Compare high-paying freelance options for Ohio primary care physicians: locums, telemedicine, AI training, consulting. Real pay ranges, requirements, and how to start.

TL;DR

Looking for freelance or contract work as a primary care physician in Ohio? Whether you want to supplement your income or transition to independent practice, Ohio offers several high-paying options. Here's how the top opportunities compare.

1.

Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting

$275-$550/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians review medical records, provide expert opinions on standard of care, and testify in legal cases involving primary care malpractice or personal injury. Work includes preparing reports, depositions, and court testimony based on clinical expertise in family medicine. Assignments are project-based, often sourced through legal firms or expert networks.

Requirements

  • Active Ohio medical license
  • Board certification
  • 5+ years clinical experience
  • Strong communication skills

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • SEAK 2024 Fee Study, Expert Institute, Physician Side Gigs

Ohio notes: Cleveland and Columbus have active malpractice litigation markets; Rates slightly below coastal states; FM $275-$375/hr; IM $375-$475/hr; Trial testimony $450-$600/hr; Deposition $400-$475/hr
Typical start timeline: Immediate to 4 weeks

2.

Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards

$150-$450/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians advise healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical companies, or policy groups on clinical guidelines, population health, and practice management. Participation in advisory boards involves periodic meetings to review data, provide feedback, and strategize improvements in primary care delivery. Work is often part-time and leverages broad clinical knowledge.

Requirements

  • Board certification
  • 5+ years experience in primary care
  • Leadership or advisory experience preferred

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • GLG, Guidepoint, AlphaSights

Ohio notes: Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State Wexner Medical Center create consulting opportunities; Moderate pharma presence; Expert network calls $200-$450/hr; Pharma advisory boards $2K-$4K/meeting; Health system consulting $150-$300/hr
Typical start timeline: 4-8 weeks

3.

AI Training & Annotation

$125-$300/hr

What You'll Do

Healthcare AI companies hire primary care physician professionals to review, annotate, and validate training data for medical AI systems. Work involves ehr summarization and clinical reasoning validation — tasks like symptom checker validation, diagnostic reasoning evaluation, clinical note qa, documentation assessment.

Requirements

  • Active clinical background in primary care physician
  • No malpractice insurance needed
  • Computer with reliable internet

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • Folio (folioworks.com)
  • Centaur Labs
  • Appen
  • Labelbox

Ohio 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 primary care physician AI training projects.

4.

Locum Tenens / Per Diem

$120-$180/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians work as temporary substitute providers covering short-term absences at clinics or hospitals in Ohio, seeing patients across all ages in outpatient settings. Assignments typically involve bread-and-butter primary care with 20-25 patients per day, no procedures, and support from full staff. Per diem roles offer flexible shift pickups after credentialing, often on a fee-for-time basis as independent contractors.

Requirements

  • Active Ohio medical license
  • Board certification in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine
  • 2+ years experience
  • BLS certification
  • Clean credentialing and no sanctions

Malpractice Insurance: Typically provided by employer

Where to Find Work

  • CompHealth, Locumstory, OnCall Solutions
  • 122% above median), CHG Healthcare

Ohio notes: Rural OH (Appalachian SE Ohio) +25-30% premium; Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati metro at base; OH among top 10 paying locum states; FM $120-$145/hr; IM $120-$145/hr; Hospitalist $160-$190/hr; OH ranks 122% above national median for locums; Weekend/holiday +20-30%
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks

5.

Telemedicine / Telehealth

$70-$165/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians conduct virtual patient consultations via video or phone from anywhere, managing common primary care issues like acute illnesses and chronic conditions remotely. Work involves using telehealth platforms for follow-ups, prescribing, and preventive care without in-person exams. Assignments focus on accessible care for patients in Ohio or across states with proper licensing.

Requirements

  • Active Ohio medical license
  • Board certification
  • Telehealth platform experience
  • Reliable internet and technology setup

Malpractice Insurance: Yes ($2,000-$5,000/year)

Where to Find Work

  • Teladoc, MDLive, Amwell, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com

Ohio notes: No geographic variation (remote); OH license required; moderate telehealth demand; Primary care $70-$130/hr; Psychiatry $140-$210/hr; Moderate telemedicine market; Lower cost of living improves net compensation
Typical start timeline: 1-4 weeks

6.

Chart Review / Utilization Review

$80-$165/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians examine patient charts for quality assurance, insurance pre-authorizations, or compliance with guidelines, determining medical necessity of treatments. Work involves remote analysis of records to support utilization management or peer reviews in primary care contexts. Assignments are typically hourly or per-case from insurers or review organizations.

Requirements

  • Active Ohio medical license
  • Board certification
  • 3+ years experience
  • Attention to detail

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Physician Side Gigs

Ohio notes: Primarily remote; Major insurance companies headquartered in OH (e.g., Anthem presence); Contract UR $80-$110/hr; Full-time UR roles $95-$135/hr; Complex reviews $120-$165/hr
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks

Common Questions People Ask

Q: What are the highest-paying freelance options for primary care physicians in Ohio?

A: Based on current market data, the top 3 are: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting ($275-$550/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards ($150-$450/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$300/hr).

Q: Which freelance options for primary care physicians don't require malpractice insurance?

A: 4 options don't require malpractice insurance: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting ($275-$550/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards ($150-$450/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$300/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($80-$165/hr). This can save $15-$30K annually compared to options requiring coverage.

Q: Can primary care physicians work remotely in Ohio?

A: Yes, 5 options are fully or partially remote: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting ($275-$550/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards ($150-$450/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$300/hr), Telemedicine / Telehealth ($70-$165/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($80-$165/hr).

Q: What Ohio license do primary care physicians need for freelance work?

A: An active Ohio license from State Medical Board of Ohio is required for most clinical freelance options.

Q: How quickly can primary care physicians start freelance work?

A: Timeline varies by option: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting typically takes Immediate to 4 weeks, while Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards typically takes 4-8 weeks, while AI Training & Annotation typically takes 1-2 weeks.

Q: What's the pay range for primary care physicians doing AI training work?

A: AI training pays $125-$300/hour for primary care physicians, varying by experience level and project complexity. No malpractice insurance required.

Getting Started with AI Training

Folio connects Ohio primary care 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): Symptom checker validation, diagnostic reasoning evaluation, clinical note QA, documentation assessment

Most primary care physicians start with 5-10 hours weekly, then scale based on preference. No minimum commitment.

Explore AI Training Opportunities

Questions? Email experts@folioworks.com

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Frequently asked questions

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How do I get started with freelance primary care physician work in Ohio?