36 Side Business Ideas For Doctors and Medical Practitioners [2023]
Interested in starting a doctor business in 2023?
If managed well, side business ideas for doctors can be more lucrative than employment is. So, which are the best business ideas for doctors?
We put together 37 of the best doctor businesses you can start in today.
For each business idea, we'll show you real-world examples of other doctor businesses to help you see what it takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Build a medical app
Medical apps are an integral part of any physician’s practice. Doctors need access to the latest reference materials and advances in healthcare technology. You might have a lot of medical experience, but creating a medical app can be daunting if you don’t know about coding and app building.
The medical apps market is expected to reach $314.60B in 2028. The healthcare industry is sacrificing billions of dollars annually on paperwork, filing, and an inefficient system for sharing patient information. With today’s technology, healthcare professionals can streamline this process and will be able to keep track of their patient’s records through a secure information system.
Hi, my name is Shuhan He. I’m the founder of Conduct Science, a company which I created to try and provide scientists and researchers with the necessary equipment to complete their research.
The data is stored on the Qolty servers for years, meaning that work isn’t lost and can be used for longitudinal studies.
2. Start a natural health product business
A natural health products business covers many products, including foods, supplements, drinks, and weight management products. Typically, natural health products go into the production of drugs.
It is easy to imagine why you would want to start your own natural health products business. First, health and wellness are hot topics right now. Everyone wants to be happy and healthy regardless of background, culture, or economic status. Second, the natural health products industry will exhibit a CAGR of 5.3% and reach over 32 billion in the next few years.
Therefore, the natural health products business can be a profitable venture. To maximize profitability, focus on providing health products that solve the problems experienced by your target customers.
Hi, my name is Adam Wright and I am the founder of SuperGreen TONIK. We develop a greens powder that contains 38 superfood nutrients, adaptogenic herbs, vitamins, and minerals.
Our target is 7-figures for our 2nd year, which we believe is very achievable.
3. Start a dermatology business
The beauty and wellness industry is booming all across the globe. Not only has the demand for skin care, nail care, hair care, and face care products increased, but also people are conscious of the benefits of consulting experts.
If you are enthusiastic about beauty and wellness and want to start a business, you may consider starting a dermatology business. Dermatologists specialize in skin, hair, and nails. They help patients who suffer cosmetic disorders like hair loss and scars.
Cases of skin disorders among the elderly and the need for skin care and beauty solutions among younger and middle-aged people are reasons services of dermatologists are in high demand. To start the dermatologist business, research the market and choose a niche that you may specialize in.
Hello, my name is Scott Melamed and I run ProMD Health, along with my co-founder/business partner and close personal friend Dr. George O. Gavrila, MD. ProMD Health operates in the Aesthetic Dermatology space, but we are so much more than that. I believe that it is every company’s duty to do their part to change the world for the better and we accomplish that mission by delivering great results, taking care of our patients, our staff, our vendors, and the community at large through a number of charitable initiatives under our corporate giving program ProMD Helps.
ProMD Health started as a single location practice and has quickly grown to include 4 offices, a franchise, a philanthropic initiative, a tattoo removal business, a telemedicine company, and so much more. Since inception, our CAGR has been over 40% and we are rapidly expanding through our independent ownership program aimed at giving physicians from any industry seeking to enter this space the tools and training they need to succeed as the owner of their own ProMD Health.
4. Start a wellness and natural health business
Have you been toying with the idea of starting a business in the medical sector? How about the wellness and natural health business?
With an approximately 6.4% YoY growth rate, the health and wellness industry is one of the best business ideas you will think of starting today. Health and wellness professionals include health coaches, personal trainers, and even yoga teachers.
If you plan to start a health and wellness business in 2023, find your area of focus, and determine the kind of service or product you will provide. Research the market and find an ideal location.
You may choose the eCommerce or hybrid model, where you have a physical office and online consultation.
Hi, my name is Joe Cohen and I’m the founder and CEO of SelfDecode. The company was born out of the journey I went through to decode myself.
In 2021, we launched a crowdfunding campaign and raised a total of $8M and have generated about $2.7M in revenue over the past year. SelfDecode started with my desire to just get healthy and now we’re poised to change the future of health care as we know it. If that isn’t motivation to go after what you want in life, I don’t know what is.
5. Start an AI based medical equipment business
Artificial intelligence is transforming patient experience, how clinicians practice medicine, and how the pharmaceutical industry operates. Application of AI in medicine includes but is not limited to using machine learning models to search medical data and uncover insights that will help improve health outcomes and patient experiences.
AI has enabled patient self-service to chatbots, computer-aided detection systems for diagnosis, and image data analysis, which helps identify candidate molecules in drug discovery. If you are enthusiastic about applying modern technology to improve healthcare, consider starting an AI-based medical equipment business.
James Bates the CEO and Founder of AdviNOW Medical has been inventing cutting-edge technology for 20 years. AdviNOW Medical has become a leader in the health technology sector, pioneering a system that synergizes artificial intelligence and augmented reality to support existing healthcare infrastructure and services while enabling the future of low-touch no-touch medical visits. It’s a technology that seems obvious in hindsight, amending a serious problem with an elegant solution.
Healthcare automation has bigger benefits, including—but not limited to—labor savings, improved quality and consistency of care, reduced waste, lower physician burnout, and increased predictability of outcomes. In fact, practices that adopt AdviNOW see nearly a doubling of the patient throughput per provider. This obviously leads to lower wait times for patients and more profitability for the practice and enables future models within the value-based care vision.
6. Build a health information website
According to CDC report, 74% of all U.S. adults use the internet, and 61% have looked for health or medical information online. Besides, 49% access the internet for information about particular medical conditions or problems.
So, starting a health information website is a brilliant idea!
Maybe you want to cover a specific health topic and provide readers with essential information on finding an ideal clinic, or perhaps you are starting as a health blogger. Whichever the route, you can earn commissions for referring your readers to clinics or healthcare consultants.
To get started, find a niche and consider how to grow traffic, consider email marketing and focus on increasing an emailing list. Publish credible and reliable health information and remember that consistency will help.
Hi, my name is Joe Cohen and I’m the founder and CEO of SelfDecode. The company was born out of the journey I went through to decode myself.
In 2021, we launched a crowdfunding campaign and raised a total of $8M and have generated about $2.7M in revenue over the past year. SelfDecode started with my desire to just get healthy and now we’re poised to change the future of health care as we know it. If that isn’t motivation to go after what you want in life, I don’t know what is.
7. Build a healthcare business process automation software
Healthcare business process management covers a sequence of executions/steps within the sector.
Unfortunately, the healthcare sector has not been among the fastest to embrace technological innovations. However, great strides have been made, and practitioners realize that manual procedures to fulfill clinical and administrative duties hampers business growth.
Thus, there is a demand for business process management software within the healthcare industry.
Starting a BPM in healthcare can be a great business if you understand healthcare process management. To start, model a prototype and pilot it before selling it to target healthcare practitioners.
My name is Dan Prince, and I am the founder of illumisoft, a software development company specializing in cloud migration, web applications, business solutions, and data management.
Regarding illumisoft, as a leading software development company, we are always evolving to best serve the healthcare industry. In 2020, the initial year of the pandemic, our annual revenue was $842k, and in 2021 our annual revenue was $785k. As for 2022, we are trending upwards and look forward to having one of our best performance years yet.
8. Start a fitness center
Are you interested in starting a business that revolves around health and body fitness? How about setting up a fitness center?
A fitness center business is a health, recreational, and social facility geared towards exercise and other physical activities. These centers serve people who may want to do workouts to get into shape and improve their overall health.
The health and fitness industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today. Some factors behind the sector’s popularity include a health-conscious population who want to avoid lifestyle-related illnesses, social media influence, and a shift towards better healthcare.
Starting a fitness center business can be a fun and profitable venture. If you plan to start the business, secure a good location, and equip your fitness center adequately. You may choose to operate entirely online or a hybrid model where you have the physical fitness center and the online one.
My name is John Zarbock. I am the CEO and Founder of BioFit. I started my business in November of 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. We build better humans by providing them with the most effective, efficient, and safe exercise on the planet. We do this through the High-Intensity Training (HIT) methodology mostly by leveraging the Adaptive Resistance Exercise (ARX) machines. They are designed to achieve exercise results in as little as 20 minutes a week by performing not only each rep and set near perfectly but also allowing for the maximum amount of intensity every moment of every session in the safest way possible while giving each client real-time feedback on progress and performance. We deploy a simple success formula: Work + Rest = Growth.
We currently have approximately 125 clients and our average monthly revenue is $20k. We have about an 80% closing ratio and our client retention is over 70%. The intricacies of the business have been very dynamic as I have served more than half of my time operating it while on Active Duty for the Army. I am currently deployed overseas in Kuwait so there have been challenges in growth and scale but we have grown year over year in both memberships and revenue despite having a skeleton crew of dedicated team members and partners in the last two years.
9. Become a healthcare practitioner
A healthcare practitioner is a licensed individual authorized by the state and performs within the scope of their practice as defined by state law.
Under federal regulations, such an individual can be a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, podiatrist, dentist, chiropractor, clinical psychologist, optometrist, nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or clinical social worker.
A healthcare practitioner business runs as a private practice and, if run properly, has the potential to generate huge profits.
If you are a certified medical practitioner, starting your private practice lets you be your “own boss” and gives you the freedom to choose who to serve and where to operate. Therefore, the health practitioner business can be very lucrative.
Hi, my name is Joe Cohen and I’m the founder and CEO of SelfDecode. The company was born out of the journey I went through to decode myself.
In 2021, we launched a crowdfunding campaign and raised a total of $8M and have generated about $2.7M in revenue over the past year. SelfDecode started with my desire to just get healthy and now we’re poised to change the future of health care as we know it. If that isn’t motivation to go after what you want in life, I don’t know what is.
10. Start a health and safety training business
The health and safety business focuses on creating a safe workplace by instituting measures to prevent accidents and ensure employees' general wellness.
Health and safety professionals work with businesses to implement an employee health and safety program, ensuring compliance with the regulatory laws.
The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the demand for safety professionals will grow by over 11% in the coming decade. The statistics show a mushrooming demand for health and safety experts. In that regard, starting a health and safety business can be profitable.
Hi, I’m Brendan Torazzi, the CEO of AlertForce. We are a health and safety compliance training business out of Sydney that delivers face to face and online training throughout Australia (and a little overseas also)
Family shot Oct 2021 from SeacliffHouse.com.au which is another family business - destination wedding venue 2 hours South of Sydney
11. Start a laboratory test business
One of the most profitable niches in the healthcare sector is the laboratory test business. Lab tests are critical to medical care as they give patients and doctors detailed, objective health data. Doctors may request patients' bloodwork, urine tests, and specialized tests to diagnose rare conditions.
Medical labs provide clinical laboratory tests for hospitals, private outpatients, and ambulatory care center patients.
Given the critical role laboratory tests play in healthcare and the demand these services attract, starting a laboratory test business can be profitable. If you plan to start a medical lab business may specialize in a particular niche or offer a wide range of laboratory tests. Understand the regulations in your region and acquire the necessary certifications.
Hi! My name is Angelica Kohlmann. I’m an investor in tech and biotech companies and co-founder of Bloom Diagnostics. As a big friend of tech and an MD Ph.D., I saw the big gap between healthcare and technology, and healthcare and people, meaning that we need to bring healthcare closer to people through new technologies.
We’re entering the market as we speak, and in the first month, we were already able to win 8 pharmacies in and around Vienna.
12. Start a home healthcare service business
Today’s lifestyle patterns have introduced new diseases, and the demand for healthcare services is rising. As we age, we develop different health problems resulting in medical services. Thus, starting a health service business can be a lucrative opportunity with the rising demand for healthcare.
Niche markets within the healthcare industry include:
- Ambulatory surgery centers
- Medical labs
- Kidney dialysis facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Mental health facilities etc.
To start a health service business, research the market and acquire all necessary medical equipment. You can choose a franchise or partnership or start your own health center from scratch.
Hello everyone! My name is Bharath M and I’m the founder of Healthsols Facilitators Pvt Ltd. We started the company 6 months ago to create better quality healthcare services at affordable prices.
In the early days, we used to generate very little revenue & sometimes we have ended up with zero revenue. But within 3 months slowly order flow & revenue generation started & also recruited 18 employees in 11 cities.
13. Start an alternative health-care center
Alternative healthcare services are the health treatments not typically provided in traditional western medicine that depend on manufactured chemicals and pills to control the disease.
As an alternative healthcare consultant, your role will be to offer clients a path of health and wellness through natural means. Alternative healthcare centers also provide various services and treatments to help customers achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle through nutrition, exercise, and treatments.
If starting an alternative healthcare service, you can enter into a franchise arrangement or start your alternative healthcare center from scratch. Choose a niche you understand well, and advertise your business.
Hello, My name is Rod Glupker, I am the co-owner with my wife of CBD Store of Michigan. We currently have a storefront and website with e-commerce. We carry over 60 brands of CBD. We only carry products that have been 3rd party tested. We make sure that the product potency is accurate as well as making sure they contain no heavy metals, pesticides, mold, or lead.
Other customers are parents of children with ADHD, Autism, or just something to help them concentrate. Gummies are popular with them. We have gummies in full spectrum as well as isolates. Isolates have zero THC. Full Spectrum can have up to .3% THC by law in all 50 States. Do not worry, that amount will not get you high.
14. Start a skincare products business
Skincare is a widely expanding industry estimated to exceed $189 billion by 2025. The statistics show that the skincare business is an incredible opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs in skincare.
If you have a passion for helping people look their best and want to start your own business, a skin care products business may be your opportunity.
While the industry is competitive, it also provides entrepreneurs who want to join the field with many opportunities. Determine the beauty business idea you want to launch, launch a digital presence, and develop a marketing strategy.
Hi there! My name is Mark Maher and I am a co-founder of Beyond Botanicals, a CBD Manufacturing company in the USA focused on Private Label CBD, Wholesale CBD, and our own best-selling line of premium quality CBD products. We help people start their own CBD businesses.
We launched in 2017, doing about $80K in six months of business. In the following two years, we rocketed over $250K in monthly sales and quickly crossed $3M in annual revenue.
15. Start a weight loss clinic
The modern lifestyle puts us at the risk of becoming obese. Health-conscious people are looking for weight loss clinics to help them stay healthy.
A weight loss clinic provides exercise planning and weight and body measurement services. Providing weight loss advice and coaching people on dietary behavior can be fun and profitable. If you are passionate about helping people through the weight-loss journey, start your own weight loss business. It can be a medical weight loss program or a non-medical one.
To start, you must decide whether an independent weight loss clinic or a franchise option is right for you.
I’m Priscilla Blevins, I have my Masters of Science in Nutritional Sciences and am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I am the founder of Keto Girl Nutritionist. I started out in healthcare working in hospitals where I specialized in thyroid health and nutrition. I was tired of seeing patients come in, get on medication, provide the diet, and never see them again.
I went from making $150 a month to $45,000+ a month within one and a half years, and still scaling to be a seven-figure business.
16. Start a pharmaceutical manufacturing business
Pharmaceutical manufacturers research, develop and bring new medicines that will improve patients' health and quality of life across the globe. Although starting a medications manufacturing business requires huge capital, it can be a lucrative venture. Medication drugs are always in demand and, therefore, can be a profitable business.
Kristin Peck is the creator of Zoetis, the world’s largest pet and livestock medication and immunizations provider. Their primary goal is to advance animal care to benefit the globe and its citizens. It was created in July 2012 and is based in New York.
They provide high-quality medications and vaccines, diagnostic goods, and genetic testing, as well as a variety of services.
Kristin is a curious business executive who loves animals and is interested in digital and technology. In 1993, she received her Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. In addition, he received an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School in 1999.
With 70+ years of achievement in animal health, it’s an ambitious and humble goal with a varied and brilliant staff serving clients worldwide. The company was a subsidiary of Pfizer till the company spun off its 83% stake in Zoetis, making it an entirely independent business.
In 2021, Zoetis’ yearly sales were $7.776B, a 16.49% increase over 2020. Animal goods account for over three-quarters of total revenue in the United States. The company also has a significant market share in Latin American nations such as Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. China is the company’s most important national market outside the United States.
Key takeaways:
- Zoetis continues to stand by raising and caring for animals worldwide.
- It’s the world’s leading animal health company.
- The company’s leading portfolio is making a difference in over 100 countries.
- Zoetis employees have been named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes five years in a row.
- Kristin attributes Zoetis’s success to providing value for their customers by creating an engaged culture where employees come every day excited to make a difference for customers.
17. Start a VR-based healthcare app
Healthcare professionals are already using virtual reality and other emerging technologies in patient care, medical training, and other areas. According to experts, the application of VR-based healthcare Apps will reach $9.7 Billion in a few years.
The increase is attributed to the increased need for novel diagnostic tools and the rise in neurological illnesses and disease awareness. Therefore, building a VR simulator for the healthcare industry can be profitable. If you are starting a VR-based healthcare business, offer users a web application, android, and iOS apps.
18. Start a drug rehabilitation center
Are you passionate about counseling drug users and helping them live meaningful life? Opening an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center is a noble idea.
Substance abuse, tobacco, alcohol, and drug addiction are rising globally. According to research, the addiction treatment market is approximately $35 billion a year and growing. Therefore, starting a drug recovery business can be rewarding.
If you plan to start the rehabilitation center, remember that rehab centers are comparable to private medical practices. So you are required to be licensed to operate the business in the addiction field.
Thus, you must attain legal licensure and all regulations and paperwork ready to operate as a drug rehabilitation center.
19. Start a spa retreat center
Spa retreat centers offer yoga, meditation, healing treatments, and counseling sessions to support the patient in finding balance and a sense of well-being. However, wellness retreat centers can be unique, so the same classes, workshops, and treatments can differ.
With the growing demand for wellness retreat services, starting your spa retreat center can be profitable. To start, identify the target market, and establish a facility. You can offer a mobile retreat service or equip a physical facility where you will serve the customers.
20. Start a travel medicine clinic
Are you an expert in tropical and travel medicine looking for a good business opportunity? Starting a travel medicine clinic business can be profitable. The travel clinic offers travel immunizations, other travel medications, and expert travel advisories to dignitaries.
21. Start a 24 hours medicine shop
A medicine store that remains open 24 hours a day typically earns more revenue than a store with an opening and closing time. A pharmacist can start a 24-hour medicine shop in his area. If you have no commercial experience in the drug industry, you could become a franchise partner of a reputed brand and operate 24 hours.
22. Start a health consultations business
Healthcare consultants share expertise, advise and guide healthcare organizations to make proper business decisions that promote growth and benefit their customers or patients.
To become a health consultant, you must have a related degree and earned experience. as a health consultant. You will focus on administrative efficiency, legal compliance, work environment, and procedural flow to help healthcare organizations thrive.
23. Start a health insurance claims reviewing business
24. Start a medical fairs business
25. Start a stop smoking clinics business
26. Start a private tutor business
- Kat Norton (@miss.excel on Instagram and TikTok) enthusiastically imparts Microsoft Excel knowledge to people, companies, and educational institutions through her line of Excelerator Courses and specialized group training sessions.
- Kat has over 1 million TikTok followers, which she has used to launch a successful software training company in just two years. After posting her first video in June 2020, she never had to look back.
- In just 10 days, she gained 200,000 new Instagram followers and currently has 639K followers on the platform.
- She typically earns between $250,000 and $300,000 per month, and once ,she made $100,000 in just 24 hours.
Listen to the full podcast on podcasts.apple.com ➜
27. Start an expert legal witness business
28. Start a drive-thru clinic business
29. Start a pathological labs business
30. Start a botox clinic business
31. Start a cosmetology school
32. Start an online exams practice site
33. Start a Hospital
34. Start a skin clinic business
35. Start an eye clinic business
36. Start a childbirth service business
What business can a doctor start?
There are many businesses that a doctor can start. They could start a clinic, open up their own private practice, or work as a consultant for another medical business.
There are also many opportunities to start businesses that cater to the health and fitness industry. A doctor could open up their own gym, create a nutrition program, or develop a new line of health supplements.
Regardless of what business a doctor decides to start, they will likely have the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful.
Which business is best for doctors?
There is no easy answer when it comes to finding the best business for doctors. Physicians have a number of different options, each with its own set of pros and cons.
Some of the most common businesses for doctors include private practices, clinics, and hospitals. It really depends on the doctor's individual needs and preferences as to which one is best suited for them.
How to start a business as a doctor?
If you're a doctor who's looking to start your own business, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, you'll need to make sure you have the financial resources in place to get your business off the ground. This includes start-up costs as well as ongoing expenses such as rent, payroll, and supplies.
Secondly, you'll need to identify your target market and create a business model that appeals to them. This may involve marketing your services to a specific industry or niche group, or creating a unique selling proposition that sets you apart from your competition.
Finally, you'll need to put together a team of qualified professionals who can help you run your business effectively. This may include hiring an accountant, lawyer, and marketing specialist.
By following these steps, you can increase your chances of success when starting a business as a doctor.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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