Creative Side Hustles for PAs
Creative Side Hustles for PAs That Actually Use Your Brain, Not Your License
Most “side hustles” recommended to PAs sound like more clinical work in different clothes, moonlighting at urgent care, taking on more telemedicine, or squeezing in extra shifts. That’s not a side hustle. That’s burnout disguised as opportunity.
The truth is, PAs bring more to the table than charting and coverage. Clinical training builds problem-solvers, communicators, strategists, and teachers. That’s exactly what many companies, and entire industries, are looking for.
If you’re a PA who wants a side hustle that’s creative, scalable, and doesn’t depend on patient volume, this list is for you.
What Makes a Smart Side Hustle for PAs?
You don’t need a supervising physician to do it
It doesn’t require malpractice insurance
It builds a reputation, not just revenue
You can grow it over time, or keep it lean and flexible
These aren’t “gig economy” ideas. They’re strategic paths for PAs who want to own their time, expand their influence, or explore new roles outside of the traditional clinical setting.
High-Value, Non-Clinical Side Hustles for PAs
1. Clinical Content Writing
PAs are uniquely positioned to write for medical blogs, continuing education platforms, health tech companies, and even government contractors.
Companies are constantly looking for clinicians who can write clearly, explain protocols, or translate research into digestible material.
Platforms: Healthline, Osmosis, Verywell, UpToDate (freelance contributors)
Common formats: blogs, whitepapers, clinical scripts, app content
Pay: $150 to $1,000 per piece depending on experience
2. Coaching (Career, Wellness, Niche Specialty)
Many PAs are coaching
New grads on navigating contracts and clinical onboarding
Fellow PAs on how to transition to non-clinical roles
Patients in non-medical ways, such as health habits, functional frameworks, or aesthetics consultations
You don’t need to position yourself as a life coach. Think peer support with structure, accountability, and strategy.
3. Clinical Product Advising
Startups are constantly looking for clinicians to help test, review, and refine digital tools. PAs are often hired to
Review patient flows
Spot real-world friction
Vet content for accuracy
Advisory roles may start unpaid or flat-rate, but often evolve into contractor, consulting, or equity-based engagements.
4. Podcasting
PAs are launching podcasts around
PA education and professional growth
Women’s health and gaps in care
Lifestyle and mental health for medical professionals
Entrepreneurial journeys in healthcare
Done well, a podcast becomes a platform, not just for ideas, but for future services, referrals, or partnerships.
5. Teaching and Curriculum Development
From online health academies to CME platforms, many organizations want clinicians to develop
Short clinical modules
Patient education content
Staff onboarding tools
Teaching doesn’t have to mean academia. It can mean course creation, instructional design, or paid lectures through companies or your own platform.
6. Substack or Paid Newsletters
If you have something to say about burnout, your specialty, business strategy, or a specific population, start writing. A newsletter doesn’t need 10,000 subscribers to matter. It needs clarity and consistency.
Some PAs are using newsletters to
Build a loyal audience
Pre-sell workshops or digital products
Package insights for consulting roles
7. Consulting for Small Practices
If you’ve helped scale a clinic, optimize workflows, train staff, or manage credentialing, those are sellable skills.
PAs who understand
Billing workflows
Protocol implementation
Telehealth expansion
Staff onboarding or supervision
can offer project-based or retainer-based consulting to clinics and health organizations that don’t need a full-time operator.
Emerging Side Hustles That Will Grow in 2025
AI validation and clinical QA, reviewing chatbot or documentation output
Remote clinical education for employers or brands
Medical aesthetics protocol consulting
Freelance scripting for health YouTube creators or online courses
Workflow audits for telehealth companies or solo providers
These aren’t side hustles built to fill your weekends. They’re paths to long-term, strategic work that grows your brand, your network, and your optionality.
What to Avoid
Anything that over-relies on your license but underpays
MLMs or brand partnerships that dilute your credibility
Side gigs that lock you into another rigid schedule
Opportunities that pull you further into the clinical hamster wheel
Final Thought
You trained as a clinician, but that’s not all you are. You can analyze, design, teach, build, consult, and lead.
The smartest PAs aren’t just picking up extra shifts. They’re building side hustles that expand who they are, not just what they can bill.
