Beyond the Hospital

After the grueling years of med school and residency, most physicians are happy to stay physicians for the rest of their careers. But for those who are looking for a change of pace, here are some less common medical jobs and alternate careers.

Rural and Travel Medicine

There is often a shortage of physicians in rural regions, and some communities and governments have come up with creative ways of attracting and retaining doctors.

In the United States, new physicians can get up to $50,000 of their student loans paid for by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) if they agree to work for two years in an under-serviced community. In Canada, initiatives such as British Columbia's Rural Retention Program offer additional payment, travel compensation, an isolation allowance fund, and other perks. Other options include working as an itinerant physician to provide outreach or direct patient services to remote communities; or as a locum tenens who temporarily substitutes for another physician in a rural community. For more information, visit Canada's Directory of Rural Health or the United States' National Rural Health Association websites.

Overseas work opportunities are available through hospitals, universities, and humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

Researcher

Doctors are well poised to move into medical research. Some universities offer combined MD/PhD programs. Researchers can be employed by educational institutions, pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and teaching hospitals.

Medical Writer or Medical Editor

Many physicians already have experience in writing for professional and scientific journals. Some employers also seek physicians to write up medical cases for educational purposes. Doctors who become medical writers or editors may work in education, marketing, journalism, publishing, or other disciplines. Doctors may also be hired as consultants for medical movies and TV shows related. For more information, see the American Medical Writers Association website.

Legal Work

Doctors may work as consultant for lawyers, examine medical evidence, or testify as an expert witness during trials. Physicians who become lawyers often combine their two areas of expertise by specializing in medical malpractice.

Internet Consultations

Internet consultations have emerged as an alternative for treating simple, non-urgent medical cases. Physicians can also see patients via secure and confidential web portals as part of their own practice or join an online group practice such as the Virtual Medical Group. Setting up a home-based internet practice can be especially appealing to female physicians with young children.

Academia

Many doctors already work as part-time lecturers at universities and teaching hospitals. Some choose to become full-time educators, and may work in post-secondary education or continuing medical education programs.

Nursing and Allied Health Careers

Physicians who were trained outside of the United States and Canada may have difficulty getting retrained and licensed in North America. Some choose to return to school to become nurses, medical technologists, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or physician's assistants.

Other

Doctors may apply their skills to administration, management, policy-making, and medical device manufacturing. Other physicians have founded their own medical websites, become pharmaceutical stock analysts, and career coaches for other medical professionals.

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