Understanding Locum Tenens: What Surgeons Need to Know

Locum tenens work appeals to many healthcare professionals today. Surgeons, in particular, remain in high demand for these temporary assignments. What should a surgeon know if they are considering this temporary work? 

Adaptability

Many healthcare workers look into locum tenens for surgeons because they love the flexibility it provides. Surgeons can travel with their spouses and see the world before they have kids. Once the children arrive, they may take assignments closer to home and reserve trips to far-away places for when the kids are out of school and can join them. Locum tenens work allows them to find the right work-life balance without giving up their careers. They may also take on different assignments to advance their skills and explore new things. One reason surgeons love to take these assignments is the ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions.

Increased Pay

Surgeons taking on locum tenens positions find the pay is higher than they would receive working full-time for an employer. The additional funds may be used to pay off student loans, fund a child’s education, or plan for an early retirement. In fact, many surgeons use locum tenens assignments to ease their way into retirement. They can slowly reduce their workload while still being involved in a career they are passionate about. Once they retire, they may take on assignments just to prevent boredom or bring in extra funds for something special they want to do. The surgeon controls when they work and where rather than allowing someone else to dictate this for them. 

Reduce the Administrative Burden

Surgeons know the administrative burdens of working in healthcare. They must abide by local, state, and federal regulations, and the paperwork could take hours each day to complete. Because of these administrative tasks, surgeons spend less time with patients. Working as a locum tenens reduces the number of tasks a person must complete. The employer oversees many of them on behalf of temporary workers. 

Explore Different Locations

Surgeons might use locum tenens assignments to explore different practice locations. They don’t want to accept a job offer if they are unsure the practice will be a good fit. Temporary assignments let them give each practice a test run to see if they’re comfortable with the culture and fit well with the other employees. Every person should request to work as a locum tenens before accepting a job offer with a healthcare organization, as all parties benefit from this arrangement. The healthcare organization won’t spend money onboarding a surgeon only to have them leave a short time later because the position isn’t a good fit. The locum tenens won’t relocate only to learn they are unhappy. Turnover rates decline when locum tenens positions are used to explore different locations. 

Assignment Length

Many locum tenens positions for surgeons last a few days, but some can extend for months. People often assume a surgeon who accepts these positions is constantly traveling. They are surprised to learn that many assignments are local, and surgeons make more from them because there are no travel costs. However, a person can take an overseas assignment for weeks or months to explore a new country, bring the family, and turn their work assignment into an extended family vacation. 

Locum tenens assignments offer countless benefits for surgeons. However, they aren’t the right fit for everyone. Spend time learning about this career opportunity and take a short-term assignment or two to determine whether this work fits your lifestyle. You may find it is ideal for your needs.