Locum tenens doesn’t fit just one kind of doctor. Contrary to what you might think, locum tenens can suit a variety of life stages, lifestyles, and life goals. Whether you are seeking financial independence, adventure and travel, or a better work-life balance, there's a locum tenens lifestyle waiting for you.
Here are ten common types of locum physicians. Find out which one you might be.
1. The Finance Physician
The Finance Physician is money-minded and strategically uses locum tenens to achieve specific financial goals.
If you're saving for a major purchase, paying down debt, or building a savings portfolio, locums can provide the supplemental income needed to execute a financial plan. Locums psychiatrist Dr. Chinenye Onyemaechi Okolo-Taku used locums tenens to get herself out of student debt.
“A lot of people focus only on saving or cutting back, but I took the approach of making more money. If you want to make more money or pay off debt, take up an extra locums job. It is one of the fastest ways to hit financial milestones,” says Dr. Okolo-Taku.
Her newfound financial freedom has unlocked an incredible lifestyle for Dr. Onyemaechi Okolo-Taku.
“Now that I am debt-free, I take more time off. I travel, I spend time with family, I get a nice massage — just do things that are completely unrelated to medicine.”
Financial security allows for better work-life balance, and locum tenens gigs can get you there.
2. The Fresh Fellow
What better way to get a taste of it all than to do just that by pursuing a variety of work placements?
Fresh Fellows — recent graduates and new doctors — are providers who leverage locums tenens work to explore different practice settings, locations, schedule flexibility, and skill building.
“I wasn’t ready to commit to an academic job or private practice, and I was unsure about what I wanted. Locums gave me the flexibility to figure it out,” says locums pediatrician, Dr. Trevor Cabrera.
“In two years, I have worked in five or six states, held five DEA licenses, and worked in about a dozen facilities. I’d never get that kind of exposure in a traditional job.”
These physicians are making new professional connections and gaining clarity about their ideal work environment.
“Most doctors I know have only seen one hospital system in their career. The exposure I’ve gained has expanded my professional network exponentially. I have worked in so many different hospitals and realized there’s not always just one right way to do things. Each place has its own approach, and I take those lessons with me,” says Dr. Cabrera.
3. The Pioneer Practitioner
Perhaps one of the better-known locums doctors — the one who is always planning their next trip. Pioneer Practitioners are the travelers among us: those who use locums to explore new places, visit friends and family across the country, experience different cultures, and collect travel perks like airline and hotel points.
Take Dr. Genevieve Jacobs, also known as The Locums Lady, whose thirst for adventure has been quenched by locums work. “What better way to be adventurous than getting paid to do the traveling? Sometimes I feel like I work a lot, then I check and realize I worked 180 days last year. That’s still fewer than a full-time permanent job — and with way more adventure.”
For Dr. Jacobs, locums did far more for her both personally and professionally than she initially expected.
“It’s very seamless the integration of locums into my life because a lot of what I wanted to do was to have the freedom to go on vacation. The unexpected part for me was the professional growth,” says Dr. Jacobs. “I’m learning so much about the business of medicine, of how different people do different things, approach different problems.”
4. The Family Physician
For the family-focused physician, locum tenens offers an ideal blend of professional fulfillment and personal flexibility.
These doctors prioritize work-life balance and leverage locum opportunities to create schedules that accommodate family commitments.
Physician assistant Cara Bosco succeeds at straddling the lines of being an “engaged parent” and a physician.
“When I am not working, I am a stay-at-home mom. I get the kids ready for school, do all the typical things, and then I pack up my suitcase and I leave. I am gone for five days at a time, and then I come back and pick up where I left off,” she says.
“Locums has given me the chance to create a work schedule that works for my family and doesn’t burn me out. I leave my work at work. I finish what I am doing while I am there, and then I make time for myself and my family.”
With no mandatory overtime and the option to work locally or travel, the Family Physicians maintain control over their time to ensure they're present for the moments that matter most.
For more inspiration: A better way for a two-physician family to manage work, kids, and life (podcast)
5. The Leisurely Locum
Leisurely Locums are late-career physicians who use locums to slow down without stopping, enjoy a flexible schedule, have more time for hobbies, travel, and family, and still earn great compensation to build retirement savings and fund fun activities.
Dr. Ronald Stiller, for example, is finding joy in being the resident “old timer.”
“Even though I am ‘semi-retired,’ I still get to teach. Younger colleagues come to me as the ‘old man with gray hair’ and ask, ‘Can we go over a CT scan?’ That’s very gratifying. At my current hospital, I even work with medical students. It is rewarding to pass on knowledge while still practicing medicine.”
Giving back to the medical community is just one of the many upsides of staying involved in medical work after a fulfilling career. The scheduling flexibility provides a satisfying way to transition into retirement.
“On average, I work one or two weeks per month, which gives me ample time to rest and play. It is just fun to do, even as you are winding down your career,” Dr. Stiller says.
6. The Local Locum
The ideal Local Locum physician thrives on both flexibility and control. These doctors enjoy the advantages of locum work — competitive pay, diverse clinical experiences, and adaptable schedules — all while staying close to home.
The local locum likes to have the best of both worlds. Whether supplementing a full-time position or building a dedicated local locum practice, they prioritize a work-life balance that traditional roles often lack.
Dr. Bonnie Davis highlights how she strategically uses local locum placements for career flexibility between jobs.
“I am at another transition point in my career, and I’ve always been able to work locums during transitions to help my family stay on our financial feet.”
She advises: “It's affected us very positively, but you have to be aware of your money and you have to buy your own health insurance. It’s not that it’s a downside, you just have to think a different way.”
“I put the same into a locums job I would put into a permanent job.”
Beyond leaning on nearby locums assignments during career transitions, local locums doctors may find local assignments on top of their full-time traditional work when they have extra time in their schedules or need extra money. Others have created a roughly full-time local locums schedule that allows them more freedom than a permanent full-time position.
7. The Savvy Specialist
Savvy Specialists are physicians who thrive on learning new skills, adapting to new environments, and growing their expertise through locum tenens work.
“I worked at the same hospital for ten years, so I literally could do the job in my sleep. It was just doing the same repeat every single day. Coming to locums, learning how to use new equipment, different surgical kits, and different ways people practice medicine — it has completely changed my perspective,” says Dr. Holly Llobet.
“Every time you go to a new hospital, it’s a different ultrasound, a different piece of medical equipment, and different procedures. You are constantly adapting, which breaks up the monotony of doing things the same way every day for ten years.”
Her husband, Dr. Paul Llobet — who also works as a locums tenens physician — concurs. “The ability to adjust in stride is something I have come to appreciate more than ever.”
The arrangement excites the couple both professionally and personally.
“I like to travel. I like being in a new culture, a new city, a new island, a new corner of the earth. I like working with my husband. We are on the same schedule, so we work for a week and then travel together for a week. It has been really good for us.”
Savvy Specialists appreciate and embrace change because it keeps their minds and skills sharp.
8. The Helpful Humanitarian
Helpful Humanitarians are doctors who find deep meaning in working with underserved populations, making a difference in communities in need, and using their physician skill set to give back.
Dr. Allison Liewen’s passion for humanitarian work, medical work, and locum tenens assignments took her to a remote area of Alaska.
"I was flown in on a bush plane, dropped off on a gravel runway with my medical supplies, and no one was there. I just stood there as the plane flew away thinking, ‘Well, this is interesting.’"
That's the reality of providing care in remote, underserved areas — a challenge she embraced with open arms.
"Locums has made me a much stronger physician — I have had to learn to be adaptable, problem-solve on the fly, and work with limited resources. If you are someone who thrives on variety, challenge, and making an impact in underserved communities, locum tenens can be a great fit."
9. The Techie Tele-doc
The Techie Tele-doc practices medicine via telehealth locums assignments, which allows them to practice medicine virtually from anywhere. These doctors, like psychiatrist Dr. Mariam Aboukar, hold multiple state licenses and are tech-savvy.
“Telemedicine lets me connect with patients daily, and the experience is just as powerful as in-person care. I have cried with my patients on telehealth. I have laughed with them. The connection is still very much there.”
“You would be surprised how fulfilling virtual care can be. It’s different, but it’s not less meaningful.”
10. The Flexible Physician
Flexible Physicians use their locums positions as bridges during a transition in life, whether due to a job change, family circumstances, travel abroad, fellowships, or other commitments that require flexibility.
Dr. Gregory Kloehn found that locums can provide purpose and opportunity during uncertain times.
“You’d be surprised how much things can change within a three- or six-month period. To let the dust settle before making a big decision is really beneficial. Locums, to me, was a good intermediary. I could go and work in places, give good care to people, and be somewhere I was wanted and needed.”
More on working locums during transitions: 3 ways physicians use locum tenens for career transitions
Find out how locum tenens can fit into your lifestyle.
Locums work is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it's a flexible career path that can accommodate a variety of physician lifestyles and career stages, from the new doctor to the retired, from the family physician to the solo traveler.
Interested in seeing how locums can support your lifestyle? Take our quiz: