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Psychiatric Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME, MD or DO ONLY)

Contractor Position in California

We are seeking highly trained, thoughtful, and collaborative psychiatrists to join our group as Psychiatric Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs). This independent contractor role is ideal for psychiatrists interested in flexible, well‐compensated medical‐legal work in California.

This position offers tremendous flexibility, with a time commitment ranging from as little as 2 cases per month to 2–3 cases per week, depending on your availability and interest.

We are the only psychiatry‐specific QME group in California and one of the few physician‐owned medical‐legal management companies. We support psychiatrists in developing deep expertise in psychiatric medical‐legal evaluations while managing every aspect of the administrative process as you build your QME practice.

Role Structure

In California, the workers’ compensation system chooses impartial physicians in their specialty fields to provide expert opinion for work injury claims. Experts have the freedom to assess cases without bias to provide a fair analysis of all aspects of injured workers and their claims.

Psychiatric QME work is meaningfully different from traditional clinical practice. In this role, physicians serve solely as medical‐legal experts and are not responsible for treatment. There is no prescription management, no follow‐up clinical care, no patient calls, and no after‐hours responsibilities. Interviews of injured workers are primarily conducted in person although a percentage of cases may be conducted via telehealth when permitted by the parties to a case. All report writing is completed independently, on your own schedule and in the location of your choosing.

Requirements to Apply

• MD / DO only
• Board‐certified in Psychiatry or board‐eligible (ACGME‐accredited residency)
• Active California medical license
• Strong written communication skills
• Ability to commute to selected office locations in your region (highly flexible)
• Curiosity about the medical‐legal world and interest in mentorship
• Medical malpractice insurance that includes coverage for forensic activities

Pathway to QME Certification

After review of your CV and an online interview, we will invite qualified applicants to begin the process of QME certification with our support.

The Division of Workers’ Compensation offers the Qualified Medical Evaluator examination twice a year, in April and October. The next exam will be administered on computers at Pearson Testing Centers (by appointment) between April 11th-17th, 2026. The deadline to register for the April examination is February 25, 2026. We will assist you in registering you for the examination and point you toward the materials you need to succeed.

You are welcome to come into this process with no preexisting forensic knowledge or experience. We offer optional, flexible office hours to review exam topics, e.g., the structure and organization of the workers’ compensation; the meanings of key concepts related to industrial injuries; the evaluation of an industrial injury and permanent disability; the ethical and practical duties of a QME as a participant in the system; evidence-based decision-making; and medical-legal report requirements.

QME Appointment also requires completion of a medical-legal writing course; many are offered online, primarily asynchronously. We can assist you in registering for a course before or after the examination.

Compensation

• Competitive per‐case compensation, averaging ~$3,500 per initial evaluation
• Guaranteed payment for completed cases

Physician Support & Mentorship

Our co‐founders, Drs. Alexis and Patrick Link, provide:

• Structured psychiatric report templates that guide physicians through the medical‐legal psychiatric interview and decision‐making process, helping ensure clear, thorough, and defensible reports for industrial psychiatric injury cases
• Unlimited mentorship, including optional review and editing of QME reports
• Preparation for deposition testimony, an uncommon but important aspect of QME work
• Complimentary access to legal counsel for QME‐related matters

Comprehensive Administrative Support

Our experienced staff manages the full administrative burden of medical‐legal work, including:

• Case coordination and all communication with attorneys, carriers, and injured workers
• Flexible scheduling based on your availability
• Processing and submission of all documentation required under the California Labor Code and California Code of Regulations
• Record collection and organization, including professionally prepared word‐for‐word document transcriptions
• Appointment confirmation for all parties, including interpreters
• Professional and comfortable office space throughout California
• A dedicated evaluation coordinator for each case to support injured workers and physicians
• Administration and scoring of psychological testing, including the MMPI‐3
• Billing and collections, with guaranteed pay
• Organization and tracking of QME registration materials, DWC correspondence, and biennial QME CME requirements

Our Commitments

• We do not outsource administrative work to call centers. All correspondence is handled by our experienced in-house team.
• We prioritize accuracy, regulatory compliance, and defensibility through professional human transcription rather than automated record processing.
• We ensure professional, comfortable office environments supported by experienced on‐site staff.

Please apply to start a conversation and learn more about our group!