Frequently asked questions

Secondoctor is an online platform where patients can get a second medical opinion from verified specialists worldwide. Unlike traditional telehealth (which often focuses on new symptoms or prescriptions), we focus on validating or challenging a diagnosis or treatment plan you've already been given.

Telehealth services typically help you with a new symptom or get a prescription. A second opinion is different — it's a thorough review of an existing diagnosis or proposed treatment by a different specialist. Our doctors review your records, talk through your case, and give you a written report you can take back to your treating physician.

Yes. Every doctor on Secondoctor passes a multi-step verification: license check with their national medical board, ID confirmation, document review of their credentials, and a final interview with our medical advisory team. Verified doctors carry a teal checkmark on their profile.

We work with patients globally. Our specialists are based in over 30 countries. The key thing to know is that doctors are licensed in their home countries — so they can give you a medical opinion, but they generally cannot prescribe medication or take over your care across borders. Your treating physician at home remains your primary care provider.

Most specialists have availability within 48 hours, and many offer same-day appointments. You can filter by "Available today" on the Find a Doctor page to see who's open right now.

Helpful (not required) before you book: your current diagnosis or recommended treatment in writing, recent scans or test results, a list of medications you're taking, and a few notes about your situation. You can upload these after booking, on the secure case-description page.

Yes. Browse the Find a Doctor page, filter by specialty, language, price, and experience, read profiles, and book whoever you feel best fits your case. Our role is to verify them — your role is to choose them.

Contact us at our support email and tell us what specialty you need. We're actively recruiting and may already have someone in our verification pipeline. If not, we'll prioritise that specialty in our outreach.

At the scheduled time, log in to your account. A prominent "Join consultation" button appears on your dashboard. Clicking it opens an encrypted video room with the doctor — no software to install, works in any modern browser. The doctor can share their screen to walk you through your scans or notes.

Typically 30 minutes. Some specialists offer 45- or 60-minute consultations at higher prices — this is shown on their profile.

The doctor writes a written second-opinion report — typically within 1–3 days. You'll get an email when it's ready and can download it as a PDF from your dashboard. You can also message the doctor with follow-up questions for 7 days after your consultation.

The second opinion is information, not a directive. You and your treating physician decide what to do with it. Many patients find that even when the second doctor agrees with the first, the consultation gives them confidence to proceed. Sometimes a third opinion helps — we won't pressure you in either direction.

Consultations typically range from $65 to $200 depending on the specialist's experience and specialty. The price is set by each doctor and clearly shown on their profile before you book. No subscriptions, no membership fees — you pay per consultation.

When you book, we authorize the charge but don't actually take the money until the consultation is confirmed. If the doctor doesn't accept, or you cancel within the free-cancellation window (24 hours before the consultation), nothing is charged.

Major credit and debit cards via Stripe (Visa, Mastercard, American Express). Currency is shown in USD by default but you'll see your local currency equivalent at checkout.

Automatic refund if the doctor doesn't show up, if a technical issue on our side prevents the consultation, or if you cancel more than 24 hours before the appointment. Other situations are reviewed by our support team case by case — we aim to be fair.

Yes. All uploaded documents are encrypted at rest and in transit. Only the doctor you've booked can access them, and only for the duration of your consultation plus the 7-day follow-up period. We are GDPR-compliant and never share or sell your data to third parties.

Only you and the doctor you booked. Our team and your doctor's team cannot watch consultations or read your messages. The consultation is not recorded by default. If you want a recording, you can ask your doctor to enable it before the session — but the file stays with you, not us.

Your account profile (name, email, language preference), records you upload (scans, lab reports), notes from your consultations, your second-opinion reports, and your payment history. You can request a full export of your data, or delete your account, at any time from your account settings.

Visit our For Doctors page and complete the application. You'll need to provide your medical license, ID, certifications, and complete a brief interview with our medical advisory team. Most applications are reviewed within 7 business days.

20% commission per consultation. There are no setup fees, no monthly fees, and no charges if you don't consult. You set your own consultation price.

Payments are processed weekly via Stripe Connect, deposited directly to your bank account. You can see exact dates and amounts in your doctor dashboard.