How PAs Can Make Money in Legal Medicine Without Leaving Clinical Practice

If you’re a PA looking for a high-paying side hustle that doesn’t require extra shifts, legal medicine is one of the most interesting options out there.

Why?

Because it lets you use the clinical expertise you’ve already built — but in a nonclinical way that can often be done from home and pays far more per hour than most clinical work.

In this conversation, I sat down with Susan Ferrero, a PA with 20 years of experience who built her own path into the medical-legal space and now runs Ferrero Medical Consulting full-time.

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a way to turn your clinical experience into flexible nonclinical income, this is a path worth knowing about.

What Is Legal Medicine for PAs?

At the simplest level, legal medicine means helping attorneys understand medical cases.

That can include:

• reviewing records
• analyzing whether care met the standard
• writing reports
• serving as an expert witness
• helping explain medical concepts in legal cases

And despite what most people assume, a lot of this work happens behind the scenes.

You’re not automatically flying around testifying in court every week.

In many cases, you’re reviewing records from home, joining a Zoom deposition, or helping an attorney understand whether a case has merit.

Why This Side Hustle Is So Appealing

Susan explained that many PAs in this space charge somewhere around:

• $250 to $500+ per hour

That’s a huge jump compared to what many clinicians make per hour in practice.

And because much of the work is flexible, it can be especially attractive if you are:

• burned out clinically
• trying to reduce your shifts
• navigating childcare
• or just looking for a better time-to-dollar ratio

This is exactly why I think it’s such a strong option for experienced PAs.

Do You Need to Be an Expert Witness to Do This Work?

No.

That was one of the most reassuring parts of the conversation.

There are multiple ways to work in legal medicine, including:

• expert witness work
• behind-the-scenes case review
• personal injury record review
• medical chronologies
• fact witness work

So if the idea of testifying makes you nervous, that does not mean this field is off the table for you.

There are still ways to use your knowledge without being the person on the stand.

What Kind of Experience Do You Need?

Susan’s general recommendation was:

• around 5 years as a PA
• and ideally strong experience in the specialty related to the case

For example, if the case is about emergency medicine, attorneys usually want someone with real ER experience.

That said, she also emphasized that attorneys vary a lot in what they’re looking for — and PAs are still relatively underrepresented in this space, which can create opportunity.

How to Get Started

This is the part that stops most people:

They don’t know the next step.

Susan’s answer was simple:

You have to put yourself out there.

That means:

• optimize your LinkedIn profile
• create a strong CV
• make your specialty very clear
• reach out to attorneys directly
• let people know you’re available

And no — cold emailing is not weird.

In fact, Susan said that’s how she got a lot of her work.

Sometimes attorneys won’t respond right away. But they may file your information away and come back later when the right case lands on their desk.

Why This Matters for Your Long-Term Career

What I love about legal medicine is that it rewards the experience you already have.

You do not need to start over.
You do not need another degree.
You do not need to leave medicine completely to begin.

You can start small, take a few cases, and build from there.

And for some PAs, this can eventually become a full nonclinical transition.

That’s what makes it so valuable.

It’s not just a side hustle.
It can also be a bridge.

Watch the Full Episode

If you want the full conversation with Susan — including expert witness work, how to network, and what legal medicine can really look like for PAs:

Want Help Building a Career and Money Plan That Gives You More Options?

Inside Millionaires in Medicine, we help medical professionals build a plan that includes:

• income growth
• nonclinical options
• investing systems
• negotiation
• long-term freedom

👉 Book a call with our team for a gap check in your current plan