How to Make Money While in Medical School (13 Best Ways)

by Erin Schollaert

Updated

If you’re in medical school to become a doctor, it can take ten to fourteen years of education before you’re licensed: it could be an incredibly long time without any sizable income.

Anyone ready to learn how to make money while in medical school could make money with these jobs.

If you’re trying to figure out how to pay for medical school while still in it: these tips will help.

13. Sell Advertising Space on Your Car

car-wrap-advertising-example

Average income per month: $250 (Money.com)

If you own a car and drive at least eight hundred miles a month: you could be cashing in! Many companies pay for the ability to advertise on vehicles.

This can range from a car wrap that covers most of your vehicle to smaller stickers and magnets that cover portions instead. Depending on the advertiser, this can be quite a funny way to make money.

You do have to reach their miles per month, but if you drive to and from school every day, you can hit this in no time.

12. Donate Plasma

Average income per month: $300 (Side Hustle Nation)

Donating plasma may not sound like something that will allow you to make money, but this has been a paid donation for decades.

To get into this, you need to make sure your diet is moderate, and you haven’t had any piercings or tattoos freshly added within the last six months, but after that, you can enjoy making money by sitting still for a couple of hours a week.

You can even bring a book and study while you donate, making this one of the best jobs in med school and a helpful way to stay within your college student budget template.

Trend on the Rise

Plasma donations have dropped by nearly 20% since the pandemic began, which has led to many plasma donation centers being more desperate and offering far more rewards. So now’s a great time to get in on this money maker.

11. Participating in Medical Studies

trainer

Average income per month: $333 (Sage Journals)

When people picture what participating in medical studies is like, they often overestimate the amount of stress they’ll be under- or what types of medications they’ll be asked to take.

Not only do many studies need a control group that does nothing but study the participants, but most medical studies are for life changes instead of taking medication or trying new treatments.

This is an awesome way to make money while supporting the medical system, and can even be one of the possible side gigs for physician assistants or anyone looking to make some extra income.

The Common Medical Study Types:

  • SurveyThis type of study is based on questions and quizzes given to participants to gauge their experience
  • Observational – This survey watches the behavior and experiences of subjects over some time
  • Experimental – This type of study usually pairs with chemical or behavioral changes the subjects are expected to carry out

10. Solve Medical Cases on CrowdMed

Average income per case: $400 (CrowdMed)

CrowdMed is an incredible source of income for many medical students.

Not only does it offer the chance to make money while brushing up on your skills, but it also allows you to pick which cases you work on and doesn’t require a set schedule.

The more cases you successfully take on: the more money you can earn. This will make some serious use of your medical resources so make sure you know where to get college textbooks cheap.

9. Sell Stock Photos for Passive Income

shutterstock-trends

Average income per month: $500 (MUO)

Selling stock photos is an awesome chance at a passive income.

Most newer phone cameras are good enough to be able to support this income source, and as long as you can take interesting photos, you’ll be sure to gain an income.

The average photographer makes around seven dollars per month per photo, so the more photos you take and post: the more money you’ll make.

This side gig won’t make you rich, but it will help you get by until you land one of the jobs making 6 figures right out of college with your medical degree.

Tactic for Success

There are billions of stock photos for holidays and of pets, so you must find a way to set yourself and your photography apart. Develop a niche, and ensure that you’re able to provide for that niche as your account grows.

8. Rent Your Yard as a Dog Park

Average income per month: $1,500 (SniffSpot)

If you have extra lawn space, it could be the perfect chance for you to make some extra money.

renting-yard-as-dog-park-pros-and-cons

In many cities and college towns, students have nowhere to walk their pets and are desperate for a place to let them enjoy being a dog.

Consider building a fence and allowing people to use your lot to let dogs be dogs!

7. Working as a Medical Scribe

Average income per month: $2,518 (ZipRecruiter)

Medical scribes, also called documentation assistants, transcribe information during clinical visits into electronic health records under a doctor’s supervision.

Scribing allows doctors to continue their work in other areas while you ensure every detail gets taken down.

This is the perfect gig for anyone who wants more hands-on medical training and isn’t afraid to learn on the job.

6. Drawing Blood as a Phlebotomist

Average income per month: $3,039 (Salary.com)

You’ll have to practice taking blood eventually: so why not do so as a phlebotomist? Phlebotomists are professionals who draw blood for a variety of reasons.

This can be for testing, to help with blood or plasma donation, and other medical uses.

In this role, you’ll get plenty of practice placing a needle, which will help you in the long term throughout your medical career.

5. Working as an Emergency Medical Technician

ambulance-ems

Average income per month: $3,126 (Salary.com)

If you can handle stress and are ready for a fast-paced job, consider taking on work as an EMT.

In this role, you’ll provide basic medical assistance to anyone who undergoes trauma or injury.

You’ll have to quickly become accustomed to seeing blood and damage to the human body, but it’s the best way to prepare you for your medical career.

If you take this role, it’s best that you simultaneously start therapy or have some other type of mental health professional there for you.

Trend on the Rise

The need for EMTs is expected to grow another 15% by 2026, so this won’t be a difficult job for you to land. On top of this, getting on-the-job training in this role will give you the chance to be more successful in your education.

4. Working as a Medical Research Assistant

Average income per month: $3,586 (Glassdoor)

As a medical research assistant, you’ll collect, record, and analyze experimental data.

This role requires that you’re extremely detail-oriented and capable of taking on a lot of information at once.

If you have fantastic time-management skills, are awesome at working in a team, and understand the importance of being analytical in a medical situation, this could be the perfect job to get you through med school.

3. Tutoring In Any Topic You’re Interested in

library-books

Average income per month: $3,833 (Houston Chronicle)

If you’re passionate about education and are thorough in both note-taking and understanding multiple subjects: consider taking on work as a tutor!

In this position, you work directly with students of an assortment of ages and help them better understand the information they’re learning in their courses.

You can work with multiple students, or you might be hired to work directly with just one student that you give your full attention to.

Best Paying Topics to Tutor:

  • LanguagesTutors can make up to $80,000 a year in this role
  • Adult Tutoring – In this role, you may earn around $50,000 a year
  • Mathematics – This role can score you up to $91,000 a year
  • Sciences – As a sciences tutor, you can make around $55,000 a year

2. Working as a Study-With-Me Youtuber

Average income per month: $4,500 (Social Blade)

Study-with-me Youtubers became one of the most popular genres during the pandemic.

Jimmy Kang, a 4th-year medical student in Canada, has been able to make enough money to help pay off some of his educational debt while supporting himself and his fiancee through his YouTube videos.

By studying on camera, he helps people body-double (feel like they’re studying with someone else). It’s an awesome job to take on and can bring unlimited income.

Tactic for Success

It’s important to research what other study-with-me Youtubers do before you dive into this. Avoid talking or being noisy during your videos and streams, and set up an attractive studying area that people will be happy to have to play while they work.

1. CPR and First Aid Instructor

Average income per month: $4,750 (CPR Certification HQ)

If you’re ready to make money in the medical field and don’t mind teaching, consider taking on the role of being a CPR and first aid instructor!

Although this job can be stressful since you have to work directly with students and give them the tools they’ll need to possibly save a life.

It’s vital that you’re thorough but also good at working directly with others if you take on this position.

Wrapping Up

Although many subscribe to the idea that being a broke college student is part of the experience: you can go through your college years while also being able to start saving off to pay your debt for when you graduate.

Consider picking up a few of these gigs and making some real money!

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Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.

About the Author

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Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.