The Free Referral Source of the Month for March 2016 #psychologists #physicians

There I was, a newly minted professional 9 months in to my first job as a licensed psychologist (a low salary managed care position). Anyways, while I could tolerate the low compensation at the time, for other reasons I ended up needing to be somewhere else fast. That was 12 years ago (my initial psychology licensure was in October, 2003), and what I didn’t realize at the time was that it would be the last time I would draw a dime of salary as someone else’s employee.

However, no one is throwing money at early career psychologists. I started my journey to independence by being a Medicare provider in nursing homes and also performing medical records file reviews on Social Security disability claims inside the state of Ohio’s disability determination service as a medical consultant. I don’t work in nursing homes anymore, but I’ve continued to put some hours in reviewing Social Security disability claims each week (there is plenty of work). While it is not the most lucrative of my medical records review work and I can’t do it from home, it is the most predictable and stable and certainly pays well enough.

There are opportunities in every state helping to make decisions on Social Security disability claims. For example, you can review records and offer your opinions as a medical consultant inside the state agencies which make medical decisions on Social Security disability claims or you could perform consultative examinations on disability claimants from your own office wherever you may be.

Would you like to jump right in and find out who to talk to at a state disability determination service near you? Check out this directory of who to contact. If you have questions send me an email at toddfinnerty@toddfinnerty.com.

Thanks again,

Todd Finnerty, Psy.D.

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