Today, physicians' and advanced practitioners' schedules are often built around the needs of facilities and patient demand. Shifts are planned months in advance, and holiday coverage, vacation requests, and PTO are typically handled according to established policies. While this structure provides stability for organizations, it often leaves little room for individual scheduling flexibility.

Locum tenens jobs offer an alternative by placing scheduling decisions directly in the hands of physicians and advanced practitioners. Instead of conforming to traditional schedules, physicians and advanced practitioners choose locum tenens jobs based on personal and professional goals.

How Locum Tenens Jobs Provide Scheduling Flexibility

Reclaiming the Holidays

For many physicians and advanced practitioners, the idea of having multiple holidays off can often feel unrealistic. Most expect to manage just one or two at best. Locum tenens work offers a different reality, giving you more control over your schedule and the freedom to enjoy meaningful time away. Dr. Mackey experienced this difference in his very first year as a locum tenens OB/GYN physician.

“My first holiday season as a locum, I had Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s off,” he expressed. “That was the first time I’d had those three holidays off in 25 years, maybe since college.”

Now, more than a year into working OB/GYN locum tenens jobs, Dr. Mackey doesn’t see himself returning to a W-2 position. Instead, he enjoys the scheduling flexibility and the ability to make time for what matters most with a locum tenens career.

No More Missed Games

When Dr. Weaver ran his own private practice, his schedule rarely allowed for time away from work. As the owner, he was always on call, and personal commitments were often sacrificed for the needs of the clinic.

While preparing to open a new practice in the Caribbean, he began working locum tenens surgery jobs. However, as luck would have it, a hurricane hit, destroying his new facility. During that time, he reflected on those locum months and realized how different practicing medicine could be.

“I liked the freedom. I liked when I was off, I was completely off,” he explained. “I got to spend more time with my son, and I just saw the value of being able to travel and be in control of my own schedule. I quit working holidays; if my son had a hockey game, I just didn’t work. All of that was unusual for me, so the control became of really high value to me.”

That control became the defining factor in his career choice. For the past eight years, Dr. Weaver has worked exclusively as a locum tenens surgeon, no longer missing the games and milestones that once slipped by unnoticed.

Present for What Matters

Balancing financial security with family time is a challenge for many clinicians. Courtney discovered that a CRNA locum tenens career enabled her to support her family without missing the moments that mattered most.

“I am able to schedule around my daughter’s spring break, summer vacations, and spend holidays at home, so that’s really important,” she explained. “It’s really afforded me the opportunity to not only make a good living for my family but also be able to support my daughter in those kinds of ways.”

With each CRNA locum tenens job, Courtney has been able to grow her clinical experience while keeping her daughter at the center of her priorities. At the end of the day, locum tenens scheduling flexibility has given her the chance to provide for her family, grow in her career, and, most importantly, be present for the moments that matter.

Time to Give Back

For many physicians and APPs, the desire to expand access to care through medical mission work is strong; however, traditional W-2 schedules rarely allow for extended time away. Locum tenens jobs offer the freedom to make that commitment possible.

Take Dr. Goodwin, an anesthesiologist, who uses her locum tenens anesthesiology career to dedicate time each year to medical missions in Africa.

“I travel to Zambia in Africa, and I am trying to go twice a year. It ends up being two weeks of work and three weeks of total travel,” she explained. “Locum work really allows the flexibility for me to be able to do that, to go do the work that is important to me and those people.”

Through locum tenens scheduling flexibility, she has been able to align her professional skills with her personal mission, providing her with both the flexibility and fulfillment to serve on a global scale.

Partnering with Medicus for Locum Tenens Scheduling Flexibility

The stories of Dr. Weaver, Courtney, Dr. Mackey, and Dr. Goodwin reflect different versions of the same truth. Locum tenens jobs create options. Locum tenens enables physicians and advanced practitioners to reclaim their time, align their schedules with family milestones, travel, and pursue work that reflects their values.

At Medicus, we understand that every physician and APP defines flexibility differently. That is why we partner closely with clinicians, listening to their goals and matching them with locum tenens job opportunities that fit their lifestyle. As a reliable partner for locum tenens staffing, Medicus helps make career flexibility with locum tenens jobs a reality.

With locum tenens, flexibility isn’t just possible—it’s the foundation of your career.

Interested in working locum tenens jobs with Medicus? View our open locum tenens jobs here, or complete the short form below to connect with a Medicus recruiter.