Episode #201: A Rewarding Side Gig Where You Can Make 10K – 20K+ a Month

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On today’s episode, we’re exploring an exciting and often overlooked side gig that can bring in significant income, from $10,000 to $20,000 or more per month. Dr. Tom Davis, a family physician who transitioned to working as an independent contractor for the Social Security Administration, shares how this side gig has been rewarding both financially and professionally, how it works, the qualifications required, and how he personally has been able to make over $50,000 in a single month through disability reviews. If you’re looking for flexible, well-paying work that you can do from anywhere, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

In this episode we’re talking about:

  • What working as an independent contractor for Social Security disability reviews entails.
  • How Dr. Davis built a successful side gig while traveling in an RV and doing telemedicine.
  • The steps to get started, including qualifications and training requirements.
  • Insights into the types of cases reviewed and how to assess disability claims.
  • The financial potential of disability determinations, with real-life examples of income.
  • Challenges in the onboarding process and tips for navigating the system.
  • Tips for efficiency and maximizing income while working as an independent contractor.

Links for this episode:

TomDavisConsulting.com

Tom Davis LinkedIn

nonclinicalcareersummit.com – You can purchase lifetime access to this summit of 12 talks one of which is on SSA Determinations by Dr. Tom Davis

Mark Stinnett mstinnett@medstafflt.com – Contact at Medstaff if you are interested in doing disability determinations for SSA.

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10 Comments

  1. Michelle T on September 26, 2024 at 2:20 pm

    Great interview! Thank you for all the details!
    When you say 10k per month in revenue, how many cases or hours of work does that mean? Can it be done as a side gig ?

    • Heather Fork on September 26, 2024 at 9:03 pm

      Hi there! I am so glad you found the interview valuable. Yes, this work can be done as a side gig. Dr. Davis shared that he typically earns $300 to $500 per hour for Social Security Administration (SSA) disability reviews. He explained that physicians working part-time or on a flexible basis can generate around $300 an hour, while those who work in dedicated blocks of time can earn up to $500 or more per hour. Dr. Davis mentioned that he often schedules his work to bring in $20,000 to $24,000 a month.

      In terms of time, Dr. Davis averages 10 minutes per claim, although more complex cases can take up to 20 minutes​. This efficiency allows him to handle five to six claims per hour, depending on the case complexity​. I must add that Dr. Davis is very fast and efficient, so someone starting out is going to be slower and may or may not match his productivity and income levels.

      • Michelle T on September 27, 2024 at 8:52 am

        Thank you for the answer, Heather ! Yes, his efficiency is pretty amazing. I looked up Medstaff for SS disability reviews, but all I could find is staffing for locums clinical positions for all the companies that included Medstaff in their name. Would you be able to share the specific website?

        • Heather Fork on September 27, 2024 at 8:59 am

          Here is the website: https://www.medstafflt.com/
          And here is an additional response from Dr. Tom!
          I was asked to commit to an average of 15 hours per week. That’s 15 hours anytime, evenings, weekends, anytime. When I need time off, I just tell them. A great side gig indeed. The $10k/month number is real, but please remember from the podcast and the Summit ’24 presentation that there are a lot of hoops, training, and spin up to get to that point. It took me about 18 months from application to be hitting on all most cylinders. You’re probably quicker on the uptake than I so YMMV. But once you do get up to speed, it is a dream gig with both a mission and a shockingly good work environment.” YMMV – Your Milage May Vary

          • Michelle T on October 1, 2024 at 5:11 pm

            Thank you so much, Heather! You’re awesome! And Dr Tom is so kind and generous to share all these details.



          • Heather Fork on October 1, 2024 at 10:03 pm

            You are too kind! You are very welcome. I feel so fortunate to have Dr. Tom Davis as my wonderful guest. He is indeed incredibly generous and provided a wealth in information about the SSA disability review. I appreciate your taking the time to listen and comment. Thank you!



          • Patricia Kitchin on October 6, 2024 at 7:05 pm

            I’m concerned you have a guest supporting Scott Adams after his controversial racist rant. I think you are doing great work and I don’t want something like this to detract.



          • Heather Fork on October 8, 2024 at 8:42 pm

            Dr. Patricia Kitchin, thank you for your thoughtful comment and for bringing this to our attention. I want to reassure you that Dr. Tom Davis had no intent to support or align with any controversial figures or statements. His inclusion of Scott Adams in the podcast was to mention a resource and not reflective of his values or to cause any negative associations. Dr. Davis has been incredibly generous with his time, resources, and expertise, and his focus has always been on helping physicians navigate the complex world of Social Security disability reviews and career options in general.

            We truly appreciate your feedback, and we have since removed the mention of Scott Adams from the podcast. The updated version will be live within the next day or two. We apologize if this specific content was offensive to anyone, and we remain committed to providing valuable, unbiased information to our listeners.

            Thank you again for your support and for sharing your concern.

            Heather



  2. Modupe Oladeinde on September 26, 2024 at 4:41 pm

    Another great episode! Thank you Heather, thank you Tom for being so clear on what this type of work entails, application process, compensation and all!

    • Heather Fork on September 26, 2024 at 9:05 pm

      Thank you so much Dr. Modupe!! You are such a loyal listener and supporter of the podcast. I appreciate you very much and agree with you that Dr. Tom Davis did a fantastic job describing the SSA disability review work.

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