Surgeon Jobs

Locum Tenens Physician

A locum tenens physician is someone who fills in temporarily for a medical position until a permanent replacement is found. There are many advantages for doctors to be a locum tenens. First, there is the aspect of travel, and getting to work in different environments. Many young doctors who have just completed medical school are not sure which kind of medicine they would like to practice. locum tenens is a way to practice different kinds of medicine on a temporary basis and decide if that it is a field you would like to pursue on a long-term basis.

Hospitals and other medical facilities utilize locum tenens physicians for a variety of different reasons. Sometimes, as locum tenens physician is filling in for a doctor who is taking a vacation or is on sabbatical. There are other times where a facility may have an unusually busy season and they need the extra help without permanently growing their staff. Using a locum tenens physician benefits the facility by saving them money, since they don't have to hire anyone on a permanent basis or until the right person is found for a permanent job.

The pay for locum tenens physicians is usually quite good. Many locum tenens physicians get paid per diem and overtime for a work-week over forty hours. This can add up to being paid more than if they signed a contract to work in a permanent position or practice. This is another reason many young doctors who do not have families yet take advantage of working as a locum tenens physician. They are easily able to move around for three to twelve months at a time and fill these openings until a permanent replacement is found.

Another reason that physicians may choose to work as a locum tenens is to decide if a particular geographic location is right for them, before signing a long-term contract. Also, small towns and rural areas have a harder time attracting doctors, so offering a short-term contract with good pay can bring doctors that would otherwise not consider the area.

As with many temporary positions in other fields, being a locum tenens physician has many advantages both for the physician and the facility where they will be working. Good pay, travel, and being able to practice medicine in a variety of places is very attractive to the doctors. While saving money and not having to hire a full-time employee when there isn't a need are two benefits for the hospital or medical facilities who choose to hire locum tenens physicians.