I’ve talked about encore career options and alternative careers for physicians a lot. There is something romantic about leaving medicine. It also helps me get rid of my fear that I might run out of investment income someday.
Here are the encore career options which I am seriously considering. Whenever I come across a potential idea, I jot it down to see if it’s a viable option. I made a long list of alternative career options for physicians in this other post.
Here are a few things which I’ve been actively pursuing and are viable options.
1. Healthcare Consulting
I’ve been doing this for a while already. For encore career options, it’s a relatively easy one to get into. There will always be clients who need a clinician to help them improve their healthcare product.
To grow into this space I would have to keep marketing myself and work more clients.
What I love about it: I would learn a lot; something I enjoy.
What I don’t like about it: there is a lot of marketing I have to do. Marketing feels a little repetitive to me.
2. Practicing Medicine in Spain
It’s sort if an encore career option. I’m fairly certain that practicing medicine in Spain won’t resemble the US healthcare system.
What I like about it: I could start my own private practice.
What I don’t like: I would have a good deal of bureaucracy ahead of me to get my medical license in Spain.
3. Dietitian
I’ve been learning about Integrative and Functional medicine. They heavily focus on nutrition and lifestyle. I could see myself being in this space.
What I enjoy about it: there is a lot to learn and I can do it all remotely through telemedicine.
What I don’t like: I would have to get credentialing in this space – which I’d do in Spain, not the US.
4. Construction
I probably wouldn’t work for anyone in construction. But having my own handyman or general contracting business is appealing.
What I like about it: it’s physical work, something I’ve always enjoyed.
What I don’t like about it: it’s very customer facing, which can be draining.
5. Machine Learning
Healthcare is being transformed by making use of all of the data which we accumulate. Since the human mind can’t make a decision from that much data, Artificial Neural Networks in machine learning can be used to draw conclusions.
There are many ways to enter this space. I could create my own models or consult for companies which are using such data.
What I like about it is that there would be a LOT to learn and that would tickle me just fine. What I don’t like is that I’d be glued to a computer fo the next few years.
6. Voice Technology
Voice technology is along the lines of #5 above. I would have to learn a lot more about computers and technology. The future of interacting with technology will be voice, not gestures or typing.
Clinicians will not get away with making clinical decisions with limited data. And they will have to interact with a lot more data which I think voice technology can accomplish.
What I like: it’s an amazing community of people who are in this space. What I don’t like: it’s intimidating and would require a lot learning on my part.
7. Farming
Yeap, I’m talking about overalls and horse manure. Get a small plot of land and grow microgreens and mushrooms and fruits and veggies. Maybe some vertical farming with aquaponics.
The goal would be to create nutrient dense produce that’s sustainable. I would sell mostly to restaurants, probably.
What I don’t like: I know shit about farming, there would be a lot to learn.
What I love about this: it’s a romantic idea and a very important task to take on in society.
8. Teaching
I can see myself creating more courses. I make a decent income from the courses I sell on this website. I can take these skills and create courses directed at healthcare consumers, not just medical professionals.
It’s the type of encore career I could do remotely as a digital nomad physician.
What I like: creating courses is easy and a very realistic encore career option. People are willing to pay for something which they think will earn them more more or improve their health.
What I don’t like: there would be a lot of marketing work. I haven’t learned how to delegate this part well.
9. Writing
They say that there is no money in writing, I disagree. You can make money from writing in all sorts of ways.
If I pursued writing for income then I would start out with writing books and grow my audience from there. This is among the few on this list which could generate perpetual income.
What I love about this: I’ve been writing for a long time and I still love it. This is a good sign that I’m likely passionate about writing.
What I don’t love about it: it will take a long time to make a solid income from it.