Also called: IME Physician, Disability Examining Physician
Doctor hired by insurers, courts or disability programs to examine injured people and give a neutral opinion on their condition.
Reviews a thick file on a warehouse worker's back injury, then examines him and writes a detailed report on what caused the pain and whether he can work. Some days you testify by video in a workers' compensation case. You don't treat the patient; you give an expert opinion.
Estimate; many do exams part-time and are paid per exam.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 12 years after high school. Medical school and residency (often orthopedics, physical medicine or occupational medicine), plus IME training.
Ways in: Professional school, Certification. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Biology, Chemistry.
Growing about average. Steady demand from insurance and legal systems.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI summarizes thousand-page records; the exam, opinion and court testimony stay the doctor's.
Classes: Biology, Debate, AP English.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.