Long hours, limited flexibility, and administrative overload is leading many physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) to feel burnt out. If you’re looking to improve your work-life balance, here are some of the ways locums can help you find more freedom and flexibility––while still doing what you love.
Flexible Scheduling
Locum tenens gives physicians and advanced practice providers greater control over their schedules. When you meet with a consultant at Hayes Locums, one of the first questions they will ask is what you want your schedule to look like. This allows them to tailor their search based on how much you want to work and when you’re available. Our goal is to put control over your schedule into your hands, so you can build your job around your life, instead of the other way around.
Take it from Dr. Erica Tauck, a hospital neurologist who transitioned to locum tenens after working a full-time hospital practice. “When I had a traditional job, I felt like I was only half a doctor and half a mom,” she said. “When I was home, I was always thinking about my patients, and when I was at work, I was thinking about what to make for dinner. With locums, not only do I get more days at home with my kids, but on the days I’m home, I don’t have to worry about work at all. I love being able to be 100% doctor and 100% mom.”
Locums pediatrician Dr. Oneica Poole agrees: “Locums gave me more time to pursue and cultivate other passions. I’ve always been passionate about writing and literature, and now I’m able to do that in addition to practicing medicine. I still consider pediatrics my first love, but now I have all these other ways that I’m able to serve and to be creative.”
Whatever your priorities––whether that’s spending more time for your family, slowing down as you get close to retirement, or pursuing other interests––locums gives you the flexibility and freedom to build your schedule around them.
Maximizing Your Income
Better work-life balance doesn’t have to come at the cost of your lifestyle––with locum tenens, you can have a more flexible schedule, without sacrificing your income.
Locums tends to pay at higher rates than traditional full-time roles, since hospitals are willing to pay a premium to fill urgent staffing needs. “You can earn a good income with locums, and it takes that pressure off of having to work all the time, which I think is one of the things that contributes to burnout,” said Dr. Poole.
For many physicians struggling with burnout, locum tenens has given them an alternative to continue practicing medicine, without being on call around the clock or taking a financial hit.
Locums cardiologist Dr. Marc Atzenhoefer agrees: “[Going from full-time employment to locum tenens] really improved my work-life balance, without having an impact on my bank account. I went from working five days a week on call, bringing charts home, and reading scans at home, to a locum assignment where there was minimal call. You don’t have an inbox that’s 3,000 messages deep, and you’re not up to your eyeballs with work when you get home. Once you’re done, you’re done. Locums has given me five times as much free time to do the things that I want, without taking a hit financially.”
Lighter Administrative Workload
Physicians cite that the ever-increasing administrative burden that comes with medical practice is one of the leading factors of burnout. Electronic health record documentation, patient messages, insurance negotiations, meetings, and navigating workplace politics takes physicians away from the reason they got into medicine in the first place: taking care of patients.
Locums helps combat administrative burnout, by letting physicians focus more on patient care, instead of the administrative logistics surrounding it.
“I think every [physician] should consider locums,” says locums gastroenterologist Dr. Mark Kocab. “If your life and your family can accommodate it, locums is a great option. You don’t have to deal with any of those administrative duties that are time-consuming. You don’t have to deal with reimbursement cuts from Medicare or insurance companies, you don’t deal with staffing, overhead, or running an office or surgery center. I don’t have to worry about any of that anymore. I just go where I’m told and do the work, and then I’m happy to come home.”
The reduced administrative burden involved in locums work has helped many physicians and APPs avoid burnout, and fall back in love with medicine.
“As a locums physician, I feel very free of the system. I don’t have to worry about fixing administrative problems or attending high-level meetings, because I’m solely there to see patients,” said Dr. Tauck.
Combatting Burnout Through Better Work-Life Balance
During a time when physicians and APPs are struggling with burnout, locum tenens offers an alternative to continue practicing in medicine, while still improving your work life balance.
“If you’re on the brink of complete burnout, locums is a way of combating that but still practicing,” said locums urologist Dr. Fenwa Milhouse. “When I was practicing every day, I was always getting home late and leaving home early. But now, I can be here when my daughter comes home from school, and be there to drop her off at the bus stop, and help her with math, and all these other things that I wasn’t able to do on a day-to-day basis before locums.”
With locum tenens, you don’t have to choose between medicine and the rest of your life. Locums gives you the ability to do what you love––practice medicine––while still having the time and energy to devote to all of the other things that make life worth living.
