Whether you’re a newly graduated physician or a seasoned professional considering a change, looking for a new job can be tough. While locum tenens can offer both professional growth and personal exploration, many physicians ignore this option due its temporary nature. But did you know locum tenens can serve as a stepping stone to a full-time physician job?
Working locums, you can gain valuable experience, test your options, and make well-informed decisions about your future — all before signing a long-term contract. Here are four locums career benefits that can help you transition smoothly into a more permanent role.
1. Allows you to build a diverse skillset
Taking on assignments in various facilities can help you gain clinical experience. Different medical environments expose you to new techniques and procedures, making you a more versatile physician.
As family medicine physician Dr. Arthi Chawla puts it, “Locums gives you the opportunity to work in different locations and different settings around the United States, which will certainly broaden your experience as a physician.”
Whether you’re learning about different EHR systems, facility protocols, or new diagnoses specific to certain regions, you’re demonstrating your flexibility and adaptability in various settings while also building your skillsets.
Otolaryngologist Dr. Kimberly Atiyeh chose locum tenens to experience rural practice, as a contrast to her urban training. “It’s not necessarily a permanent situation, so you can allow yourself to be exposed to something different without having the risks associated with something that you don’t know about.”
Embracing diverse locum tenens opportunities can significantly enhance your professional development and help you become a more well-rounded physician. This not only enriches your clinical skills but also makes you a more compelling candidate when you’re ready to find a full-time position.
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2. Provides you with networking opportunities
One of the often-overlooked locums career benefits is the opportunity to expand your professional circle. This can be especially advantageous for newer physicians who may not yet have an extensive network. As you work in different settings, you’ll meet many providers — and some may become valuable contacts when you start looking for a staff position.
These connections can offer recommendations, job leads, and valuable advice as you navigate your career path. The relationships you build during your locums assignments can open doors to opportunities that you might not have discovered otherwise. You never know when these connections might prove beneficial, whether it’s now or years down the line.
Networking through locum tenens allows you to uniquely position yourself as a well-connected and informed candidate, enhancing your prospects for finding the right physician job.
3. Can serve as a working interview
Sometimes, locum tenens assignments can serve as extended job interviews, offering you the unique opportunity to evaluate potential employers and work environments before signing a contract. This approach allows you to see a facility’s culture, meet your potential future colleagues, and assess whether the job and location are a good fit for you.
Chawla shares her perspective: “I still don’t know where I want to settle down and get a permanent job. I feel like locums is a great way to try out different areas of the country and different work settings to see what is available and see what I like and what I don’t like.”
Dr. Larry Daugherty, a radiation oncologist, also found immense value in using locums to explore different practices. He explains that in hindsight, “I was able to see the diversity of different practices, what I liked, what I didn’t like. As a resident, you kind of become biased; you really only see one or maybe two different types of practices.”
He continues, “Being able to go to six or seven different private practices and see vastly different ways of practicing medicine helped me significantly later on because when it came time for me to make a job transition, I think I was armed with a lot more information.”
Using locums as a working interview not only helps you understand the day-to-day operations of a potential employer but also gives you a practical sense of the community and lifestyle in different regions. Gaining firsthand experience is invaluable when deciding where to settle down and build your career.
Learn from other physicians’ experiences: Listen to The Locumstory Podcast
4. Offers financial stability and flexibility
Locum tenens work can provide significant financial stability and flexibility, which is especially valuable if you need extra time to find the perfect job. By taking on temporary assignments, you can maintain a steady income, keep your skills sharp, and avoid the financial pressure of having to accept the first job offer that comes along.
Atiyeh found that locums offered her the flexibility to continue her job search without feeling rushed. “For me, it really was about time, and by doing this temporary position, it allowed me the flexibility to continue my job search and not feel any pressure whatsoever to just take the first job that I could.”
She continues, “It really allowed me to relax and look for the exact right opportunity for me. So, in that sense, taking a locums job was a no-brainer.”
Daugherty got introduced to locum tenens as a resident who was struggling to make ends meet for his young family. A friend introduced him to locum tenens and opened up a whole world he didn’t know existed. “I think locum tenens became a really positive experience for my family as a resident because it really took some of the financial pressure off for us.”
Locum tenens work allows you to pursue other interests and maintain a work-life balance that might be harder to achieve in a full-time physician job. This ensures you can focus on finding a position that truly aligns with your professional goals and personal needs without compromising on your financial well-being.
How much can you make with locums? Check out your estimated compensation by specialty.