Doing Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) Work as a Physician Side Gig
- Nisha Mehta, MD
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 15 hours ago
While work as a qualified medical evaluator (QME) has been around for some time, it’s becoming more and more common to hear about these potential side gig opportunities for physicians, most notably in California. A QME is a physician certified by the state to evaluate injured workers and complete med-legal reports to help assess workers’ compensation claims and benefits. Below, we look into what it takes to become a QME, what QME work looks like, and how to get started and find opportunities for this potentially lucrative side gig for doctors.
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What Is a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) and what do they do?
Qualified medical evaluators (QMEs) are doctors certified by the state who are hired by insurance companies, attorneys, and employers to examine injured workers and provide their unbiased opinion in evaluating medical issues for workers’ compensation claims. While a QME’s opinion isn’t legally binding, it has a direct impact on the amount and length of workers’ compensation benefits an injured employee may receive.
QMEs review medical records and write medical-legal reports to assess the injury to help determine the worker’s eligibility for workers’ comp. A standard QME case typically involves:
Reviewing the worker’s medical records
Interviewing the worker in person
Compiling and submitting a QME report that details your diagnosis and analysis of the case
Once contacted about a case, QMEs typically have 90 days to come to agreement on where the in-person interview will be held and 30 calendar days to complete their report once they’ve visited with the worker. While some remote evaluations are available to injured workers, the state typically places restrictions on remote interviews, so companies who hire physicians for QME work usually request in-person evaluations.
Becoming a QME requires following a specific process, and the QME certification is handled by the state, as we cover below. Most states don’t have this specific designation. When we hear about QME work, it’s typically for California. Physicians are required to hold an active license in the state to qualify and must either live near the worker or be willing to travel to complete the in-person interview.
What is the difference between QME vs IME work?
QMEs focus solely on workers’ compensation cases. QMEs are typically called in to help resolve disputes between an employee and the insurance company. The QME’s review of the medical records and expert medical opinion is used before the appeals board for workers’ compensation. To become a qualified medical evaluator, you have to pass an exam and complete training courses.
Independent medical evaluations (IMEs) are exams done by physicians for cases that are generally for disability but aren’t necessarily work related. While IMEs may cover cases related to workers’ compensation insurance, this area is highly regulated in some states such as California and thus restricted to QMEs. There is no standardized certification to become qualified to provide IMEs, so it can be an easier side gig for doctors to get started with, though doctors will not be able to do workers’ compensation related work in states with QME certifications without becoming a QME.
Learn more about doing IMEs as a physician side gig.
Which doctors should consider becoming a qualified medical evaluator?
QME work is a great potential fit for MD & DO doctors who are licensed and live in California (or don’t mind traveling there), as this is primarily where we see the QME designation and requests for physicians.
Popular markets for QME work include:
Bakersfield
Los Angeles
Sacramento
San Diego
There can be dozens or even hundreds of pages of records for review depending on the case, so this work is better suited for physicians who don’t mind paperwork and have a keen eye for detail.
With the written report, this work is suited to doctors with strong writing skills who are comfortable working in a legal environment. With the in-person interview, QMEs need to be comfortable dealing with workers who may be adversarial given the potential ramifications of your assessment.
What does doing QME work pay as a side gig?
Pay for QME work is often determined by the state. A standard case, including the interview and record review/report typically pays around $2,000-$2,500. When working through a third-party company, physicians often report making ~60% of that amount.
For medical reviews with extensive documentation, there is often compensation paid per additional page over a set standard amount, such as 200 pages.
Overall pay can be variable, as it’s dependent on how many cases you complete. We’ve heard reports of physicians making 10s of thousands of additional income up to 6-figures annually.
Pros and cons of doing QME work
Advantages of QME work as a physician side gig
Allows you to use your clinical knowledge in a new way: Can offer career growth and expand your expertise, potentially opening doors for new opportunities if you’re interested in a potential career shift in the future.
Doesn’t have the pressures of clinical work. Can help provide extra income while providing a break from more stressful and physically demanding clinical work, such as moonlighting.
Offers a flexible side gig opportunity: While you’ll likely be required to do an in-person interview, scheduling and location selection can be flexible around your clinical hours. You can also choose when you want to pick up QME work, and how often, offering opportunities for small side income or substantial additional earnings.
High potential earnings: QME work can pay up to ~$3,000 per case. Physicians looking to do multiple cases a week or month can add significant income if the caseload is available.
Minimal overhead costs: While there are fees associated with becoming a QME, once you’re up and running, overhead costs are minimal. If working through a third-party company, they often cover the costs of getting certified and likely have sites you can use to perform the in-person interview.
Disadvantages of QME work as a physician side gig
Can be a lengthy onboarding process: The qualification course is typically only offered a few times a year, so you may need to wait several months before you can apply for the QME qualification to begin accepting work.
Certification required courses and fees: While the registration fee is relatively cheap, there are still upfront costs associated with taking on this side gig, including not just money but time associated with completing certification requirements.
Can have a steep learning curve: QME work is often paid by case, so the longer it takes to complete, the less you make per hour. Physicians just starting out will have lower earnings as they learn the process and find a rhythm. Working with a third-party company can offer support to help improve efficiency for each case.
Heavily regulated with deadlines: State regulations run the QME certification and have set timelines on when interviews must be scheduled and reports submitted.
Only available in select markets: QME certifications only exist in certain states, and you must be licensed and willing to travel to areas where workers are located in order to accept QME work.
Must stay current on latest QME practices and regulations: Along with passing the qualification course, QMEs must complete continuing education to stay certified. Working through a third-party company can help you stay in compliance.
How do I get started with a side gig doing qualified medical evaluator (QME) work?
To become a QME, you have to get certified by the division for workers’ compensation in your state. For the state of California (the most common), the steps to become a QME include:
Applying for and passing the QME Competency Exam offered by California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC). At the time of this writing in May 2025, this exam is only held twice a year, in April and October, and there is an exam fee of $125.
Completing a qualified course of a minimum 16-hours on evaluation report writing and a minimum 2-hour anti-bias training course
Completing the QME application to become certified
Paying the annual fee to become certified
California offers study materials and a guide for physicians to help prepare to become a QME, but the report writing course must be completed with an approved educational provider. Many companies offer services to help guide physicians throughout the entire process, from providing specialized review courses for studying, handling the administrative side of registration, paying associated fees, securing clients for work, and providing report templates. This can help lower the learning curve and lift to get started with this side gig.
Related PSG resource: If you are interested in learning about opportunities, sign up for our free chart review side gig database for physicians. Our team will reach out with opportunities to work with companies looking to add QMEs to their roster. Your contact information will never be sold to anyone and will only be shared for specific opportunities that match your interests with your expressed permission.
Conclusion
Work as a qualified medical evaluator is limited to physicians in certain states, but it can be a lucrative side gig for physicians who qualify and are interested in medical work outside of the clinical setting. There is an upfront time commitment, continuing education, and fees, if you decide to work outside of a third-party company. Even given the commitments, this can still be a lucrative side gig for doctors looking for a change of pace from their normal clinical work.
Related side gig resources for physicians
Additional chart review work physicians consider:
Sign up for our chart review side gig database for alerts on opportunities that match your interests and criteria. It’s completely free to join, but only open to members of our online physician community.
If you need help with the business side of your side gig, learn more about: