The supervised clinical training period, also known as residency, is a time when physicians build clinical skills, expand medical knowledge and learn to manage a clinical workload with independence. While the long hours and demanding schedules are part of the process, it’s also common for residents to take on additional clinical work — and supplement their earnings — outside their core program.
Moonlighting as a resident involves picking up extra shifts in addition to residency. This can translate into gaining both a supplemental income source and additional hands-on experience in clinical settings. It can also introduce resident physicians to new patient populations or practice environments that complement their primary training.
Learn more about physician opportunities with Signify Health on our Resident Careers page, or keep reading to better understand the moonlighting process.
Moonlighting in residency is when a physician takes on paid clinical work outside of their required training duties. Moonlighting shifts are separate from residency responsibilities and are typically scheduled during off hours, such as nights or weekends, once program and licensing requirements are met. This often requires written approval from the residency program director.
If a physician meets all the requirements for moonlighting, including completing the intern year and obtaining a full and unrestricted state medical license and residency program approval, taking on extra shifts can come with certain advantages, including:
Moonlighting helps residents expand their income beyond their base salaries. The extra earning potential can help alleviate student loan debt or offset living expenses, easing financial pressure during training.
Moonlighting allows physicians to practice medicine in settings that differ from daily rotations, even if the work is performed at the same institution as the physician’s residency program. Additionally, moonlighting shifts often involve autonomy and independent decision-making that can sharpen clinical confidence.
Moonlighting somewhere outside of the place of training can expose physicians to different practice models or patient populations. In some cases this variety can be the perfect way to clarify career interests before fellowship or attending roles come into view.
Moonlighting opportunities do not always appear via traditional forums, like mainstream job boards. Many residents hear about open shifts through word of mouth, faculty referrals or staffing agencies that work directly with hospitals and health care systems. Within institutions, senior residents and attending physicians are usually the ones that often know which departments need coverage and which roles are resident-friendly.
Some residents prefer roles that mirror their specialty, while others look for general coverage shifts that build more experience in a variety of areas.
Here are some tips for getting started:
We welcome the chance to discuss our opportunities with physicians interested in moonlighting work, additional clinical roles and/or career paths.
Reach out to connect with Signify Health to get started on a journey to improve health care outcomes, close care gaps and discover additional career path flexibility.
This is subjective to an individual physician’s preferences and situation. Moonlighting can be beneficial for residents who have the capacity to take on extra work without compromising rest or training. It can provide additional income and more real-world experience, but it also requires careful consideration of workload and program expectations.
The timeline in which physicians can moonlight as a resident varies based on the residency program. Generally, a physician should finish the intern year and hold a full, unrestricted state medical license (as opposed to a training license). Most programs also require written approval from the program director and Graduate Medical Education (GME) office confirming that outside work is permitted.
Reference to Signify Health herein refers to Signify Health, LLC and its contracted independent physician owned entities to which it provides administrative services including, Signify Health Medical Associates, PLLC; Brookview Medical Associates, PLLC; Signify Health Medical Associates of California, P.C.; Signify Health Medical Associates of New Jersey, LLC; and Signify Health Medical Associates of Kansas, LLC.