Medical Marijuana Moonlighting Job During Residency

[twospadz]

Currently offered a moonlighting job to write medical marijuana cards using tele-medicine. Patients will be in a different state. I am a pgy 3 resident. Pay is 100/hr but only a few hours a day. Wondering if this is worth doing or should I back out given the risks. Anyone have any experience with this kind of work input would be much appreciated.

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[hamstergang]

Don't most (all?) states which all "medical" marijuana state that the authorization must come from a doctor who has a real and meaningful relationship with the patient already? Having patients come to you only to authorize 1 specific treatment seems unethical and not the standard of care. But if I'm wrong about the set up maybe it's not as bad/risky.

 

[twospadz]

Don't most (all?) states which all "medical" marijuana state that the authorization must come from a doctor who has a real and meaningful relationship with the patient already? Having patients come to you only to authorize 1 specific treatment seems unethical and not the standard of care. But if I'm wrong about the set up maybe it's not as bad/risky.

I forgot to mention too the job is a tele-medicine job in a different state. So I will be doing it over a screen too.

 

[thumbz]

I'd be nervous that this looks like a "pill-mill" kind of set up for the green stuff - if you see a patient and are expected to Rx their card (because let's be real, you won't keep this job long if you deny cards for questionably made-up symptoms and conditions) at some point someone is going to get suspicious. I'm sure those docs running pill mills didn't go into it expecting to lose their licenses and go to jail... and if they did there are more fun ways to end up in the clink.

 

[Ironspy]

Currently offered a moonlighting job to write medical marijuana cards using tele-medicine. Patients will be in a different state. I am a pgy 3 resident. Pay is 100/hr but only a few hours a day. Wondering if this is worth doing or should I back out given the risks. Anyone have any experience with this kind of work input would be much appreciated.

It’s still illegal on a federal level. You’d also need to be licensed in the state the patient is in as well. Not sure of your specialty but $100/hour isn’t that great a rate for moonlighting. I wouldn’t take this kind of risk myself for that rate given the reasons mentioned above.

 

[twospadz]

Actually this job is terrible. I learned they are willing to pay me 25 dollars for each patient I see. It will be 15 min visits. The work will only be 2-3 hours shifts. So if I see 9 patients, I will get 250 dollars. I found this through a locums company. Yea I won't be doing this.

 

[Mass Effect]

Actually this job is terrible.

For any number of reasons.

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

Actually this job is terrible. I learned they are willing to pay me 25 dollars for each patient I see. It will be 15 min visits. The work will only be 2-3 hours shifts. So if I see 9 patients, I will get 250 dollars. I found this through a locums company. Yea I won't be doing this.

That's one of the stupidest setups I've ever heard. So yeah, pill mill, 15 minute "new patient" visit to write them a medical MJ card for their back pain. Company's probably charging them 100 bucks a visit and skimming that 75 bucks off the top.

 

[Doctodd]

you would have been the sucker......plus in most states you must be in the room physically with the patient for MM

 

[Smurfette]

Will also mention that you would have to disclose this job in the future when applying for jobs and privileges. Given how sketchy doing this is viewed, probably not the best career move. Whether fair or not, I'd definitely have issues bringing on a partner who just gave out MM cards indiscriminately to make money in the past. My hospital credentialing committees would also have issues with this. Look at all the people who post freaking out about traffic tickets and other stuff in their past; medical marijuana is still viewed as controversial and illegal at the federal level and unless you are path/rads, you will need a DEA license to practice. Why risk it?