You may want to negotiate a telecommuting arrangement with your current employer and see how it works. If you discover that you want more autonomy, you still have the option to fly solo. I've heard that these people can make a lot of money. Attorneys often hire medical professionals as consultants to aid in the preparation of matters for litigation. Many also testify as expert witnesses in court trials and depositions.
Some experts charge daily rates, but others bill by the hour.
Although some experts work on a contingency basis, the American Medical Association questions whether this is ethical. It believes that physicians are obligated to provide an objective evaluation of the medical issues regardless of who pays the fee. When an expert has a financial investment in the outcome of a case, his or her impartiality and professional credibility may be compromised. The National Forensic Center conducts a semiannual survey of expert-witness fees in a number of specialty areas. They work as researchers, writers or expert witnesses.