Interview with Dr. J. Jordan Romano – 410

In this week’s episode, Dr. Jordan Romano addresses this question: Why become an expert witness? He begins by describing his first case. Then he shares advice for physicians interested in diversifying their income with this type of consulting.

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The conversation covers everything from hourly rates to getting your first case as an expert witness.

Our Episode Sponsor

If you’re a physician with at least 5 years of experience looking for a flexible, non-clinical, part-time medical-legal consulting role…

…Dr. Armin Feldman’s Medical Legal Coaching program will guarantee to add $100K in additional income within 12 months without doing any expert witness work. Any doctor in any specialty can do this work. And if you don’t reach that number, he’ll work with you for free until you do, guaranteed.

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  • Dr. David exceeded his clinical income without sacrificing time in his full-time position.

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So, if you’re a physician with 5+ years of experience and you want to find out exactly how to add $100K in additional consulting income in just 12 months, go to arminfeldman.com.

Our Sponsor

We’re proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country. It has over 900 graduates. And, the program only takes one year to complete. 

By joining the UT Physician Executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills you need to find a career you love. To learn more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office at (865) 974-6526 or go to jurica.buzzmybrandtoday.com/physicianmba.

For Podcast Listeners

  • John hosts a short weekly Q&A session on topics related to physicians’ careers and leadership. Each discussion is posted for you to review and apply. Sometimes, all it takes is one insight to take you to the next level of your career. Check out the Weekly Q&A and join us for only $5.00 monthly.
  • If you want access to dozens of lessons dedicated to nonclinical and unconventional clinical careers, you should join the Nonclinical Career Academy MemberClub. For a small monthly fee, you can access the Weekly Q&A Sessions AND as many lessons and courses as you wish. Click the link to check it out, and use the Coupon Code “FIRSTMONTHFIVE” to get your first month for only $5.00.

Why Become an Expert Witness?

Expert witness work pays $500-800 per hour for most specialties, with specialists like neurosurgeons earning $800-1200 per hour, making it one of the highest-paid consulting opportunities available to practicing physicians. The time commitment is manageable since 90% of cases settle without trial, only 10-20% require depositions (which you schedule based on your availability), and just 1-5% go to trial. That means that most work involves reviewing medical records on your schedule. And depositions and testifying can often be done remotely.

Attorneys need currently practicing experts rather than retired physicians who may be out of touch with current standards. Therefore, you should maintain active clinical practice (typically at least 25-30%) and hold a current medical license to qualify as an expert witness. 

How to Get Your First Case

To land your first case, start by asking colleagues if they do expert witness work, since many physicians keep this activity private despite its prevalence in the medical community. You can also register with online directories (both free and paid platforms) where attorneys search for experts by specialty and geographic location. 

Dr. Romano provides mentoring, coaching, and a list of nationwide law firms and industry connections to jump-start your progress. By helping you to avoid common mistakes and build relationships with reputable attorneys, you will build a thriving expert witness consulting business more quickly. The key is becoming known because attorneys prefer working with experts they know and trust. Starting early and providing meticulous reviews and prompt turnaround are critical to success.

Summary

Dr. Jordan Romano offers support through medicalexpertwitness.com for both beginners and experienced consultants. He’s also available on LinkedIn for questions. If you’re considering this path, assess your comfort with medical-legal work. And consider the benefits of trading higher-paying consulting services for patient care hours, which also reduces your exposure to malpractice allegations.

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Disclaimers:

Many of the links that I refer you to, and that you’ll find in the show notes, are affiliate links. That means that I receive a payment from the seller if you purchase the affiliate item using my link. Doing so has no effect on the price you are charged. And I only promote products and services that I believe are of high quality and will be useful to you, that I have personally used or am very familiar with.

The opinions expressed here are mine and my guest’s. While the information provided on the podcast is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, there is no express or implied guarantee that using the methods discussed here will lead to success in your career, life, or business.

The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. It should not be construed as medical, legal, tax, or emotional advice. If you take action on the information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult an attorney, accountant, career counselor, or other professional before making any major decisions about your career.