Navigating the highly specialized field of orthopedic surgery can make finding a locum tenens assignment feel overwhelming. Your specialty covers a wide range of procedures, from routine operations to trauma surgeries, involving bones, ligaments, and joints. That’s why it’s crucial to have a strong relationship with your locums consultant to help match you with the right opportunity for your unique skill set.
As former professional and collegiate athletes, Brent McAuliffe and Tyler Greene know a little bit about teamwork, and they’ve used those skills to build relationships with the orthopedic surgeons they work with. Here’s what they had to say about how to make the most of locum tenens as an orthopedic surgeon.
How can I find a locums job that’s the right fit for my specific background?
Orthopedic surgery is a highly specialized field. That means orthopedic locums have various options to choose from, whether you’re passionate about sports medicine, joint replacement, or trauma surgery. But sorting through the options to find the right fit for you can be intimidating.
“There are around 30,000 orthopedic surgeons in the country, and every single one of them is different in multiple capacities,” said Brent. “So it’s our job as consultants to take the time to understand their background, what they’re looking for, and what they need out of a job.”
The specialized skills required in orthopedic surgery make it essential to work with a locums consultant who truly understands the field. This expertise ensures they can find a job that’s the right fit for you.
At Hayes Locums, all of our consultants work on specialty-specific teams, meaning they are experts in their field—in some cases, they have several years of experience working within a particular specialty, which means they’re equipped to find the right jobs for you.
How will my consultant help me prepare for my locums experience?
Your consultant can help by preparing you upfront with as much information as possible on what the practice environment will look like. They can even connect you with the medical team at the hospital, so you can ask questions in advance.
That’s especially true at the beginning of an assignment, but it can extend past the assignment as well. “In the orthopedic space, it’s really important to have a plan when it comes to what post-op is going to look like. And that’s true for the full-time surgeon and the locums surgeon—so keeping that line of communication open is important.”
What’s true for all locum physicians is that communication is key! Every assignment can be different and it’s your consultant’s job to make sure you are prepared for everything from travel to timesheet submission. They’ll work to keep you informed of what to expect and when to expect it.
“A good consultant will set expectations for surgeons up front and give them the 10,000-foot view, instead of giving them bits and pieces here and there,” said Tyler.
What skills make for a good locums surgeon?
Adaptability is one of the most important skills you can have as a locums surgeon. Every locums assignment is different, so being flexible enough to walk into any assignment and quickly adapt is crucial.
“Each hospital is going to see different types of cases, and the resources at hand may be a little bit different than what you’re used to,” said Tyler. “You have to be willing to be a chameleon, to go into a new OR and adapt to their way of doing things.”
Communication is essential. When you step into an unfamiliar hospital or OR you are also working with a new team to provide the best patient care possible. Effective communication with new colleagues can make a big difference. “The best locums surgeons have strong communication skills,” said Tyler. “Just being able to pick up the phone and ask the right questions will take you a long way.”
What should I look for in a locums consultant?
The most important thing to look for in a locums consultant is honesty. You want to make sure that your consultant is someone you can trust to look out for your best interests and always give you a straight answer.
“It’s important to set expectations and be realistic,” said Brent. “I never promise unless I know I can deliver on that promise.”
That also means being upfront about whether a potential job will be the right fit for your unique needs and circumstances. “When a job comes up that looks like a great opportunity, I want to make sure it’s actually the right opportunity for that particular surgeon before I recommend it.”
It’s also important to find consultants who will support you throughout the entire assignment, not just the initial recruitment process. At Hayes Locums, we focus on building relationships with our orthopedic surgeons so we can support them throughout the entire locum tenens journey: before, during, and after their assignments. That level of support enables our surgeons to focus on doing what they do best: taking care of patients.
“If anything comes up, you should always be able to call your consultant and talk through it, and feel confident that they will handle it on their end,” said Tyler. “That’s what I always tell my physicians: you focus on the patient care, we’ll handle everything else.”
