Important Consideration When Working with a Locum Tenens Recruiter

Currently Locum tenens practitioners are in an ever increasing demand.  And this upward trend doesn't look to be cooling off anytime soon.  With a reported nationwide physician shortage, an aging population, and increased access to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, healthcare organizations across the country are looking at Locums agencies for their staffing solutions.

Locum tenens is an interesting and potentially lucrative aspect of healthcare if you are up for the challenges.  But finding and working with a locum tenens recruiter can be daunting.  Here are some points to consider when finding and building an effective relationship for everyone involved.

‍Be Upfront

‍No matter if you are fresh out of your residency or a seasoned professional, you are likely to have some understanding of what you are looking for in a placement and where your strengths and weaknesses lay. Let your recruiter know about your ideal placement ideas, your experiences, and your utilization will help them find the best placements to suit your needs.

‍Remain Flexible

‍It also helps to be flexible.  New cities, new systems of organization and management, new equipment etc., can take a little or a lot of adjustment, but also help you stay at the top of your game.  Locum tenens physicians are known for being some of the best in their specialties in part because they have worked in a variety of settings.

‍Be Reachable

‍Because we live in the information age, instant communication is the norm.  Staying up to date with your voicemails and text messages, making sure to reply immediately, staying current with your email and responding to your recruiter as soon as possible will make your placement faster and smoother.

‍Always Be Honesty

‍Honesty truly is the best policy. If an assignment is not what you expected, you are asked to work additional hours or on-call time, or even if something unexpected comes up and you have an incident you think you should report: be honest.  Your recruiter should be able to assist you better if you are open and honest about your assignments.

‍Stay Organized

‍You may work in more than one city or even more than one state.  You will work in more than one facility. You could have one-day placements or an assignment that turns into a year.  You have forms to fill out and renewals to submit. Your locum tenens recruiter is there to assist you through every step of the process; stay efficient and organized, it will go smoothly for everyone. Record keeping: tracking hours, assignments, required forms and submissions, etc., will make your placement, tracking and taxes that much easier to complete.

‍Be Thorough

‍You will have forms to submit and contracts to sign: make sure to always be thorough.  Reading requirements, getting questions answered, and scrutinizing expectations carefully can save future headaches.  If you are thorough, you will know both what you are agreeing to and what you can expect of your placement and of the agency.

Ready to speak with a locum tenens recruiter?