Nearly 40% of radiologists and other doctors working side gigs amid pandemic
Nearly 40% of radiologists and other physicians are working side gigs amid the pandemic, according to survey results released Wednesday.
Docs on average earned $25,000, with men collecting more ($27,500) compared to female colleagues ($20,900). About 45% who picked up a side gig during the past year cited pandemic-related hardships, Medscape reported.
Nearly twice as many men in medicine reported having a second job (65%) compared to women (33%), a promising finding according to one expert.
“The data are actually very encouraging when you consider antiquated stereotypes of male and female physicians,” Nisha Mehta, MD, a radiologist who founded the community Physician Side Gigs, told the website. “To me it states that despite the challenges that female physicians traditionally face in finding the bandwidth to balance work, family and a side gig … women physicians are finding innovative ways to create fulfillment and flexibility in their careers.”
Medscape conducted its survey between March and May, reaching 2,533 U.S. docs, including roughly 75 radiologists. About 37% said they’re working a side job compared to 63% who are not. The majority involve medical activities such as consulting, expert testimony, chart reviews and moonlighting.
About 16% of male docs’ side gigs are outside of medicine compared to 21% of women. Popular fields included real estate (21%), investing (19%), consulting (12%) and teaching (11%). Respondents said they spend about 16 hours per month on extra work, with some expressing concerns around burnout and time away from family.
Nearly half find their side gig as fulfilling as their regular job, while 23% said more so, and 28% less.
“In a healthcare landscape that’s increasingly challenging, the side gig offers physicians an opportunity to do something on their own terms as well as use a different part of their brains,” radiologist Mehta said. “This leads to new skill sets, networks and mental breaks from the stress of their day jobs, all of which can be tremendously fulfilling and ultimately counter burnout.”
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.