What is a clinical consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. K. Garling-Nañez Pharm.D.

A clinical consultant is an individual who provides expert advice and guidance to healthcare organizations, hospitals, and other medical facilities. They analyze healthcare data, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to optimize performance and increase efficiency. Clinical consultants collaborate with medical professionals, administrators, and staff to implement best practices and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Clinical consultants possess strong analytical skills, excellent communication abilities, and in-depth knowledge of healthcare regulations and protocols.

What general advice would you give to a clinical consultant?

Dr. K. Garling-Nañez Pharm.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Medical Branch

Resilience and self-awareness are currently essential and will continue to be necessary. Burnout is very high in healthcare-related fields. Therefore, it is vital to have the coping skills and the ability to communicate to ensure your job is healthy and productive.
Flexibility and a growth mindset will also be an asset to most industries. In healthcare, most opportunities exist where other people may feel unqualified or need more experience. The more out-of-the-box tasks and opportunities you take, the more tools you'll have to get significant positions in the future.
Don't be afraid of something you aren't familiar with or perceive that you are not 'good at' since those areas are often where you can thrive the most. Being fearless in your pursuits and learning from perceived failures will put you in the upper ranks of your peers.

ScoreClinical ConsultantUS Average

Salary

5.8

Avg. Salary $74,263

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 9.10%

Black or African American 10.96%

Hispanic or Latino 9.58%

Unknown 4.30%

White 65.62%

Gender

female 69.35%

male 30.65%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a clinical consultant?

Pros

Opportunity to work with a variety of healthcare organizations and professionals.
Chance to make a significant impact on patient care and outcomes.
Job security and potential for high earnings.
Flexibility in terms of work settings and hours.
Potential for professional growth and development.

Cons

High levels of stress and pressure to meet project deadlines.
Potential for burnout due to high workload and pressure.
Limited control over project timelines and outcomes.
Need to constantly stay up-to-date on industry trends and advancements.
Risk of exposure to sensitive patient information and ethical dilemmas.

Key steps to become a clinical consultant

Explore clinical consultant education requirements

Most common clinical consultant degrees

Bachelor's

51.2 %

Master's

22.9 %

Associate

14.0 %

Start to develop specific clinical consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	15.99%
Patient Care	8.22%
Customer Service	4.82%
Critical Care	3.54%
Home Health	3.52%

Complete relevant clinical consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinical consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical consultant resumes.

Gain additional clinical consultant certifications

Clinical consultant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical consultant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for clinical consultants include Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC) and Wound Care Certified (WCC).

More About Certifications

Research clinical consultant duties and responsibilities

Manage communications with referral source, medical providers, injure worker and other parties involve in the rehabilitation process.
Communicate by telephone with patients and patient family members to ensure attaining appropriate resource utilization require to achieve a quality outcome.
Conduct ACLS and BLS certification classes.
Act as lead instructor for ACLS, arrythmia monitoring and critical care course.

Prepare your clinical consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical consultant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinical consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable clinical consultant resume templates

Build a professional clinical consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your clinical consultant resume.