During National Locum Tenens Week, we celebrate the physicians and advanced practice providers whose flexibility and dedication help healthcare organizations maintain coverage and deliver quality patient care. But locum tenens doesn’t just help hospitals and communities: it’s also rewarding for providers. Here are some of the reasons physicians and APPs choose locums.
Make a difference to communities who need it.
One of the most important benefits of locums that keeps providers coming back? The opportunity to make a difference in communities that need it the most.
Locums physicians and APPs stand in the gap of the physician shortage, ensuring that communities that may have difficulty finding a permanent provider are still able to access care.
“If hospitals did not bring in locum doctors to these hospital systems, they would actually have to start shutting down clinics, or turning away multiple patients,” says Dr. Amrita Padda.
Locums physicians and APPs are often the deciding factor between patients getting seen in a timely manner or spending months on a waitlist––or having to travel hundreds of miles to get seen. That means both hospitals and patients are incredibly grateful to their locums providers––which makes it even more fulfilling.
“The most rewarding part of locums is feeling like I’m meeting a need,” said Dr. Gia Marotta. “That feels really good. We go into medicine because we love science and we love people. Doctors love to feel needed. We love to feel like we’re helping people and doing something important and being part of a community.”
Increased flexibility over your schedule.
One thing we hear over and over again from our physicians and APPs about why they choose locums is that it offers more control over their schedules. Many physicians and APPs come to locums because they feel they don’t have enough of a say in how much they work, and they want more flexibility.
“After 12 years of being employed full-time, I felt like I had a lack of voice in my schedule and practice,” said CRNA Rebecca van Leeuwen. “With locum tenens, I finally feel like I have control over my schedule. [I’m able] to go home every weekend and feel grounded, rejuvenated, and reconnected with my real life.”
With locum tenens, you can choose assignments based on how much you want to work, and what schedule works best for you. That level of flexibility gives you greater independence over your life and schedule––without sacrificing your lifestyle.
“There’s something to be said about being able to make your own schedule, work on your own terms, and be independent, while still being able to provide for your family,” says Dr. Robert Miller. “You get to enjoy things you want to enjoy without some of the scheduling constraints you have when you’re a W-2 worker.”
This is especially important as physicians approach retirement. With the physician shortage continuing to impact healthcare systems nationwide, flexible practice options that allow physicians to reduce their workload can help keep experienced providers in the workforce longer.
“We lost my dad really, really young, so I always felt that I only had so much time in this world,” said Dr. Barry Jacobs. “That’s part of why I left the practice after 30 years. But I’m still young, and it felt strange leaving full time practice. Locums kept me busy––but on my schedule. It’s been an amazing transition from going 1,000 miles an hour to 55 on the highway. Locums has kept me engaged and feeling relevant without feeling overburdened.”
More autonomy over your practice.
Flexibility isn’t just about having more control over your schedule. For many physicians and APPs, it’s also about creating space to focus on the parts of medicine they find most meaningful. By reducing many of the non-clinical responsibilities that come with permanent roles, locum tenens allows providers to spend more of their time caring for patients––and less time managing administrative demands.
“As a locums physician, I feel very free of the system,” says Dr. Erica Tauck. “I don’t have to worry about fixing administrative problems or attending high-level meetings, because I’m solely there to see patients.”
This can be especially attractive to physicians whose practices are going through a period of transition. What’s best for the future of a practice isn’t necessarily what’s best for you as a physician. With locum tenens, you can explore other options and cut down on the administrative aspects that can often lead to burnout.
“I was at a thriving local practice for 25 years,” said Dr. Mark Kocab. “But when they decided to take a direction towards being owned by private equity, I knew that wasn’t for me. Locums has worked out very well. I don’t have to deal with time-consuming administrative duties, like reimbursement cuts from Medicare or insurance companies, staffing, overhead, or running an office or surgery center. I just go where I’m told and do the work, and then I’m happy to come home.”
Broaden your clinical experience.
Locums is also a great way to broaden your clinical experience. Working with different patient populations and collaborating with a variety of medical teams can expose you to new perspectives, practice settings, and approaches to care.
“Early in my pediatric surgery career, staying busy became crucial to remaining clinically relevant,” says Dr. Mary Arbuthnot. “Locums has helped me increase my case numbers and gain exposure to different environments and approaches. It has also allowed me to fine-tune my soft skills and equip myself to succeed across a range of clinical environments.”
This is an especially appealing aspect of locums for physicians and APPs who are early in their careers. Locums is a great way to explore different practice settings and gain valuable experience before committing to a long-term position.
“Part of the reason I went into locums is because I’m a young doctor, and I wanted to put myself in situations to keep learning and keep evolving before I settled down at one place,” said Dr. Amrita Padda. “I’ve gotten to see thousands of patients (literally!) in different settings, learn from so many different people, and see how different hospitals run their clinics. That’s a big part of why I like locums: because I get to continue to improve every day, every week, with every job.”
Traveling to new places.
One of the unexpected benefits of locum tenens is the opportunity to travel. With a dedicated travel team handling the details, providers can focus on patient care while experiencing new places. Some choose assignments close to family and friends, while others use locums as a way to explore regions of the country they may not have visited otherwise.
“We had always talked about doing locum tenens when the kids were out of the house,” said Dr. Stephanie Goei and Dr. Julian Nussbaum, a married couple who practices locums together. “When our younger daughter went to college, it felt like it was time to start another adventure. Sharing this new experience together, it was like we discovered each other, all over again. We get to travel together, share a hotel room, pick each other up from the hospital when we’re both done with our workdays. It’s worked out beautifully.”
You might be surprised at the variety of options out there for physicians and APPs who are willing to travel. Consultants can look for assignments that allow you to travel with your family, or prioritize assignments close to friends or family, or in locations you’ve always wanted to visit.
“All of my assignments, I’ve traveled together with my family,” said Dr. Gia Marotta. “We’re doing things as a family that we wouldn’t have been doing otherwise, and exploring a part of the country that we wouldn’t have otherwise explored. It makes the world feel like a smaller place, and it makes our home feel like a bigger part of the world.”
