According to Physicians Thrive’s 2024 Physician Compensation Report, only 10% of physicians find their compensation rewarding enough.
As a result, some doctors switch careers or enter side gigs.
Due to their flexibility and decent earnings, one of the most popular side hustles for medical healthcare professionals is completing paid physician surveys.
If you want to earn extra cash as a doctor without adding to your long work hours, we have everything you need to know about paid medical surveys, including the different platforms and companies you can join to take them.
Key Takeaways
- Physician surveys gather data from various healthcare professionals to develop patient care, medications, and medical technologies.
- Participating in medical surveys offers benefits such as increased income and the opportunity to contribute to medical developments and advocate for patients.
- To get paid, you only need to create an account, build your profile, and complete surveys based on your expertise.
- Some of the top paid medical surveys include Sermo, MDForLives, and InCrowd, among others.
Table of Contents
What Are Physician Surveys?
A physician survey or paid medical survey aims to gather valuable insights and data from a sample of doctors or medical practitioners within a specific field.
Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers then use the information to identify problems in the field, improve patient care and medical treatments, make decisions, implement policies, and develop new research and technologies.
Any healthcare worker can join if they pass the survey’s screening requirements.
Methods of Paid Medical Surveys
Here are the different ways in which market research platforms and companies conduct medical surveys.
- Online Survey Questionnaires: Researchers use multiple-choice, dichotomous, or open-ended questions to collect quantitative and qualitative data. It’s the most common type of survey for physicians, especially for microsurveys.
- Interviews: Some companies prefer collecting data through online or in-person interviews. The session usually includes ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions and aims to get as many insights, opinions, or motivations on the specific topic as possible.
- Focus Groups: In a few cases, researchers will gather similar specialties or fields to hear their varied opinions on a certain matter. This method is used to collect and differentiate opinions within a specific group.
Each method may pay differently, depending on the time and commitment you need to make to the research.
The Benefits of Paid Medical Surveys
Why should you consider doing paid surveys on top of being a resident or attending physician? Here are some perks.
- Earn Supplemental Income: You can make more money on the side as a medical practitioner. According to Sermo, their doctors receive up to $15,000 weekly on surveys. However, the amount you receive will depend on how many surveys you answer, how quickly you answer them, and how much each survey pays.
- Complete Medical Surveys Anytime, Anywhere: Although many surveys require you to answer within a limited time, you can receive or complete surveys that you can take during your free time, whenever you’re able to. Plus, most surveys are done online, allowing you to take one at home or anywhere else.
- Contribute to Medical Developments: Answering engaging surveys helps medical device companies develop new products and technologies for healthcare professionals and patients.
- Advocate for Your Patients: Participating in surveys lets you share details about prescribing habits and patient usage of new medications and other products. These surveys help medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies receive valuable feedback for developing better patient care and treatment.
- Get Insight on the Latest Technologies: Engaging in doctor surveys helps you learn more about the latest medical research, medical devices, patient treatment trends, and more. It’s a convenient and profitable way of staying updated with recent news and developments in your field.
How Do Paid Medical Surveys Work?
Generally, participating in a paid medical survey consists of four steps.
1. Create an Online Account
Most survey platforms and companies let you create an account on their website.
Typically, you need to provide your name, email address, and country of practice.
You also need to provide your qualifications, such as specialization and experience, to build your profile.
The company will then verify your details before you start receiving surveys.
2. Receive Paid Surveys Tailored for Your Qualifications
Once verified, you’ll receive surveys based on the information you provided.
Surveys often include screening questions to ensure you’re a good fit for the study before sending a survey.
If you don’t pass the requirements, you’ll be screened out and won’t get paid.
3. Complete the Survey or Interview
The survey company will send the actual survey or interview details with the disclosed amount you’ll receive upon completion.
To be eligible for payment, you need to complete the survey before the specified date and time.
Note that you’ll also receive consent forms informing you of the survey’s purpose, risks, and benefits, as well as your rights and obligations.
4. Receive Your Payment or Reward
After completing the survey or interview, you may redeem your reward in multiple ways.
Depending on the platform or company, the choices may include direct deposit, debit card, or gift card.
Many platforms let you earn and redeem points through your chosen gift card.
A few also allow you to donate your rewards to a chosen charity.
Where to Join Paid Physician Surveys
Consider participating in the following legitimate paid survey opportunities.
InCrowd
InCrowd offers survey respondents five-to-ten-minute micro surveys on a range of healthcare topics which you can complete via your mobile device.
They also conduct 15- to 60-minute interviews scheduled on your preferred day and time.
The platform accepts various medical professionals, including those in dental hygiene, medical residency, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, psychology, and more.
Completing three- to five-minute surveys earns you between $10 and $20.
After reaching the minimum threshold, you can redeem the money as an e-gift card via PayPal or Tango.
m-panels
m-panels is a service of m360 Research, a global research partner that connects researchers and marketers with healthcare professionals.
They provide paid surveys for different specialties and pay an honorarium of $3 to $8 per minute, depending on the topic.
Unlike some other platforms, you can no longer answer m-panels’ surveys once they have reached the maximum number of required respondents.
Therefore, it’s recommended that you take the survey as soon as you can.
You may check and withdraw your earnings via the m-panels wallet. Payments are credited to your account two business days after completing the survey.
M3 Global Research
M3 Global Research is the largest panel of healthcare industry professionals worldwide.
It’s the market research division and subsidiary of M3 Inc., which has subsidiaries in the USA, UK, China, Japan, and South Korea.
They offer 20- to 30-minute online research surveys for Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Medical Students, and other healthcare professionals.
They also survey consumers and patients about goods, services, and medication. Membership is free.
You may earn approximately $60 to $300 per hour, but the exact earnings depend on the type and frequency of surveys you receive.
Hybrid phone or online interviews pay more but are less common.
You’ll receive your payment in your M3 Wallet two business days after completing the survey.
Their payment methods include bank transfer, Amazon gift card, cheque, and prepaid card.
MDForLives
MDForLives lets healthcare professionals participate in various online surveys, group discussions, interviews, and other market research initiatives for medical device manufacturing, drug development, and healthcare services.
It’s available via Android and iOS for physicians and residents from all fields practicing in the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and India.
It’s one of the highest-paying medical survey sites, paying around $50 to $500 per survey, depending on your specialization and country.
You can only redeem your payment as Amazon gift cards.
Sermo
Sermo connects more than 1.3 million healthcare professionals across more than 96 specialties with surveys and interviews on the latest medical research.
Their surveys typically cater to your schedule and expertise.
It’s one of the highest-paying medical survey opportunities since you can earn around $5,000 to $15,000 per week.
They also offer various payment methods, including direct deposit, Mastercard gift card, Amazon gift card, and donations to Doctors Without Borders.
Besides this, Sermo provides members with a social medical community for Continuing Medical Education (CME) opportunities, patient case collaboration, a database of drug ratings from verified doctors, medical news, and lifestyle discussions.
ZoomRx
ZoomRx connects biotech or pharmaceutical companies with real-time panels of patients and healthcare professionals via mobile phone.
Their surveys are designed according to the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO) guidelines.
Unlike some survey sites, their platform lets you record voice responses instead of typing them out.
Any medical professional may join, but they offer more opportunities for oncologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists.
Compared to other platforms, ZoomRx offers lower compensation, with an average of $1 per 10- to 15-minute survey.
However, you can get paid instantly if you choose PayPal. They also offer payments via check or donation to patients from developing countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Medical Professionals Need to Pay Taxes for Paid Online Surveys?
Yes—you should report all earned income, including gift cards. The company will only send a tax form if you earn over $600 in a year.
Check your state or country’s tax law to be sure of the exact terms, and consider proper tax planning if you plan to take surveys for extra money.
Can Healthcare Professionals Join Multiple Paid Surveys Simultaneously?
Yes, unless a platform states that members must be exclusive to the market research company.
Joining various medical survey companies or platforms lets you receive more paid surveys and earn more money.
How Does the Sunshine Act Affect Paid Medical Surveys?
The Sunshine Act requires manufacturers to report payments made to physicians to avoid bribery and conflicts of interest.
However, payments from physician surveys are exempt, given that the participants are anonymous and a third party handles payments.
Should You Try a Paid Medical Survey?
If you want to boost your income as a healthcare professional, consider signing up for paid medical surveys that you can complete during your free time.
However, keep in mind that taking online medical surveys from pharmaceutical companies won’t contribute to your CME credit.
Moreover, you still need to allot time and effort to answer multiple surveys to make enough extra money.
Weigh the pros and cons of joining various market research companies or platforms and see if the gig fits your needs and lifestyle as a medical professional.
If you decide to work on paid online surveys, consider consulting a financial advisor from Physicians Thrive to learn how to best invest your survey income, file taxes, and develop your financial wellness.
