This post is for healthcare professionals only. If you aren’t in the industry, move on because this gig is not for you. However this opportunity is a great way to earn extra income if you are one of the following: physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, assistants, pharmacists, dentists, hospital administrators and any health workers. The company, Reckner Healthcare has been running paid survey research for medical professionals since 1991. Pharmaceutical companies, medical device makers, and healthcare organizations pay for your clinical insight. We’ll provide a solid summary before you register, so continue reading if this sounds up your alley!

Quick Facts

Platform NameReckner Healthcare
Earning PotentialVaries by study
Typical Duration10 to 60 min per survey
Payment FrequencyPaid per completed study
Required EquipmentComputer or smartphone

What’s Inside

Is Reckner Healthcare real and safe?

Reckner is a family-owned market research firm that has been in business for a long time, since 1991 to be exact. They are headquartered in suburban Philadelphia and over 250,000 healthcare professionals participate in their studies each year. For over three decades of industry changes they continue to maintain an industry reputation as one of the most trusted healthcare research panels in America. Based on our review of their published policies, the company expresses a clear commitment to user privacy on their website, a crucial element for any healthcare adjacent firm.

How hard is it to sign up?

The process will initially take about five minutes to get through the digital door. Once in, you will be asked for more professional background details which will match you with appropriate surveys and research opportunities. Take the time to fill this out as much as possible in full as our research indicates that specialized healthcare workers may occasionally qualify for higher-paying opportunities. After registering, at some point expect a reach-out as Reckner contacts you by phone or email when a study matches your specialty. It’s healthcare after all and legitimacy of their users is everything to them.

💡 Insider Tip:
Check the Reckner Healthcare Facebook page regularly. They post new study opportunities there as well and sometimes those reach people whose emails are filtering the invitations out.

Can I do this whenever I want?

All projects from Reckner are on an invitation only. You aren’t logging in and picking from a buffet of opportunities. Rather, the company contacts you when a study matches your profile (mainly via email, but sometimes they text or even call). You do not log in and pick a survey. Invitations arrive by phone or email and specify when the study is available.

Once you have been accepted to a specific study there is more flexibility. For example, online surveys can be completed at any time within the invitation window. On the other hand, if it is an in-person interview or telephone study, this is a firmly scheduled timeframe with no flexibility. All said, most panel members only receive one to three invitations per month, so certainly respond when they contact you.

How much money can you really make?

There is no set rate for these projects and frankly that is because they can very lucrative. Everything varies by study length, complexity and method of participation. Surveys pay less than phone interviews and in-person focus groups pay the most.

Some rough averages so you have some sense of potential here is that short online surveys (think 10 to 15 minutes) will pay in the range of $25 to $50. Telephone and in-person interviews with extended discussion formats pay more, from $100 to $300. Those will normally take about an hour of your time. For most healthcare workers who participate, this adds up to a few hundred dollars per year of genuinely low-effort income.

When and how do you get paid?

Based on platform documentation, this gig is designed to pay out on a per-study basis, typically reducing the wait to be paid. The reason for this is because you aren’t earning $1-3 per survey, these are specialized and you are earning a lot more. Everything is paid via prepaid Visa card, online surveys and telephone interviews arrive via a virtual card that is emailed. For in-person studies, a physical card is often provided on the same day after the session ends.

What stuff do you need to start?

Aside from the in-person ones, all studies can be done via a computer or smartphone. You are logging into a website on your web browser so there is no special software or anything needed. Honestly, you can likely even get away without having a compute. This is because Reckner uses a mobile-first survey design so their studies work well on a smartphone perfectly and are super user friendly.

Is the work easy or hard?

You are answering questions about your own field of expertise, so this is genuinely an easy way to earn some extra money. For the most part, studies will have questions that cover clinical practices, treatment decisions, drug awareness, and medical device usage. You aren’t studying like you are a contestant on Jeopardy!, rather you are sharing what you already experience day in and day out. Your job and experience is the value you provide here from the researchers perspective.

We’ve done our own research on what healthcare professionals think and most participants describe the experience as interesting rather than a snore. The quality of questions you are asked is high because the pharmaceutical and medical device companies funding the research want accurate clinical feedback.

The Pros and Cons of Reckner Healthcare

The ProsThe Cons
30+ years in business:
One of the most established panels.
Healthcare professionals only:
No option for general public.
Privacy taken seriously:
Your info never shared.
Low frequency:
A few invitations per month.
Paid per study:
Prepaid Visa card with no wait.
No dashboard to browse:
You wait for Reckner to contact you.

Final Verdict: Is Reckner Healthcare worth your time?

You work in a field that is very high in demand for researchers and the medical firms funding the research have deep pockets. This is a win for you and something that is you should absolutely take advantage of, especially if you are a specialized healthcare professional.

The Bottom Line: Register today and forget about it until an invitation lands. I promise that when you have an offer to earn $50 for a 20 minute survey that is actually kind of interesting, you will be happy. The hourly rate for sharing what you already know is hard to match anywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which healthcare professional roles qualify for Reckner studies?

According to their website, physicians in all specialties, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, dentists, dental hygienists, hospital administrators, optometrists, veterinarians, practice managers, and medical students or residents.

How do I make sure I actually receive study invitations?

Add research@reckner.com to your contacts immediately after registering. Also follow Reckner Healthcare on Facebook where they post open study announcements.

Are telephone and in-person interviews available and do they pay more?

Yes and they pay a lot more than a normal online survey. Telephone interviews are available to members across the US whereas in-person studies are fairly limited. They are conducted at Reckner’s research facilities in Chalfont PA, Harrison NY, and Milwaukee WI.

Is there a conflict of interest concern with participating in pharmaceutical surveys?

Check your institutions policies, but for the most part healthcare professionals find no conflict issue with participating since survey responses are anonymous and no personal clinical data is shared.

Do I owe taxes on Reckner payments?

Yes. Prepaid Visa card compensation counts as income regardless of the form it takes. Reckner may issue a 1099 if your total payments reach the reporting threshold in a calendar year.