Looking for freelance or contract work as a emergency medicine in California? Whether you want to supplement your income or transition to independent practice, California offers several high-paying options. Here's how the top opportunities compare.
Expert Witness roles involve reviewing medical records, providing testimony in legal cases related to emergency care, and offering opinions on standard of care in ER malpractice suits. Emergency Medicine physicians analyze cases for plaintiff or defense, prepare reports, and may testify in depositions or trials. This work applies clinical expertise to legal contexts, focusing on trauma, diagnostics, and treatment decisions.
Malpractice Insurance: No
California notes: No geographic variation; CA has high med-mal litigation volume; Trial testimony $600-$800/hr or $5k-$10k/day; Deposition $400-$600/hr; Chart review/records $300-$450/hr
Typical start timeline: 1-4 weeks
Healthcare Consulting for Emergency Medicine physicians includes advising hospitals on ER operations, protocol development, staffing models, and quality improvement initiatives. Consultants may assess department efficiency, implement triage systems, or guide compliance with California regulations. These roles often involve project-based work to optimize patient flow and resource allocation in high-volume settings.
Malpractice Insurance: No
California notes: Bay Area health-tech startup premium; No variation for remote expert network calls; Pharma/biotech advisory boards $350-$500/hr; Expert networks (GLG/AlphaSights/Guidepoint) $200-$400/hr; Startup consulting $200-$350/hr
Typical start timeline: 4-8 weeks
Locum Tenens and Per Diem roles for Emergency Medicine physicians involve providing temporary staffing coverage in hospital emergency departments, handling acute patient cases, and working shifts such as 12- or 24-hour periods to address shortages. These positions allow physicians to fill in at various facilities across California, including short-term acute care and VA hospitals, offering flexibility in location and schedule. Assignments can range from short-term shifts to extended contracts up to six months.
Malpractice Insurance: Typically provided by employer
California notes: Bay Area +10-15% ($280-$350 base); LA metro market rate; Rural/Central Valley +20-30% ($275-$400); Critical Care/Toxicology $290-$400/hr; Pediatric EM $280-$370/hr; General EM $200-$300/hr
Typical start timeline: 4-12 weeks
Healthcare AI companies hire emergency medicine professionals to review, annotate, and validate training data for medical AI systems. Work involves emergency clinical scenario training data — tasks like triage algorithm training, clinical decision support, trauma assessment.
Malpractice Insurance: No
California notes: Fully remote — available regardless of state. Pay based on specialty expertise, not location.
Typical start timeline: 1-2 weeks
Getting started: Join the expert community and make a free profile on Folio to browse current emergency medicine AI training projects.
Chart Review and Utilization Review tasks for Emergency Medicine physicians involve auditing ER patient charts for medical necessity, coding accuracy, and adherence to guidelines. Physicians determine appropriate admission levels, deny unnecessary care, and ensure compliance with insurance standards. This freelance work supports payers or hospitals in cost control and quality assurance remotely.
Malpractice Insurance: No
California notes: Remote work; no geographic variation within state; Concurrent UR $175-$300/hr; Retrospective chart review $150-$250/hr; Prior authorization review $125-$200/hr
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks
Telemedicine roles for Emergency Medicine physicians entail providing remote consultations for urgent care needs, triaging patients virtually, and advising on emergency cases without physical presence. These opportunities leverage video platforms to assess symptoms, order tests, and coordinate care, particularly useful for overflow from ERs or rural access. Work focuses on rapid decision-making similar to in-person ER but adapted to digital interfaces.
Malpractice Insurance: Yes ($5,000-$15,000/year)
California notes: No geographic variation (remote); CA license required; Bay Area virtual EM ~$188/hr per ZipRecruiter; Night/after-hours tele-EM $150-$200/hr; Daytime virtual urgent care $125-$160/hr
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks
Q: What are the highest-paying freelance options for emergency medicine physicians in California?
A: Based on current market data, the top 3 are: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal ($400-$800/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory ($200-$500/hr), Locum Tenens / Per Diem ($200-$350/hr).
Q: Which freelance options for emergency medicine physicians don't require malpractice insurance?
A: 4 options don't require malpractice insurance: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal ($400-$800/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory ($200-$500/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$315/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($150-$300/hr). This can save $20-$50K annually compared to options requiring coverage.
Q: Can emergency medicine physicians work remotely in California?
A: Yes, 5 options are fully or partially remote: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal ($400-$800/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory ($200-$500/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$315/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($150-$300/hr), Telemedicine / Telehealth ($125-$200/hr).
Q: What California license do emergency medicine physicians need for freelance work?
A: An active California license from Medical Board of California is required for most clinical freelance options.
Q: How quickly can emergency medicine physicians start freelance work?
A: Timeline varies by option: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal typically takes 1-4 weeks, while Healthcare Consulting / Advisory typically takes 4-8 weeks, while Locum Tenens / Per Diem typically takes 4-12 weeks.
Q: What's the pay range for emergency medicine physicians doing AI training work?
A: AI training pays $125-$315/hour for emergency medicine physicians, varying by experience level and project complexity. No malpractice insurance required.
Folio connects California emergency medicine physicians with frontier research labs and healthcare AI companies looking for clinical expertise. The platform vets AI companies for project quality, handles contracting and payment, and matches projects to your area of expertise.
Typical timeline:
- Application: 3 minutes
- Credential review: 2-3 business days
- Platform orientation: 1 hour
- First project: 3-7 days from application
Current project focus (February 2026): Triage algorithm training, clinical decision support, trauma assessment
Most emergency medicine physicians start with 5-10 hours weekly, then scale based on preference. No minimum commitment.
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Questions? Email experts@folioworks.com
