A “side hustle” can be attractive whether you have medical school debt, thoughts of retirement, or a passion project you’d like to fund. With that, doctors across all specialties are looking beyond the clinic walls to diversify their income, reclaim their time and find new avenues for professional satisfaction. In a poll of the Sermo physician community, 54% of participants said they have a side hustle.
Endocrinologists within the community have advocated for taking on side gigs. “A ‘side hustle’ can leverage the skills, experience, and perspective of a physician’s experience for the benefit of a greater circle of people,” one pediatric endocrinologist writes.
This article explores a breakdown of endocrinologists’ motivations for seeking side hustles, plus the best options to consider.
Why do endocrinologists seek a side gig?
It may sound unappealing to take on extra work when you’re already managing a full patient load. However, the landscape of endocrinology presents specific challenges and opportunities that can make side gigs appealing.
Low compensation relative to complexity
Sermo data shows that physicians’ feelings about their compensation are mixed. In an internal poll of U.S.-based members, 80% said they’re very or somewhat satisfied with their salary, while 11% were neutral and the remaining said they’re dissatisfied.
Endocrinology is consistently ranked among the lowest-paid specialties in medicine. This is despite the fact that you are managing highly complex, multi-system diseases that require intricate cognitive work. Reimbursement models often favor procedural volume over the complex reasoning required to manage difficult hormonal imbalances. This disparity between effort and financial reward drives some endocrinologists to seek supplemental income.
In a Sermo poll asking physicians (including endocrinologists, among other specialties) for what they consider the main benefit of a side hustle to be, extra income was the most popular answer with 41% of votes. One pediatrician calls side hustles “a great way to diversify income” and “achieve financial goals.”
When it comes to financial goals, expectations are all over the map. When Sermo members were polled on how much they’d like to make annually from a side hustle, 40% targeted $0–1,000, 19% said $1,001–5,000, 19% chose $5,000-15,000, and 12% voted for $15,000–50,000, with the remaining 10% hoping to exceed $50,000.
High unreimbursed time
You might spend hours each week analyzing data from insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) outside of patient visits. Patient education, like teaching someone how to carb count or adjust basal rates, is critical for outcomes but often poorly reimbursed or completely uncompensated. A side gig can help monetize the time and expertise that insurance companies frequently overlook.
Burnout from chronic disease management
Many Sermo members report dealing with burnout; 64% of respondents in another internal poll said burnout drove them to consider a non-clinical physician role. Endocrinologists certainly aren’t exempt from burnout, since the specialty requires intense, long-term management of emotionally taxing chronic conditions. Unlike specialties where you might “fix” a problem surgically, you are often guiding patients through long-term struggles with weight, blood sugar and thyroid issues. A side gig can offer a change of pace—a way to use your medical expertise without the emotional weight of direct patient care. For some physicians, the additional income can even make it possible to reduce clinical hours.
Industry demand
Your specific expertise is in high demand. With the growth of the diabetes tech market and the popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists, the pharmaceutical and medical device industries are in need of expert guidance. Knowledge about diabetes, obesity medicine and hormone therapy is essential to these sectors, which translates to non-clinical opportunities for endocrinologists.
10 Side gigs for endocrinologists in 2026
These side gigs are tailored specifically for the skills and knowledge of an endocrinologist.
Sermo paid medical surveys
If flexibility and ease of entry are priorities, paid medical surveys are an excellent starting point. Sermo’s surveys allow you to share your insights on new treatments, drug efficacy and clinical trends in exchange for honoraria. It requires no long-term commitment; you can participate whenever you have a few spare minutes between patients or in your evening downtime. It’s a direct way to influence the future of healthcare while generating supplemental income.
Sign up for free to start taking surveys on Sermo.
Public speaking and teaching
Pharmaceutical companies and medical education providers often need experts to educate peers on new guidelines, drug mechanisms or disease state awareness. Endocrine diseases often involve complex pathways and new therapies (GLP-1s, SGLT2s, biologics), so companies and Continuing Medical Education (CME) groups look for specialists who can explain these concepts to peers clearly and accurately. This role not only pays well but also helps build your reputation as a thought leader in your field. In a Sermo poll, 10% of physician respondents said they’d participated in speaking engagements as a side gig.
Concierge medicine
While not strictly “non-clinical,” shifting a portion of your practice to a concierge model can be a lucrative side gig. You might offer specialized, high-touch weight loss management or intensive diabetes care packages directly to patients for a retainer or fee-for-service. This allows you to bypass insurance hurdles and get paid adequately for the time-intensive education and monitoring you already provide.
Clinical trial consultant
Biotech and pharma companies need Principal Investigators (PIs) and medical monitors to oversee clinical trials. Even if you don’t run the trial yourself, you can serve as a consultant, helping to design protocols, recruit appropriate patient populations or interpret safety data.
Regulatory affairs advisor
To navigate the FDA or EMA approval process requires deep clinical insight. Regulatory affairs advisors help companies understand the clinical implications of their data and prepare for regulatory submissions. As an endocrinologist, you might advise on the safety profiles of new hormone therapies or the clinical utility of a new diagnostic assay.
Consultant for CGM/insulin pump companies
Device companies need clinicians to provide feedback on user interface, safety features and practical utility. You could be beta-testing the next generation of closed-loop systems or advising on how to make software reports more readable for clinicians.
Independent Medical Examiner (IME)
IMEs provide impartial medical assessments for legal cases, workers’ compensation claims or insurance disputes. In endocrinology, this often involves cases related to complications of diabetes, obesity-related disability or workplace injuries exacerbated by metabolic conditions. It is chart-based work, and comes with an average hourly rate of $79 in the U.S., according to ZipRecruiter.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) course creator
CME is a constant requirement for licensure, so courses are in high demand. You can monetize your knowledge by creating content for CME providers. This could involve writing case studies on rare adrenal disorders, recording lectures on the latest ADA guidelines, or developing quiz banks for board review.
Chart reviewing
Health insurance companies and independent review organizations hire physicians to review medical charts for medical necessity and coding accuracy. With the complexity of biologic approvals and CGM coverage criteria, these groups need endocrinologists to review prior authorization appeals and ensure that coverage decisions align with current medical standards.
Other creative pursuits
Endocrinologists on Sermo are proving that you don’t need to limit yourself to medical roles. “I also studied to work as a Veterinary Assistant,” one shared, while another listed a diverse portfolio: “Web design / Bookwriting / App developer / Graphic Artist.”
Remote side gigs for endocrinologists
If you prefer to work from the comfort of your home office, several remote endocrinology options are viable.
Remote CGM/insulin pump interpretation
Some third-party companies hire endocrinologists specifically to interpret device data remotely. This asynchronous care model allows you to log in, review a week’s worth of glucose trends, make dosage recommendations and sign off, all on your own schedule and without the need for a face-to-face visit.
Virtual health advisor (metabolic health apps)
Metabolic health and weight loss apps need medical directors or advisors to ensure their algorithms and advice are clinically sound. This often serves as a flexible consulting role, where you guide the clinical strategy of a tech product.
Tele-endocrinology
While similar to clinical practice, pure tele-endocrinology allows you to see patients without leaving your house. It eliminates the overhead of a physical office and allows for highly focused consults, often stripping away the administrative burdens of a traditional practice.
Sermo paid medical surveys as a means to reach your goals
Among the myriad side hustles available, Sermo paid medical surveys stand out for their accessibility and efficiency. The surveys are designed to be respectful of a busy physician’s schedule and provide fair market compensation.
These surveys carry the potential to generate significant supplemental income. For many members, this constitutes a viable source of money to further their careers—funding a secondary degree like an MBA, paying for board certification fees or attending international conferences. For others, it is a means to achieve personal goals, such as accelerating mortgage payments.
Beyond the income, participating in surveys keeps you on the pulse of medical innovation. You get a glimpse of what is coming down the pipeline in terms of new drugs and technologies, often before they hit the broader market.
Navigate your career with Sermo
Low clinical compensation remains a catalyst pushing endocrinologists toward aside gigs. If you’re feeling similarly, know that your skills have currency far beyond the exam room.
Whether you’re exploring side gigs for financial resilience, intellectual variety or a long-term career change, Sermo gives you the platform to connect with peers and discover new paths. It’s a trusted community where you can validate your ideas with colleagues who understand the pressures you face.
Ultimately, you may decide that you’re interested in a more pronounced pivot. If you’re curious about which of these part-time roles can transition into full non-clinical careers, consult our guide to alternative careers for endocrinologists.
