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What is a Medical Consultant?

Margo Upson
Margo Upson
Margo Upson
Margo Upson

The job of a medical consultant is to provide medical advice for a variety of purposes. A medical consultant is someone who is very knowledgeable about the medical community, procedures, and medical facts. Medical consultants may have worked previously as nurses, doctors, or other healthcare specialists. A medical consultant works as an advisor to the healthcare community, providing help tailored to meet the needs of each individual practice.

One job of a medical consultant is to review books and movie or television scripts. They check for the accuracy of medical facts, and suggest any changes that may need to be made. Medical consultants may also help plan or review advertisements for medical facilities or products. They review for accuracy and to assure that the ad targets the right audience. They may also help medical facilities recruit new physicians. Some consultants help doctors to set up their own practices, helping with any start-up tasks that have to be completed, such as licensing, zoning, and real estate matters.

Medical consultants may be hired as expert witnesses to testify about relevant matters in court.
Medical consultants may be hired as expert witnesses to testify about relevant matters in court.

Other medical consultants help to design new hospitals and other medical facilities. They may help to plan new wings of current buildings for hospitals that want to add on to their current property. These consultants usually work as a team that includes architects, engineers, and medical professionals. This team works with the heads of hospitals to create a building to meet the hospital’s needs.

A medical consultant may provide assessments of medical charts as part of their services.
A medical consultant may provide assessments of medical charts as part of their services.

Medical consultants may also provide assessments for medical practices. These assessments may be for the practice itself, analyzing how well the office is run. Assessments are also available for medical charts, peer review, and cost management. Medical consultants may also work with insurance agencies, helping them to better serve their clients by providing medical assessments that speed up the claims process.

Many medical consultants worked previously or continue to work shifts as doctors or other healthcare professionals.
Many medical consultants worked previously or continue to work shifts as doctors or other healthcare professionals.

Another area in which a medical consultant may be hired is as an expert witness. Expert witnesses are hired to testify in courtrooms. A medical witness would testify on the medical facts relevant to a court case. These cases may be for anything from disability claims to criminal forensics.

A medical consultant, or a team of consultants, can be hired to help with almost any need that a medical professional may have. They are available to help strategize marketing campaigns, or advise in financial matters. Consultants have a very important position in the medical community, allowing doctors to concentrate on their medical practices, without needing to worry about all of the extra details. A medical consultant team is an invaluable tool for healthcare facilities.

Margo Upson
Margo Upson

Margo has a varied academic background, which has involved everything from psychology and culinary arts to criminal justice and education. These wide-ranging interests make her an ideal WiseGEEK writer, as she always enjoys becoming an expert on new and unfamiliar topics.

Learn more...
Margo Upson
Margo Upson

Margo has a varied academic background, which has involved everything from psychology and culinary arts to criminal justice and education. These wide-ranging interests make her an ideal WiseGEEK writer, as she always enjoys becoming an expert on new and unfamiliar topics.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

lonelygod

Can anyone think of any movies that may have used medical consultants?

I think that this job is quite interesting and would be curious to know how they work with the film crew.

Do medical consultants just receive a script and edit it? Or are they actually on site while the movie is being made, making sure hospital scenes and triage scenarios are accurate?

I love disaster films and have always been curious as to how realistic the medical care provided to victims is. Even though these movies are usually just in good fun, and designed to be special effects show cases, it would be nice to know if they were portraying correct medical care in a realistic way.

letshearit

I have always wondered how accurate the information was on the medical dramas that I enjoy.

I love watching House and Grey's Anatomy and find the life and death struggles battled by the medical teams to be exciting and entertaining.

Being a medical consultant that gets to look over scripts before they are used must be a lot of fun. While their knowledge is vital for more serious matters like making sure medication advertisements are accurate, it is great to know they are helping our medical dramas be more realistic.

Does anyone feel that they are learning about the medical community through medical dramas? Or do you think it is just for fun and shouldn't be taken seriously, even with the medical consultants helping?

Misscoco

I'm glad to learn that there are medical consultants who check books, movies and advertisements to look for medical mis-information and correct it.

Medical information is plentiful, but I always wonder how accurate it is. I'm glad that knowledgeable medical people are reviewing the material.

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    • Medical consultants may be hired as expert witnesses to testify about relevant matters in court.
      By: Stephen Coburn
      Medical consultants may be hired as expert witnesses to testify about relevant matters in court.
    • A medical consultant may provide assessments of medical charts as part of their services.
      By: chunumunu
      A medical consultant may provide assessments of medical charts as part of their services.
    • Many medical consultants worked previously or continue to work shifts as doctors or other healthcare professionals.
      By: Kurhan
      Many medical consultants worked previously or continue to work shifts as doctors or other healthcare professionals.
    • Medical consultants may have previously worked as a nurse.
      By: mario beauregard
      Medical consultants may have previously worked as a nurse.
    • Someone who has previously worked as a doctor will be able to give advice and work as a medical consultant.
      By: michaeljung
      Someone who has previously worked as a doctor will be able to give advice and work as a medical consultant.
    • The ability to communicate complex medical information to lay persons is necessary in the health care industry.
      By: Rido
      The ability to communicate complex medical information to lay persons is necessary in the health care industry.
    • A team of medical consultants is an essential and invaluable tool for healthcare facilities.
      By: Rido
      A team of medical consultants is an essential and invaluable tool for healthcare facilities.