What Does Locum Tenens Mean for a Physician?
As healthcare staffing industry analysts continue to foresee national Physician shortages, more and more healthcare professionals are becoming interested in taking on locum tenens assignments. Those who choose to work as locum tenens can tell you firsthand that even though the role differs from most permanent positions, many benefits are worth noting.
There are locums assignments available for Physicians of all healthcare industry specialties, including:
- Physician Assistants
- Nurse Practitioners
- Hospitalists
- And So Much More!
The Meaning Of Locum Tenens
In Latin, locum tenens means “to hold a place.” For healthcare organizations, locum tenens is used as a way to describe fill-in or temporary work. As temporary Physician staffing trends continue to increase, more workers in the industry are moving away from permanent doctor roles and towards locum tenens work.
What Is A Locum Tenens Physician?
Locum tenens work exists in nearly every niche within the healthcare system, and they are often utilized for a variety of different purposes. Healthcare facilities often hire locum Physicians to fill in for another doctor’s absence. In some cases, locum tenens Physicians are given the opportunity to work full-time hours in order to meet fluctuating patient demands. Locum tenens experiences vary widely in terms of assignment length, location, position demands, and more.
How Locum Tenens Works
There are many factors at play that can determine precisely what an assignment might look like for a locum tenens Physician. Typically, locum tenens assignments differ due to one or more of the following factors:
- Locality: Rural areas located further away from major cities often have less access to Physicians when they are needed. Often, locum tenens assignments in these areas offer much higher pay rates.
- Specialty Demand: Certain Physician specialties are more in-demand than others, and locum tenens Physicians with experience in these in-demand specialties are likely to be paid more.
- Facility Type: Depending on the facility you take a locum tenens assignment with, you can expect a wide variety of potential experiences. There is locum tenens work everywhere, from small-town rural clinics to state-of-the-art hospitals and university medical centers.
- Experience: Locum tenens Physicians with more experience are more likely to secure higher salaries and more benefits, as they have more to offer. Though the negotiation process is different for every assignment, Physicians with more experience have the upper hand.
- Shift Type And Patient Load: In some cases, a healthcare facility is only looking for a locum tenens Physician that can work certain shifts like nights, weekends, and holidays. While these shifts are typically less desired, they tend to come with higher pay rates. Patient load is another important consideration; as many times, these loads can fluctuate quickly.
Why Do Physicians Work As Locum Tenens?
There are many reasons why more doctors are looking to locum tenens work as a viable career path. Locum work can be beneficial to a Physician at all stages of their career. Some of the many benefits that come with locum tenens work include more flexibility, higher salaries, new career opportunities, an increase in patient-focused care, the potential for travel, tax benefits, and an increase in supplemental income.
Consider Working With A Locum Tenens Staffing Agency
While it is absolutely possible to secure a locum tenens role on your own, a locum tenens agency like Health Carousel Locum Tenens can make the process much easier. With the help of a locums agency, you can plan ahead and secure your next assignments all before your current one ends. Staffing agencies like us can help you:
- Search For Assignments
- Negotiate Your Salary
- Provide Malpractice Insurance Certification
- Find Housing
- Ensure Licensing Compliance
- And More!
