An article in Physician’s Weekly described a physician’s choice to make a career working full-time as a locum tenens provider. He had become frustrated with corporate medicine, including working constant weekends and many holidays. He “felt like a factory worker, under constant control by an administration that generally had no clinical background.” After beginning to work as a locum tenens physician, he enjoyed the travel and experiences, but once the hospital at which he worked had become fully staffed, he “went from having a surge of energy and excitement about my job to no work at all.”
Therein lies the problem with locum tenens as a career. When times are good, they can be really good. When times are bad, they can be really bad.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first locums job, but just like the physician in the article above, once the hospital became fully staffed, my shifts ended.
Whether you should consider a career in locum tenens depends upon many factors.
Pros and Cons of Locum Tenens Practice
Pros
- Travel on someone else’s dime
- Can get licenses in several states where you prefer to practice
- Gain many new experiences with each new position
- Generally receive higher pay
- Generally don’t have to worry about office, regulatory, and billing issues
- Can be used as a way to scout out a permanent job. Hospitals may choose to offer a full time job to locums staff that fit well with hospital culture
- No long term commitments. In almost every contract, a physician can leave an assignment with 30 days notice.
- You have much more control over your schedule
Cons
- No job security. While you are working, hospitals are actively searching for someone to replace you. Groups may be seeking someone to replace you at a lower cost which translates into an increased profit to the group.
- No benefits. As an independent contractor, you must provide your own supplies, health care insurance, retirement account, and anything else related to your practice.
- If a hospital or group finds a replacement, you can be taken off the schedule fairly quickly. If you are scheduled more than 30 days in advance, those shifts can be taken away from you leaving you with little income for that month. Some staffing company contracts even allow immediate termination at the hospital’s request.
- In some cases, hospital staff may resent you because they know you’re making more money than they are for doing the same work. This may generate ill will toward you and could create a less than satisfying working environment. This doesn’t happen frequently, but it does occur and it is something you need to work to avoid.
- Some locums staffing agencies are sketchy and may attempt to retain your compensation or avoid paying you for shifts or bonuses. This happens more often than you’d imagine. It is VERY important to keep track of your assignments, hours, and payments.
A Few Suggestions for Locum Tenens Positions
Strongly consider using a locum tenens job as a supplement to your income. Keep at least one stable part-time job with some shifts every month. Just like the physician in the article above, without a stable part-time job as a backup, if your locums position ends suddenly your income will end suddenly as well. If your only source of income is ongoing locum tenens coverage, it may take you several months to get on staff at another hospital, get through hospital privileging, and start earning money again.
In that same vein … diversify your risk. ALWAYS be on staff at more than one hospital. ALWAYS work with more than one locums company, healthcare facility, or clinic.
If you are trying to diversify your risk, consider being part time staff at 2 or 3 hospitals where you help fill open shifts according to your own schedule preferences, but are guaranteed a minimum number of shifts per month. Such an arrangement may not be quite as profitable as locums work, but it definitely offers better job security.
Click here to see how BAM Medical Staffing can help you in your locum tenens experience.
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