Finding the right locum tenens job can open the door to a more flexible, rewarding, and balanced career. Whether you are an experienced physician, a recent graduate, or an advanced practice provider exploring new opportunities, understanding how to navigate the locum tenens process is essential to success.
How to Find a Locum Tenens Job
The quickest and most reliable way to find a locum tenens job is to partner with a reputable locum tenens agency, such as Medicus. A trusted locum tenens agency identifies locum jobs that align with both your personal and professional goals while managing details that often take the most time to coordinate, including licensing, credentialing, travel, and contract support.
While you can search for openings on hospital job boards or healthcare career sites, most physicians and advanced practitioners find that working with a locum tenens agency saves time and simplifies the process.
Step 1: Define Your Locum Job Criteria and Priorities
Before you start applying for locum tenens jobs, take time to decide what matters most to you. Do you want to travel frequently or stay close to home? Are you seeking higher pay, flexible scheduling, or experience in a new clinical setting? Knowing your priorities will help you identify locum tenens jobs that truly fit your lifestyle.
Ask yourself:
- What type of facility do I want to work in (hospital, clinic, private practice)?
- How long of a locum job am I comfortable with?
- What’s my ideal location and schedule?
- What are my deal-breakers?
Locum tenens careers are flexible by design. Defining your goals early helps you focus your search and connect with locum jobs that truly align with your personal and professional preferences.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Readiness for Locum Tenens Work
Now that you know where to find locum tenens jobs, take time to prepare before starting your search.
- Ensure Your Licenses & Certifications Are in Order: Keep at least one active, unrestricted state license and stay current on renewals. If you plan to work across state lines, look into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact or the APRN Compact. Have documentation for board certification, DEA registration, and any required state permits ready.
- Gather Important Documents & References: Prepare an updated CV, copies of licenses and certifications, immunization records, and a few professional references who can verify your skills. Having these materials organized speeds up credentialing and onboarding.
- Assess Your Availability & Career Goals: Decide whether you want full-time or part-time locum jobs, how far you’re willing to travel, and what schedule or practice setting fits your lifestyle. Clarify your goals and deal-breakers before engaging with recruiters.
- Plan Financially: When working locum tenens, you’re considered an independent contractor. Be sure to plan for quarterly taxes, health insurance, and retirement savings. Know what expenses are deductible and confirm who provides malpractice coverage.
Step 3: Finding Locum Tenens Jobs: Locum Tenens Agency vs. Direct?
Once you’re ready, there are two main paths to finding locum tenens work:
- Partnering with a locum tenens agency.
- Contracting directly with healthcare facilities.
While both options exist, most clinicians choose to work with a locum tenens agency for the added efficiency, support, and access to exclusive opportunities. An experienced agency simplifies every step from job matching to credentialing and travel so you can focus on practicing medicine.
Partnering with a Locum Tenens Agency:
Most physicians and advanced practitioners begin working locum tenens by partnering with a locum tenens agency, and for good reason.
What Locum Tenens Agencies Can Do:
A reputable locum tenens agency acts as your advocate, connecting you with open locum tenens jobs that match your availability and clinical and location preferences.
An experienced locum tenens agency like Medicus manages many of the details that can slow you down, including:
- Presenting your CV to hospitals and clinics
- Assisting with licensing and renewals
- Managing paperwork and credentialing
- Negotiating pay on your behalf
- Coordinating travel, lodging, and logistics
- Providing malpractice insurance coverage
- Offering assignment and scheduling support
- Extending or securing future contracts
- Sharing insight on market trends
- Providing a single point of contact throughout each assignment
Key Benefits of Locum Tenens Agencies:
- Expert Guidance: This is especially helpful for first-time locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners who may be unfamiliar with rates, contracts, and regional demand.
- Malpractice Coverage: Most locum tenens agencies include malpractice insurance (often with tail coverage) at no cost to you.
- Logistical Support: Most locum tenens agencies handle travel, housing, and scheduling so you can focus on patient care, rather than administration.
Additional Advantage: Partnering with Medicus gives you access to the My Medicus Loyalty Program, where your hours worked translate into rewards like travel upgrades, cash bonuses, and exclusive benefits.
Finding Locum Tenens Jobs Directly:
Some physicians and advanced practitioners pursuing locum tenens work prefer to bypass locum tenens agencies and find locum tenens jobs on their own. While this approach offers complete control over the search process, it also comes with added complexity and responsibility.
Challenges to Consider:
- Time & Complexity: Job hunting, credentialing, and onboarding can take months without help from a locum tenens agency.
- Contract Negotiation: You’ll need to handle all rate discussions, legal terms, and coverage details yourself.
- Travel & Lodging: Most healthcare facilities won’t coordinate or reimburse logistics, meaning more out-of-pocket effort and expense.
- Credentialing Support: Without a coordinator, you’re responsible for managing the entire paperwork process, which can delay start dates.
While it’s entirely possible to find locum tenens jobs independently, partnering with a locum tenens agency can offer significant value by handling logistics, credentialing, and compliance.
Step 4: Choosing a Reputable Locum Tenens Agency
If you opt to work with a locum tenens agency, it’s crucial to choose the right locum tenens partner. Not all locum tenens agencies offer the same level of service and support. You’ll want an agency that not only finds you locum jobs but truly advocates for your needs, communicates transparently, and supports you from start to finish.
Below are some key factors and qualities to look for in a locum tenens agency:
Choosing the right agency can make all the difference in your locum tenens career. The best partners simplify every step —from credentialing to travel —and provide ongoing support that helps you succeed. Medicus Healthcare Solutions is one such partner, offering nationwide opportunities, personalized recruiter guidance, and a streamlined process that allows you to focus on delivering patient care.
Whatever locum tenens agency you consider, use the checklist above to evaluate them carefully, and talk directly with a recruiter to get a sense of their professionalism and service before you commit.
Step 5: Evaluate Options and Choose the Right Locum Tenens Job for You
When offers start coming in, compare each one against your original priorities from Step 1. Not every locum job fits every person, so focus on alignment.
- Match the Locum Job to Your Goals: Look back at your key criteria. Does the schedule fit your availability? Are you comfortable with the location and licensure? Does the setting suit your interests? Keep your priorities clear. For example, if work-life balance matters most, choose flexibility over higher pay. If income is your top priority, a busy yet high-paying rural role may be a better fit. Know your must-haves and deal-breakers.
- Dig into the Details: Ask direct questions before committing. Clarify pay, duties, patient volume, schedule, call expectations, and contract length. Confirm whether there are night or weekend shifts and what support you’ll have, such as APPs, nurses, or specialists. The clearer you are on these factors, the easier it is to judge if the job fits your comfort level and experience.
- Evaluate the Facility & Location: Research the facility’s reputation, quality ratings, and patient satisfaction. Check the area’s safety and accessibility. For distant assignments, confirm travel and housing arrangements, such as provided lodging or stipends. These practical factors impact daily satisfaction.
- Trust your Instincts & Seek Input: If something feels off, bring it up with your recruiter or hiring contact. Minor adjustments can improve a good offer. If communication is poor or the offer lacks clarity, it’s fine to decline. Talk with others who’ve worked there or check social media groups for insights.
- Remember Your Freedom to Choose: One advantage of locum tenens careers is the flexibility they offer. You can decline any opportunity that doesn’t meet your needs. Giving your recruiter feedback on why you passed helps them tailor future options. Choosing the right locum job ensures each experience supports your career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to Finding a Locum Tenens Job
Is it difficult to get a locum job?
It’s not difficult to get a locum job once you know where to look and have your credentials ready. Partnering with a trusted staffing agency makes the process much easier. Locum tenens agencies like Medicus help match you with openings that fit your job goals and preferences, handle credentialing paperwork, and even coordinate travel.
How to get locum shifts?
The simplest way to get locum shifts is to register with a locum tenens agency and connect with a dedicated recruiter. They’ll alert you to new openings, submit your profile to facilities, and handle the logistics. You can also set up job alerts on physician job boards or follow locum agencies on social media for up-to-date shift postings.
What’s the best way to find a locum tenens job?
The best way is to combine multiple strategies: search specialized job boards and work with a reputable locum agency. This gives you access to both public listings and exclusive openings that aren’t advertised online. A recruiter can also guide you toward locum tenens jobs that align with your goals and handle administrative details for you.
How long does it take to find a locum tenens job?
The timeline depends on how prepared you are. If your licenses, certifications, and documents are up to date, you could start working within a few weeks to a month. Locum tenens agencies often expedite the process by managing credentialing and coordinating with facilities, so the more responsive you are, the faster you can begin.
Do I need experience to work locum tenens?
Not necessarily. While experience helps, many new graduates, residents, and fellows start with locum jobs to explore different practice settings, gain independence, and develop their clinical skills.
What’s the fastest way to get locum shifts?
The quickest path is to register with a locum tenens agency, upload your credentials, and work with a recruiter. Recruiters can often connect you to open locum jobs faster than you can by searching on your own, since they know which facilities have immediate needs.
Can I work locum tenens full-time?
Yes. Many physicians and advanced practitioners choose locum tenens as their full-time career. The flexibility allows you to maintain a steady income while deciding when and where to work.
Locum tenens offers freedom, variety, and the chance to make a real impact where care is needed most. By learning how to find opportunities, prepare effectively, and work with a trusted agency, you can build a rewarding locum tenens career.
Medicus supports providers through every step, from the first conversation to assignment completion. Ready to take the next step? Explore current locum tenens jobs or complete the short form below to connect with a Medicus recruiter.
