The Best & Worst of Locum Tenens

As a leading healthcare staffing agency in Texas, Florida, North Carolina and other states, we place providers in permanent and temporary medical jobs. Therefore, we know well the pros and cons of both. There’s something nice about the security of a permanent position, yet the freedom and flexibility of a locum tenens life can be appealing.

Locum tenens work gives you freedom and good pay, and you can avoid the hospital or medical practice politics. But there are downsides. Here are some topics to consider when you are deciding it you’d like to transition into a full-time locum tenens provider.

PRO: Jobs pay well.

You don’t have to climb the ladder to make a great income. If you’re qualified, you’re compensated accordingly. Many contracts will pay you extra if you exceed an 8-hour work day.

CON: The pay could be better.

While locum tenens positions pay has its advantages, experienced physicians in private practices can still rank higher in salary.

PRO: You choose your benefits.

Group plans at medical facilities aim to serve a lot of needs, which may not exactly fit what you need in a policy. There may be options you never use or limited investments options.

CON: You’re on your own with insurance.

Your options for health and life insurances are endless; however, you have to sort through the options and choose what works for you. Also, you will not benefit from any 401k matching or other benefits from a larger company.

PRO: You don’t need to deal with office politics.

Permanent physicians are expected to attend meetings, resolve conflicts and review and revise regulations and policies. If you like to focus on clinical work only, then locum tenens work might be for you.

CON: You’re a short-timer.

If you’re a seasoned professional and know exactly how to address specific shortcomings that happen in an office, leadership may not ask for your feedback, and it’s possible that any input that you provide may not be taken seriously since you’re on a limited contract.

If you’re a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant who is considering locum tenens, talk with a TinkBird medical recruiter in your region. We’ve become very good at listening to medical practitioners and helping them evaluate options to land in the medical job that’s the best fit for their needs and personality. TinkBird can help you understand and evaluate the tradeoffs before you make the leap to temporary medical work.

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