When the holidays roll around, hospitals have shifts to fill. Locum tenens physicians can carve out a special niche by picking up crucial hours.

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For many people, locum tenens work can be a viable and choice source of employment; as a temporary job, the work can be a favored option for those who are seeking long-term employment options elsewhere.

What is Locum Tenens Work?

By definition, locum tenens refers to temporary physician jobs. For the past few decades, this type of work has gained steam because it allows hospitals and medical practices to fill a difficult position until a permanent new hire can be located. Many medical facilities are choosing to bring on this type of physician in order to handle growing patient bases or to fill a position that is currently vacant.

Many physicians choose locum tenens for a variety of reasons. For some, the work is a temporary method of employment as they further their education or they search for more permanent jobs. For the semi-retired physician, the work can provide a supplemental income. Many are even choosing the work as their main source of employment, leaving time to pursue other endeavors.

Salary, Jobs and Hours

The actual salary and work requirements for this type of job can vary depending on the location and the structure of the medical facility. Some facilities choose to hire locum tenens physicians to work on a per day basis, while others pay per week or per month. Some facilities can even hire and pay these temporary physicians on an on-call basis.

The actual length and pay options will depend on the needs of the medical facility, the time of year, and on the physician specialty. For instance, an average that a family practice physician can expect will be around $400 per workday for a standard day, but $400 per hour is not unheard of for hard-to-fill holidays like Thanksgiving in rural hospitals.

Because of the growing need for locum tenens physician, there is work available in every state within the United States. When looking for work out of state, the most important issue is one of licensure since license reciprocity between states is not the norm.

Regardless of the state, liability insurance issues are crucial to get straight. Typically, liability insurance is completely the responsibility of the hiring institution, but it is something that needs to be made clear before walking into the facility.

Other Resources

The National Association of Locum Tenens Organization (NALTO)

Pay Information for Locum Tenens Jobs

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Guide to Locum Tenens work.