In the last couple of decades, there has been a major shift in demand for Locum Tenens in several specialties including primary care, family care, internal medicine, psychology, and emergency medicine. This demand stems from a few factors, one of which being the shortage of primary care physicians within the medical and healthcare industry. Whether due to burnout or other factors, this shortage doesn’t seem to be decreasing anytime soon.
Now more than ever, physicians are turning to Locum Tenens work (temporary assignments in facility and hospital sites) and finding their dream career. What makes Locum Tenens a dream career for many physicians?
1. Locum Tenens isn’t the ‘end of the road’ anymore
For some time, the concept of Locum Tenens work was reserved in the minds of physicians who were in the late stages of their career looking for options to continue working just before (and during) retirement.
Now, Locum Tenens opportunities appeal to a much younger crowd seeking options to pay off mountains of looming medical debt after graduation. As with younger generations, the idea of Locum Tenens work excites young doctors who find themselves wanting the best of both worlds: earning competitive pay and flexibility in their career.
2. Deciding when, where, and why you work
One of the biggest advantages to working Locum Tenens is the ability to decide when, where, and why you work. For example, you could either dive into Locum Tenens full-time or choose to pick up a few assignments while in-between jobs. You might even find some shifts to work outside your regular job, earning you extra income.
Temporary assignments mean you don’t have to do what you’re doing forever. You could just as easily use locum tenens as a gateway to try out a practice before you sign a long-term contract.
3. The freedom and ability to travel
People often dream of traveling and exploring the world, but many of them aren’t ever offered the opportunity to go anywhere, whether due to the nature of their work or due to financial situations.
When you work as Locum Tenens, you can choose which assignments you’d like to take on, which provides the unique ability to be planted in a place different to you for a period of time. Not to mention, most assignments come with housing and travel expenses, meaning you won’t have to pay out of your own pocket to work and live somewhere new.
4. Earning more than you would in a private practice
If there’s anything the physician shortage has provided to those seeking work with private practices, it’s the upper hand in negotiations. Hospitals and private facilities find themselves shelling out more money to lock physicians in contracts and keep their facilities staffed, but even though physicians staying put are offered these lucrative deals, locums do have more than a few distinct advantages in earning competitive salaries.
Some Locum Tenens assignments offer higher than the standard pay for most permanent physicians, simply because the facility isn’t having to pay benefits (Eskridge & Associates provides your benefits package). In addition, these assignments often pay for housing and a rental car, leaving Locums with more money in their pocket when their paycheck arrives. Locums employed by Eskridge & Associates will also save money by not having to pay for their own malpractice insurance, as this is an added benefit that Eskridge & Associates provides.
These benefits are just some of the reasons that physicians are working their dream career as Locum Tenens. Locum Tenens is a great option for medical professionals, such as doctors and nurses, to challenge themselves, learn something new, and experience work-life balance in a rewarding career.