Though becoming a doctor is a really worthwhile job, you may be interested in pursuing a second job. After all, you are helping to improve people’s health and save their lives.
Despite all the work you need to put in to become a doctor, such as obtaining a medical degree, it can be a stressful yet low-paying job.
As a result, you may want to consider having a side hustle. What is a side hustle? What side hustles are available for a doctor? Find out below.
What Is A Side Hustle?
You may have heard the term “side hustle”. It is a slang term used to describe a second job that you have alongside your main occupation. There are many benefits to having a side hustle. These include:
- Another source of income – if you need some extra cash, a side hustle will give you more income. This will be especially beneficial if you are finding that your doctor’s job does not pay very well.
- Expand your CV or resume – a side hustle will be another thing to add to your job portfolio. Even if your side hustle is something small, it can nonetheless look good on your CV.
- You have a job to fall back on – if something goes wrong in your primary form of work, as if people are made redundant, you can rely on your side hustle to bring money in until you can get a different job.
- You can find a career you love – if there is a hobby or career you are passionate about, you can choose this path as a side hustle.
Side Hustle Ideas
If you are a doctor trying to come up with some ideas for side hustles, check out our recommendations:
Writing
As a doctor, you will have spent a large part of your education writing essays. This will have made you a skilled writer. This option will be particularly good if you are passionate about writing and reading.
You can use your medical expertise to write a guide or article about whatever area you are interested in. You could author a study guide that will be used in schools, colleges, or universities. Having experienced these institutions of education during your training, you will likely be very familiar with the knowledge that is required at each stage.
However, there are less formal forms of writing that you can create. You can create a website or blog. This can either be something medical-related or a hobby that you are interested in.
If you choose to write about something medical, you may not be able to describe specific patient cases. However, you will be able to describe your general experience and give some helpful advice to potential doctors.
Real Estate
Renting out a property is a popular side hustle for people of different careers. You can either rent out a house full time or rent out a holiday home for shorter periods of time. It is an excellent way to earn money and does not require a huge amount of effort. In fact, it is quite a passive form of making money.
Of course, you will need to spend time and money maintaining the house. Otherwise, it will not be very desirable. You will also need the money in the first place to buy a home. Furthermore, there will be a lot of up-front costs if you also need to furnish and decorate the house. If you do not, this may not be the right side hustle for you.
Delivery Person
If you have lots of spare time in the evenings and nights, you may want to become a delivery person. You may want to deliver takeaways. This will be a good choice if you are an avid driver or cyclist. You can try a food delivery service, such as Deliveroo. These side hustles tend to be quite flexible, enabling you to deliver whenever you are free.
Though the pay is not amazing, it will give you some extra money on the side. The amount of money you can earn will depend on the job. Additionally, it will mean that you can get out of the house for a few hours. If you like cycling, you can deliver food with your bike and get some extra fresh air.
YouTuber
If writing does not appeal to you, you may want to become a YouTuber as a side hustle. You may have heard of the YouTuber Doctor Mike, who has made a career out of sharing his experiences of being a doctor. Being a professional doctor will earn your channel a high degree of legitimacy.
You can use this platform to give advice and give treatments for basic illnesses. This will be quite a flexible career that you can easily build around your day job. You can upload whenever you want and as often as you choose.
Of course, in order for you to experience financial gains, you will need to upload quite frequently. In terms of making money, you can recommend sponsored products and you will get advertising revenue.
Public Speaker
Akin to the previous suggestion, you may want to become a public speaker if you have a passion for talking about your medical experiences. You can be paid to talk at conferences about an area of medicine that you have a lot of knowledge about.
You may also want to start a podcast if you enjoy speaking. Podcasts require effort and can be recorded whenever you want. You will not even have to appear on the screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Doctors Allowed To Have Side Hustles?
Yes, in most cases doctors are allowed to have second jobs. If you are concerned about this, it is a good idea to talk to your employer about it. If your contract does not allow this, you will be unable to have a side hustle. Fortunately, this should not be the case.
What Businesses Can A Doctor Start?
There are many businesses that a doctor can start as a side job. You will, however, need to bear in mind that starting a business requires a lot of time, money, and effort. This is why most of the suggestions on this list are more side hustles as opposed to businesses that you would need to create. If you are not willing to put the effort in, you should not consider starting your own business.
Final Remarks
Becoming a doctor requires a lot of hard work and training. Though this is true, you may not be satisfied with your career. This may be because it does not pay you very well or because it is not your main passion. Consequently, pursuing a side hustle will be an excellent choice. If you are a doctor, there are a few side hustles that you can follow.
