This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
The Med School Decision Doctor. Hey friends, what's up? Welcome back to Side Hustle School. It's Chris Guillebeau, your host. In this week's first $1,000 segment, we're gonna hear from a medical resident working in Chicago who has a side hustle as the Med School Decision Doctor.
He helps students and interns navigate crucial decisions. This is a big market. All kinds of people are going through the Med School process and the stakes can be high in this process because some of the choices that you make in terms of your study plans, in terms of applying to different schools, in terms of selecting a specialty and so on, I'm sure there's more to it, but there are a lot of different decisions you make that can affect the rest of your life in this world. So Clarissa, this medical resident, she has found a way, you know, because it's not enough to be a doctor, she's got plenty of extra time in her life, apparently. She has this side hustle and she's making good money with it, helping people.
So let's look at how she made her first $1,000. And what might this mean for you? Perhaps there's something you can do as well. That's the whole point of our podcast. Gonna bring you Clarissa's update.
Well, her story, I should say, I'll come back at the end with a few words of wrap up. [Music]
In the world of medical education, I, Dr. Clarice Reynolds, a senior attending at a hospital in Chicago, found a side hustle opportunity that hit close to home. My experience navigating the convoluted path of med school and residency, sparked a desire to guide others through this journey. I remember the countless nights I spent fretting over major decisions, such as choosing a specialty, ranking residency programs, and deciding on fellowships.
Each decision carried a weight that could shape my entire career. It was during a late night discussion with fellow doctors reminiscing about our early years that I had my eureka moment. The realization that many students and first year residents grapple with the same decisions we once did was a calling. I could use my experience and insights to make a difference. And so my side hustle was born.
I set out to offer decision making consultations for those at the crossroads of their medical journey. Each consultation was tailor made to address the individual's specific questions, from sifting through residency options to choosing between gastroenterology and pulmonology as a specialty. With the infrastructure in place, I decided to leverage the network I had built over the years. Starting with my own hospital, I began giving free talks on decision making in medicine. I supplemented these efforts with posts shared on medical student forums, shedding light on various aspects of the decision making process.
My first paying client, Jason, was a fourth year medical student teetering between psychiatry and family medicine. He had heard one of my talks and felt a connection. We had three in-depth consultation sessions. Our discussions, which ranged from analyzing his interests and skills to understanding the future implication of each specialty, helped Jason decide to pursue psychiatry. Jason's decision marked a small but pivotal victory.
He was my first $250 and within a few months, I had four more clients. These students, each grappling with their own decision demons, relied on my advice to make informed choices. When I received my cumulative $1,000 from these consulting sessions, it felt like a validation of my mission. With each consulting session, I gained a deeper understanding of the struggle faced by these young aspirants. I honed my approach, refined my advice, and learned to ask the right questions.
Most importantly, I found a renewed sense of purpose in helping mold the doctors of tomorrow. When I first embarked on this side hustle, I had to acknowledge that I was juggling two demanding roles, my full-time job at the hospital and guiding med students and residents through their career defining decisions. And let's be honest, we're all familiar with the relentless pace of medical life. To make each consultation as efficient as possible, I requested my clients complete a questionnaire before our meetings. It helped me understand their situation before we even started, allowing us to jump right into the nitty gritty during the session.
Even though my life is still overly busy, I cherish the memory of my first $1,000, not for the financial gain, but for the confirmation that my guidance was meaningful and necessary. The journey wasn't without its challenges, but it was and continues to be a rewarding voyage. [Music]
Amazing, thank you so much, Dr. Reynolds, for telling us about your first $1,000 listeners. I hope you found it encouraging and interesting.
As always, there's something you can do, a skill you have, some experience you've acquired, what can you do to translate or transform or adapt that experience into an offer that other people can pay for? That's what we're all about here on the podcast, highlighting different stories throughout the year, along with question and answers, archival episodes, updates, and more. You can always visit sidehustleschool.com to access the complete catalog of episodes going all the way back to 2017. New episodes, seven days a week, in fact, wherever you get your shows. Thank you again.
Thanks for being out there. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School. [Music]
