Locum tenens work has experienced significant growth over the years and is projected to continue, with an expected 7% growth rate in 2024 but what exactly does a career in locum tenens entail?
Let's begin by defining the term itself: 'Locum tenens' is derived from Latin and translates to 'to hold the place of.' As a locum tenens physician or advanced practitioner, you step in temporarily to fill vacancies at hospitals and other healthcare facilities, ensuring continuity of patient care amidst staffing shortages, vacation time, sick leave, or other situations.
Motivations Behind Locum Tenens Work
There are a variety of reasons why physicians and advanced practitioners may choose to work locum tenens assignments, each driven by unique personal and professional aspirations. Some of these motivations include:
- Supplemental Income: Many physicians and APPs choose to pick up available locum tenens assignments alongside their permanent positions to increase their income and financial stability.
- Enhanced Work-Life Balance: The desire for a better work-life balance is a driving force behind many locum tenens decisions. By taking control of their schedules and choosing assignments that align with their lifestyle preferences, physicians and APPs can carve out more time for personal pursuits and family commitments.
- Travel: For those with a sense of adventure, locum tenens presents an exciting opportunity to explore new destinations while simultaneously positively impacting communities in need of care.
- Part-Time Work After Retirement: Retired or semi-retired physicians and APPS often turn to locum tenens to stay engaged in their profession part-time.
- Pursuing Other Interests and Hobbies: Locum tenens offers physicians and APPs the freedom to pursue interests and hobbies outside of medicine while still actively working in the field.
Here are a few reasons why some partnered Medicus physicians have chosen to work locum tenens:
Dr. Hoehner, an experienced anesthesiologist, embraced locum tenens to enrich his work-life balance. His decision allowed him to pursue diverse interests outside of practicing medicine, including academic pursuits, publishing, and teaching.
"I work 24 weeks a year clinically; the other 28 weeks are my time. During that time, I was able to publish a medical textbook on medical ethics, designed a curriculum for Grand Canyon Nursing School and taught there, got my dissertation published, had 6-7 peer-reviewed articles published in the first two years, and I'm in another master's degree program, taught courses as an adjunct, and I work alongside the Christian Medical Dental Societies medical ethics committee. The irony is I had to quit academic medicine to actually do academic medicine. As a locum tenens, you can be very creative, and it can be very worthwhile." - Dr. Hoehner.
Read more about Dr. Hohner’s career path to locum tenens here.
The desire to explore not just new locations but work environments and patient populations was the driving force behind Hospitalist Dr. Hall's transition into locum tenens work, allowing him to not only experience new places but make an impact nationwide with each destination, keeping life for him exciting and refreshing.
"Being able to adapt and appreciate each destination and culture is what keeps me intellectually curious. Whether it's a small community hospital in a rural area with fewer resources or a larger hospital in an urban area with a higher census and more complexity, each destination brings its own set of challenges that is exciting and refreshing." - Dr. Hall.
Learn more about Dr. Hall's locum tenens hospitalist journey here.
Anesthesiologist Dr. Andrea Dawson leveraged the career autonomy of locum tenens to balance her professional commitments, motherhood, and personal passions, fostering a deeper sense of fulfillment.
"I decided to explore locum tenens because I was ready to be outside of the box," she shared. "I desperately needed time and autonomy to be my full self. As a mother of three small children, when I was an employed physician, I never had the time to pursue my passions entirely." - Dr. Dawson.
Read more on how locum tenens assignments provided Dr. Dawson with enhanced career autonomy here.
Is Locum Tenens Specialty Specific?
No, locum tenens assignments span across all specialties nationwide, ensuring opportunities regardless of your medical specialty. These are a few of the medical specialties we see with the highest locum tenens physician and advanced practitioner demand:
- Locum tenens anesthesiology jobs.
- Gastroenterology locum tenens jobs.
- Locum tenens radiology jobs.
- Urology locum tenens jobs.
- Locum tenens psychiatry jobs.
If you're interested in locum tenens assignments in other specialties, visit our job board here.
Why Partner With Medicus Healthcare Solutions?
When you partner with Medicus as a locum tenens physician or advanced practitioner, you have a dedicated team ensuring your success. Our comprehensive assistance includes licensing, credentialing, travel arrangements, and more, providing a seamless experience throughout your journey with us. We believe in building partnerships on trust and consistency, specializing in matching you with exclusive job opportunities nationwide that align with your unique career preferences. In addition, through our My Medicus Loyalty Program, we offer personalized benefits, travel perks, and additional rewards tailored to your partnership with Medicus. We invite you to learn more about a locum tenens career and a partnership with Medicus in our Locum Tenens 101 Guide here.
Download the Complete Locum Tenens 101 Guide
Download the Complete Locum Tenens 101 Guide
