Dr. Val, The Traveling Physician: Living La Vida Locums, Part 2

On Assignment In California Vineyard This post is the continuation of my personal thoughts and reflections about what it’s like to work as a Locum Tenens (traveling temp) physician. Q: Where are the most favorable locums jobs? This is an interesting question and depends a little bit upon personal taste and priorities. While most locums physicians choose their work based on location (see this nice survey of locum priorities), more experienced locums docs choose their work based on circumstance. What I mean is that it’s more important WHY the hospital needs you, than where the hospital is physically located. It only takes one really bad assignment to learn that lesson the hard way. For instance, if a hospital is recruiting a locum tenens physician because the place is so bad that no one will stay in the job, then I can pretty much guarantee that it won’t matter how nice the city/town/countryside is nearby, you will not enjoy your time there. Positive prognostic indicators for a good locums assignment include: 1. The person you’re filling in for needs vacation coverage or are on maternity/paternity leave. They are happy with their job and are eager to come back. 2. The hospital is undergoing a growth phase and needs help staffing new wings/wards. 3. The hospital is operating in the black but happens to be in a rural area where it is challenging to find enough physicians to meet the patient needs. Red flags: 1. The medical director/staff physician “...
Source: Better Health - Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Tags: Opinion True Stories Advice Clients Hospitals How To Negotiate With Locum Tenens Agencies Internal Medicine Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation Primary Care Tips For Physicians Traveling Physician Source Type: blogs