Doctors work as locums for various reasons. And leading locum tenens companies report a steadily rising demand for doctors who want to work in this way.
Whether part-time or full-time, working as a locum doctor has many attractive advantages, some of which are listed below:
- Some doctors are retiring and simply want to reduce their working hours and responsibilities.
- Working as a locum as opposed to a full-time permanent position gives some doctors the flexibility to raise their children, have a better work-life balance, and have more time for family life.
- Some doctors work in locum positions for certain tasks if the planned career opportunities do not arise.
- Working in locum tenens is a good choice for people with limited or no medical experience, but not for everyone.
- Many new doctors are willing to take on a second or third job to supplement their income and pay off student loans.
- Locum doctors can quickly gain experience in different locations and different environments before deciding to take up permanent employment.
- Doctors who work as locums enjoy a certain career flexibility that allows them to control the number of days and hours they work at the desired pace. As a locum, a doctor can work in any medical function, for as long as they wish.
- Locum doctors have the opportunity to choose from a wider range of employment opportunities and thus find work wherever and whenever they want.
- By adapting to a new environment or situation, it offers doctors more opportunities to expand their career.
- Doctors in the middle of the career ladder can choose to work as a flexible option over a permanent position, and retiring doctors often find it easier to close a practice and leave full-time positions as doctors.
- The assignments to diverse places allow practitioners to gain experience with a wide range of skills such as communication, and patient care.
- Some physicians and especially advanced physicians report benefits from working in locum tenens, including improved clinical skills.
- Doctors can also learn new best practices and gain experience working with different patient populations.
- Doctors working as locums tenens are free to choose their jobs and lifestyles, with longer breaks as desired.
- Locum deployments can last only a few hours a week, or two or three months, and sometimes longer.
- Locum tenens is a great way for doctors and nurses to work outside their normal environment as well as to see different parts of the country and make money in the process.
- Depending on the specialty, location, and workplace, many health care facilities are willing to pay locum doctors an attractive bonus in times of high demand or low availability.
- Working as a locum can make raising a family easier or you may have other factors that make a regular job difficult, in which case, locum work is a good choice for you.
Indeed, a wide range of career opportunities and maximum flexibility are the main reasons why more and more doctors are choosing locum tenens.
