Moonlighting on the Computer

Residents love to moonlight (a term referring to the generation of supplemental income through extra work outside of your current work obligations). Some physicians who complete their residency continue to moonlight to generate some extra cash.

I admit that I used to do quite a bit of moonlighting back in my clinical days. I didn't have to, but I didn't mind it and it helped with family expenses. I worked in various urgent care settings (like the ER and urgent care centers) and I also did some moonlighting in different types of hospital intensive care units (ICU, CCU, BMT Unit, etc.). Now that I no longer work in a clinical setting, my moonlighting opportunities have shifted to things like consulting and blogging. I enjoy the flexibility of taking my laptop with me to do "work." I can work from a bookstore or coffee shop. I can even work when I'm at the beach, but who would do that, right?

If you enjoy writing, then the easiest way to start "moonlighting" is to start a blog that will attract a certain audience. If you want to blog just for the sake of blogging, that's fine - just don't expect to make much in terms of revenue. However, if you can create a blog that will attract a captive audience, then you have the opportunity to actually generate an income. You'll have to be patient and you'll have to update the blog regularly.

If you're a healthcare professional, keep in mind that your blog doesn't have to be about medical or health topics. You can write about your hobby or passion, but if you approach it from a professional perspective, then you may be able to capture a unique audience. For instance, I write about computers and gadgets in my other blogs, but I write about them from the perspective of a medical student or physician. As a result, I naturally attract those types of readers. In the same way, perhaps you want to write about reading, boats, cooking, golf, cars, sewing, or any other hobby. Write in such a way that you attract a unique audience and you'll have them coming back and telling others about your site.