Interest in unconventional jobs among physicians and other medical providers is growing. These roles differ from traditional, full-time positions in hospitals or medical practices due to their work settings, schedules, responsibilities, or other factors.
Conventional medical practice often comes with bureaucratic burdens, insurance paperwork, and documentation that lead to frustration and burnout. Many providers seek more autonomy and fulfilling work. They frequently find this via a job change to something unconventional. This might be in an alternative health care delivery setting or with a different patient population, for example.
Part-time roles, side gigs, and moonlighting opportunities are also appealing to many physicians, often to supplement income, pay off student loans, or accommodate personal priorities like raising kids. Some doctors pursue these roles to gain experience for career advancement or transitions.
As a result, many doctors are now seeking atypical job opportunities that suit their needs.
Finding and securing unconventional roles can be challenging, since traditional job search methods often don’t work well for part-time, remote, nonclinical, or unique positions. Relying on personal networks was once effective, but it’s less so today. The growth of online job boards and HR technologies has made a broader range of opportunities much more accessible across health care and other professions.
Today, job boards are incredibly valuable for medical professionals to find out-of-the-ordinary opportunities that meet their specific needs and preferences.
Job boards for unique, lucrative opportunities: the winners
If you are looking for a change from full-time practice in a hospital or medical office, here are a few of the best job boards to use in your search.
Indeed
If you want a change from full-time practice in a hospital or medical office, start with Indeed.
Indeed is a comprehensive, cross-industry platform offering a vast selection of job listings. Its user-friendly interface allows free access for job seekers, with applications submitted directly on the site or through employer career pages. Data shows Indeed accounts for about twice as many hires as other job boards like CareerBuilder and Monster. Small employers, including non-physician health care practice owners, often post roles like medical directorships, supervisory positions, and part-time advisory roles here.
The extensive database can feel overwhelming due to the volume of listings, many of which may not match your skills or goals. Define the type of role you want and research relevant job titles and keywords to focus your search. Avoid vague terms like “physician” or “nonclinical,” and instead use specific terms that align with your desired responsibilities and qualifications.
Utilize Indeed’s advanced search features to filter results by factors like remote work, location, part-time roles, or 1099 contracts. These tools can make your search more efficient and effective.
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LinkedIn is another must-use platform for unconventional opportunities. It is primarily a professional networking site, but its job board features are excellent. They allow you to present your professional persona, interact with recruiters, and engage with employers in one space.
Although LinkedIn accounts for fewer hires than Indeed, its focus on professionals makes it rich in opportunities for those with advanced degrees and specialized skills. Physicians can find numerous listings for nontraditional roles, particularly industry jobs such as in pharmaceutical medical affairs.
To use LinkedIn effectively, develop a thoughtful search strategy. Experiment with keywords and filters to find relevant postings. Save successful searches and set up alerts to stay updated on new opportunities. You’ll also want to optimize your LinkedIn profile to highlight your expertise and experience. This really increases your visibility to recruiters.
FlexJobs
Unlike Indeed and LinkedIn, FlexJobs requires a subscription, but the cost is minimal and worth it! The value lies in the curated list of remote jobs. For physicians and providers who are rethinking conventional medical practice, the ability to work from home is not just a perk—it can be a game-changer. FlexJobs has been the leader in sourcing remote opportunities across industries for well over a decade.
The platform offers health care positions such as full-time roles as medical directors for insurance or pharmaceutical companies, as well as contract jobs like medical writing, education content development, and telemedicine. Telemedicine options range from full-time employment to intermittent contract work.
You can access FlexJobs’ database for just $2.95 for a two-week trial or $5.95 per month. It is worth getting a trial membership even if you don’t use it to apply for any jobs. You will learn about which employers are hiring remote doctors, the types of roles they are hiring for, and the keywords that they put in their job descriptions. Then you can use that knowledge for your search strategy on other job boards.
Niche job boards
Niche job boards are another possibility for many physicians and providers looking for atypical job opportunities. These are smaller and more focused platforms catering to specific interests, work arrangements, or job types. They are akin to the traditional medical job boards like PracticeLink and PracticeMatch but are geared towards roles that fall outside the conventional medical practice spectrum.
Niche job boards can be especially useful if you have very specific career goals or interests. Here are a few examples I frequently recommend to other doctors:
- Hippocratic Adventures – International jobs for U.S. physicians.
- HigherEdJobs – Teaching roles at colleges and universities, often including remote or adjunct positions.
- BioSpace – Pharmaceutical industry roles.
- Emory’s Public Health Employment Connection – Public health opportunities in practice, research, and administration.
- Medical associations and societies – Many have public job boards for specific patient populations or therapeutic areas, such as those by the American Association for Physician Leadership or the American Medical Informatics Association.
Finding jobs and side gig work without the frustrations of traditional employment in hospitals and clinics can be challenging. Targeting the right job boards can make a huge difference.
Sylvie Stacy is a preventive medicine physician and the author of 50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians: Fulfilling, Meaningful, and Lucrative Alternatives to Direct Patient Care.
