FAQ

No, Hayes Locums is a healthcare locums staffing firm and physician recruitment agency focused on providing excellent service to our practitioners and clients through partnership and a relationship-based approach.

Locum tenens is a Latin term meaning “to hold the place.” In healthcare, it refers to temporary clinical assignments where physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or CRNAs fill in for other providers at hospitals, clinics, or medical practices. Locum tenens work allows healthcare professionals to cover staffing gaps due to vacations, medical leave, seasonal demand, or unfilled permanent roles. Assignments can last anywhere from a few days to several months and offer flexibility, competitive pay, and travel opportunities.

Locum tenens salaries are typically paid as a daily or hourly rate, rather than an annual salary. Your earnings depend on factors like specialty, location, schedule, and market demand. For example, high-need areas or weekend/night shifts may pay more. Instead of a traditional paycheck, most locum tenens providers are classified as independent contractors (1099) and are paid directly by the agency.

Locum tenens contracts can vary widely in length, depending on the medical facility’s needs and your availability. Assignments can be as short as a single weekend or a few days, or extend to several weeks or months. Some providers take on long-term locums contracts lasting 6 months or more, especially in rural or high-demand areas.

A locum tenens agency connects healthcare providers with temporary assignments at hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems. Agencies handle job matching, credentialing, travel, and contract negotiation. Hayes Locums is a full-service locum tenens agency offering personalized support, specialty expertise, and nationwide opportunities.

Locum tenens providers are typically paid a daily or hourly rate, with rates varying by specialty, location, and demand. In addition to clinical pay, most agencies—like Hayes Locums—cover travel, lodging, and malpractice insurance, making the total compensation package competitive and often higher than permanent roles.

A locum job, short for locum tenens, is a temporary healthcare position where a physician or APP works in a hospital to cover staff shortages, vacations, or gaps in care. These assignments range from a few days to several months. Hayes Locums specializes in matching providers with locum jobs across all specialties and settings nationwide.

Yes, you can work a locum tenens assignment while holding a full-time job, as long as your schedule and employment contract allow it. Many physicians and APPs pick up locums shifts on weekends or other time off to supplement income or explore other clinical settings. At Hayes Locums, we’ll work with your availability to match you with flexible, part-time opportunities.

Hidden costs include overtime pay for remaining staff, temporary staffing premiums, lost productivity during transitions, reduced patient satisfaction scores, and potential liability issues from overworked providers. These indirect costs often exceed the direct replacement expenses.

In order to work as a locum tenens doctor, you have to have completed your residency. But you can work locum tenens as a fellow, depending on your fellowship program and terms with your facility. Locum tenens is an appealing option for physicians just starting out in their career, as it gives them the opportunity to try different practice environments prior to committing to a permanent position. It's also a great way to pay down student loans quicker. For more information, see our guide on working locums post-residency.

An APP, or Advanced Practice Provider, refers to licensed clinicians with advanced degrees who provide medical care in collaboration with or under the supervision of a physician. This includes Physician Assistants (PAs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). At Hayes Locums, we place all types of APPs in locum tenens roles across the country. Browse opportunities on our PA, NP, and CRNA job pages.

Locum tenens CRNAs take temporary assignments at healthcare facilities that can last from days to months, often requiring travel. PRN work is flexible, consisting of as-needed shifts that CRNAs can pick up based on their availability—either at one facility consistently or across multiple locations.

Locum tenens CRNAs are essential for rural healthcare access. Without CRNAs and locums providers, underserved areas would lack sufficient anesthesia coverage, leading to provider burnout and compromised quality of care in rural hospitals.

CRNAs choose locum tenens for increased schedule control, better work-life balance, and freedom from workplace politics. Many experienced CRNAs transition when seeking more autonomy over their practice and assignments.

For information on how Advanced Practice Provider state powers work for locum tenens NP jobs or locum tenens PA jobs, see the American Association of Nurse Practitioners page (NPs) and American Medical Association Resource center page (PA's).