Imagine a career as a doctor where you have the option of choosing how, when, and where to work. It might sound like a dream, but it’s not a far-fetched fantasy. You can carve out your path by working with a physician recruiter firm like MASC Medical as a locum tenens doctor or practitioner. As its name suggests, these physicians fill gaps in healthcare facilities and institutions as freelance workers for short-term, part-time work. The assignments they’re given can be in different locations and last for days to months, depending on the need. In this guide, we’ll cover some of the advantages that the lifestyle offers.
1.Work flexibility
Perhaps the most notable advantage of switching to locum tenens over a traditional career path is its flexibility when it comes to working schedules. Whether you’re looking to work more to increase your income or less to spend time with family and friends, it gives medical practitioners a greater level of control over their work, enabling them to achieve better work-and-life balance as a result. Beyond that, they also experience less burnout from this freedom. With physician burnout affecting the health and performance of doctors, being able to avoid this all together can create greater job satisfaction, resulting in better patient experiences.
2.Travel opportunities
Another reason why you should consider working in locums is that it offers travel opportunities. Since you won’t be tied down with any position, you can take up assignments in hospitals all over the country. Moreover, the control you have will give you the chance to get more time for traveling with pleasure as opposed to business. Therefore, for medical professionals looking for careers that can open their world up in the literal sense of the word, the locum tenens career may work.
3.Enticing compensation
If the prospect of traveling is still not enough to encourage you to become a locum tenens doctor, then the above-average compensation should. Locums providers usually have much higher salaries than full-time, permanent physicians do. Additionally, since you’ll be considered a freelance, independent contractor, you’ll be taxed accordingly. This means that your costs can be taken off, allowing you to save more money than you would have otherwise.
4.Minimal administrative duties
One of the reasons why many medical professionals suffer from burnout is because of all the administrative duties working full-time usually entails. If you’re a freelance practitioner, not only will you have a good measure of control over your working schedule, have more opportunities to travel, and better compensation, but you’ll also have less admin duties to address. Thus, you’ll have more time practicing medicine and being with patients than doing paperwork.
Conclusion
It isn’t surprising that locum tenens is growing in popularity among doctors both seasoned and inexperienced. When you get right down to it, it presents medical practitioners with advantages that they would have missed if they decided to pursue a more conventional career. So, if you’re interested in having more freedom in your schedule, the option to travel, better compensation, and avoiding admin tasks, consider working in locums.
