Compare high-paying freelance options for Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania? Whether you want to supplement your income or transition to independent practice, Pennsylvania offers several high-paying options. Here's how the top opportunities compare.

1.

Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting

$300-$600/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 writing reports and preparing for depositions or trials based on family medicine expertise. Assignments are project-based, often involving Pennsylvania or multi-state cases.

Requirements

  • Active Pennsylvania medical license
  • Board certification
  • 5+ years clinical experience
  • Strong documentation and communication skills

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

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

Pennsylvania notes: Philadelphia is a historically high-verdict malpractice market commanding premium expert rates; Pittsburgh and rural PA at national average; FM $300-$400/hr; IM $400-$500/hr; Trial testimony $475-$650/hr; Philadelphia malpractice market premium
Typical start timeline: 1-4 weeks

2.

Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards

$150-$500/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians advise healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical companies, or policy groups on primary care delivery, population health, and quality improvement initiatives. Participation in advisory boards involves strategic meetings and feedback on guidelines or products relevant to family medicine. Work supports freelance consulting on Pennsylvania healthcare trends.

Requirements

  • Active Pennsylvania medical license
  • Board certification
  • 5+ years experience in primary care
  • Leadership or advisory experience preferred

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • GLG, Guidepoint, AlphaSights

Pennsylvania notes: Philadelphia proximity to major pharma companies (GSK legacy, etc.) creates consulting demand; Pittsburgh health systems consulting available; Expert network calls $200-$500/hr; Pharma advisory boards $2K-$5K/meeting; Philadelphia pharma corridor proximity
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

Pennsylvania 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.

Telemedicine / Telehealth

$75-$175/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians conduct virtual patient consultations, diagnoses, and management via video or phone from anywhere, focusing on non-emergent primary care issues. Work involves reviewing charts remotely and prescribing treatments without in-person visits. Pennsylvania-licensed PCPs can serve patients across the state through platforms streamlining interstate practice.

Requirements

  • Active Pennsylvania medical license
  • Board certification in Primary Care
  • DEA for controlled substances
  • Reliable internet and telehealth platform access
  • Experience in virtual care preferred

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

Where to Find Work

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

Pennsylvania notes: No geographic variation (remote); PA license required; moderate telemedicine demand; Primary care $75-$140/hr; Psychiatry $150-$225/hr; Moderate telemedicine market
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks

5.

Chart Review / Utilization Review

$85-$175/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians remotely review patient charts for insurance companies or hospitals to assess care appropriateness, coding accuracy, and utilization management in primary care settings. Tasks ensure compliance with guidelines and prevent overutilization of services like routine screenings or chronic disease management. Freelance roles support quality assurance in Pennsylvania health systems.

Requirements

  • Active Pennsylvania medical license
  • Board certification in Family Medicine
  • 3+ years clinical experience
  • Knowledge of coding and utilization guidelines

Malpractice Insurance: No

Where to Find Work

  • Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Physician Side Gigs

Pennsylvania notes: Primarily remote; Large insured population with mix of commercial and Medicaid managed care; Contract UR $85-$110/hr; Full-time UR roles $100-$140/hr; Complex reviews $125-$175/hr
Typical start timeline: 2-6 weeks

6.

Locum Tenens / Per Diem

$115-$170/hr

What You'll Do

Primary Care Physicians work temporary assignments at clinics or hospitals in Pennsylvania to cover staffing shortages, providing outpatient primary care such as managing 8-18 patients per day on weekdays. Assignments last from days to months, offering flexibility to explore different locations while maintaining work-life balance. Involves full-scope family practice duties in settings like Pittsburgh or Lancaster.

Requirements

  • Active Pennsylvania medical license
  • Board certification or eligibility in Family Medicine
  • DEA certification
  • BLS/ACLS certifications
  • Proof of training, residency, and vaccinations
  • Clean malpractice history

Malpractice Insurance: Typically provided by employer

Where to Find Work

  • CompHealth, Locumstory, OnCall Solutions

Pennsylvania notes: Rural PA (Central PA, Poconos) +20-25% premium; Philadelphia/Pittsburgh metro at base rates; FM $120-$145/hr; IM $120-$145/hr; Hospitalist $160-$190/hr; Weekend/holiday +20-30%
Typical start timeline: 2-12 weeks

Common Questions People Ask

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

A: Based on current market data, the top 3 are: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting ($300-$600/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards ($150-$500/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 ($300-$600/hr), Healthcare Consulting / Advisory Boards ($150-$500/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$300/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($85-$175/hr). This can save $15-$40K annually compared to options requiring coverage.

Q: Can primary care physicians work remotely in Pennsylvania?

A: Yes, 4 options are fully or partially remote: Expert Witness / Medical-Legal Consulting ($300-$600/hr), AI Training & Annotation ($125-$300/hr), Telemedicine / Telehealth ($75-$175/hr), Chart Review / Utilization Review ($85-$175/hr).

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

A: An active Pennsylvania license from Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine 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 1-4 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 Pennsylvania 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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Do I need malpractice insurance for freelance primary care physician work in Pennsylvania?
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How do I get started with freelance primary care physician work in Pennsylvania?