Physicians have slogged through undergraduate, medical school, residency, and possibly fellowship years. They follow a path of long days, high stakes, and intense learning and skill-building environments.

But even when they finish their formal training, the professional world keeps offering new learning opportunities ranging from advanced degrees to targeted courses and CME credits for maintaining board certification. This mix also includes various certifications that generally don’t require any fellowship or full-time commitment. They aren’t full-blown medical board certifications and aren’t mandatory for clinical practice licensure and credentialing.

Is each of these certifications worth the time, effort, and cost? Their quality varies greatly, and some won’t offer a meaningful return on your investment. But others can advance your career by augmenting specific skills. If selected carefully, they may help you land your next job, unlock side gig opportunities, or open doors to consulting work, competitive nonclinical jobs, and salary increases.

Following are descriptions of eight certifications that can benefit physicians in certain circumstances, especially if you’re looking at less traditional roles or for supplemental side income. These programs generally can fit around a full-time medical practice, with most requiring just a few hours a week.

Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME)

The CIME certification, offered by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners, equips doctors to conduct independent medical exams (IMEs). IMEs are a popular type of consulting work for doctors. Assignments can come from sources including law firms, insurance carriers, state disability systems, and third-party IME vendors. IME work requires not only medical evaluation skills but also an understanding of legal processes and ethical considerations.

Certification typically can be completed within a few weeks to a few months, depending on the course format and exam schedule.

IMEs present an interesting, flexible, and lucrative way to expand your professional scope beyond traditional clinical practice, and obtaining a CIME presents a credible path to IME engagements.

Certified Physician Executive (CPE)

Offered by the American Association for Physician Leadership, the CPE certification is designed for doctors who hold or are aiming for leadership roles in healthcare. The courses and requirements to obtain a CPE go beyond managing a team or a department⁠. They aim to develop skills to drive change, improve systems, and lead teams, departments, or entire organizations effectively.

Thus, a CPE is a great credential for physicians who hope to transition from direct patient care into leadership roles in hospital administration.

Earning a CPE typically takes 6-12 months, depending on your prior experience and how quickly you complete the required coursework and final certification process.

Medical Review Officer (MRO)

An MRO certification prepares a physician to play a key role in drug testing and review. Specifically, it involves interpreting testing results in the context of the sample donor’s medical history and prescribed medications. It also prepares you to ensure accuracy and integrity of drug testing processes in various employment settings.

Certification is offered by both the Medical Review Officer Certification Council and the American Association of Medical Review Officers. Candidates must complete MRO-specific training and pass an exam, which typically requires a few months.

If you are interested in occupational health and the legal aspects of workplace drug testing, this certification can be valuable. An MRO certification often is required for doctors pursuing occupational medicine positions at transportation and industrial corporations and at other organizations that use drug testing.

One advantage: A certified MRO can practice in this capacity across state lines with just one state medical license.

Certified Medical Director (CMD)

A CMD certification, issued by the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association, is valuable if you seek a position such as medical director at a skilled nursing facility or other long-term care setting. In some states, including California, holding a CMD is a legal requirement for those medical directors. And some employers treat it as a prerequisite, even in states where it’s not legally required.

Earning the CMD signifies that you have specialized knowledge and skills needed to oversee patient care in long-term care settings and to navigate their regulatory and operational aspects.

The certification process, which includes a training program and exam, can typically be completed in 4-6 months, depending on your schedule and experience.

Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM)

The HCQM certification, offered by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, can make a doctor a stronger candidate for roles focused on monitoring and improving delivery of healthcare services in hospital systems, health insurance companies, or certain government agencies.

Most physicians complete the required coursework and exam preparation within 3-6 months, depending on experience.

Physicians with an HCQM certification can lead initiatives in patient safety, develop guidelines for clinical practice, or manage healthcare utilization. While not typically required, it can strengthen your qualifications for specialized roles that influence healthcare quality standards and policies.

Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP)

The CLCP certification is geared toward professionals who create life care plans on behalf of an attorney or other representative for someone with a life-altering injury or disability. It is issued by the International Commission on Health Care Certification.

A CLCP certification can help you obtain lucrative consulting work on the side, usually for law firms. It is particularly relevant to specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics, pain medicine, and neurology. Obtaining a CLCP certification usually takes about 6-9 months for the coursework, case development, and an exam.

Knowledge of legal aspects and costs associated with injuries and disabilities, along with the medical care involved, can position you to provide expert opinions and projections in various legal and insurance settings.

Six Sigma

Six Sigma certification can be an asset for doctors interested in healthcare operations and efficiency. Skills in quality improvement (QI) and process optimization are highly sought-after in the healthcare sector.

There are several levels of Six Sigma certification. A Yellow Belt covers basic principles and may suit doctors seeking a general overview. A Green Belt is ideal for doctors looking to lead QI projects within their organizations. More advanced options include Black Belt and Master Black Belt. Another track is Lean Sigma, which focuses on eliminating waste and improving efficiency.

Multiple organizations offer the Six Sigma certification. Each has its own curriculum, pricing, and exam process. One reputable example is the American Society for Quality. Programs are either self-paced or course-based; a Green Belt can usually be completed in 2-3 months.

Look into Six Sigma if you are pursuing a role in hospital administration, quality management, clinical operations, or healthcare consulting.

AMIA Health Informatics Certification (AHIC)

If you’re drawn to healthcare information technology (IT), data, electronic health records, and other aspects of clinical informatics, you may want to consider an AHIC. Offered by the American Medical Informatics Association, this certification focuses on managing and utilizing patient data to enhance healthcare delivery.

Expertise in informatics can set you up for decision-making roles that involve healthcare data and for leading IT-related projects within healthcare organizations. It’s also beneficial for physicians who want to help design healthcare IT systems or products created by startups.

Unlike the clinical informatics subspecialty certification through the American Board of Medical Specialties, AHIC is accessible to doctors without fellowship training or stepping away from clinical work. It typically can be completed in 6-9 months.

First Steps

Use the preceding list as a starting point to explore certifications to deepen career satisfaction, generate consulting work, or open new career possibilities. Each additional certification beyond traditional medical board certification is different, and its value proposition depends on your personal circumstances. Ask yourself:

• Will the certification make me a stronger candidate for a new job or career change?
• Does the role I’m interested in require the certification?
• In a more general sense, could obtaining the certification help clarify my professional interests or give insights into my career goals?

Sylvie Stacy, MD, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.