for a part-time job.
To be a medical expert witness, you need to be up to date on medical protocols, have relevant skills, and substantial experience in doing procedures that you may be asked for an opinion as you will be making a medical report regarding a case. These reports are used to assess if a claim will be successful. It must be written using terms that can easily be understood.
Any conclusions you’re going to include in the medical report should be based on pieces of evidence, published references, and it shouldn’t be misleading. Relevant information shouldn’t be left out, and lastly, it needs to be accurate before submitting it. You may even be asked to examine the patient to provide an accurate report.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of opportunities for healthcare workers to earn extra income. All you have to do is narrow down your searches to see what fits your needs then decide which one can comfortably accommodate your working hours and preferences.
What are mentioned above are just some of the examples as the available opportunities can be endless. However, you have to assess the pros and cons and requirements of the options you have found. You must consider these things first before making any significant decisions.