As the need grows for physicians and advanced practitioners everywhere throughout the American healthcare system, so do locum tenens job opportunities. But what is locum tenens, what are locum tenens jobs, and what should you know before you sign up for one? Here’s what you need to know.
- Looking for a new career opportunity? Search locum tenens jobs here
All about Locum Tenens: Your Guide to Locum Jobs
What is locum tenens? What are locum jobs?
Often just called “locums,” locum tenens is a term for doctors or other practitioners who work as fill-ins for staff members who are temporarily unavailable. In literal terms, it’s a Latin phrase that translates into something close to “placeholder.”
But locum jobs are much more than just short-term positions. When you work as a locums, you’re filling in a critical role in a facility or organization that needs your skills and expertise to provide essential care for its patients and community.
And, of course, you’re also expected to deliver the same duties and top-notch care as a full-time professional, including call coverage, proactive and meaningful collaboration with other clinical staff members, among the other responsibilities you can expect from any job in your field.
- Quick facts: Locum jobs are usually called assignments, and are based on a contract.
How long do locum tenens jobs last?
Unlike some temporary positions in healthcare that are set at a certain number of weeks, the length of a locum tenens job can vary quite a bit. They can be part-time at a couple shifts a week, or a regular full-time schedule. They can last a single day or just a week, or for much longer.
And that’s because there’s a huge variety of reasons why employers seek to fill locum jobs. For instance, they may need to:
- Replace an employee who left the job unexpectedly
- Fill in for someone who’s on vacation, maternity leave, sabbatical, or absent for any other reason
- Fill jobs in facilities struggling to find the full-time professionals they need in the local community, such as a rural area or an urban neighborhood where the need for practitioners is growing
- Staff a new position in a growing facility while they search for permanent workers
- Help expand care coverage during a surge in patient census
- Meet a seasonal surge in utilization
As more hospitals across the country close down or cut services, that means patients turn to other hospitals to pick up the slack. And that means many employers are finding themselves with an influx of patients, leading them to hire locum professionals to fill the gap.
- Quick facts: Demand is especially high for emergency medicine locum jobs! Check out open locum ER assignments here
Who works locum tenens jobs?
When you think of locum tenens jobs, you might think they’re only for doctors and surgeons. And given the shortage of physicians in many areas — especially rural areas — it’s true that many employers are seeking doctors to fill their locum tenens roles.
But today, locum jobs are open to other practitioners, too, particularly physician assistants (PAs) and advanced practitioners like nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) .
In the past, advanced practitioners were often hired as locums because a doctor couldn’t be found. Today, though, many facilities prefer to hire practitioners in these roles. Indeed, many states are expanding the practice authority of NPs and PAs so they can fulfill more of the duties of physicians.
Where are locum jobs available?
Locum tenens jobs are available in hospitals, health centers, clinics, urgent care centers, outpatient facilities, and even private practices — pretty much everywhere care is delivered.
However, some types of facilities use them more than others. For example, here at HealthTrust, we’re seeing huge demand for emergency medicine physicians to work both in hospital roles, and in free-standing ER departments. You can view open positions here.
Are you qualified to work a locum tenens job?
In general, qualifying for a locum tenens assignment is the same as a regular, permanent role. You’ll need to provide:
- Current state medical license, or the ability to get licensed — locum agencies will usually help you get the license you need
- Meet the DEA/CSR requirements of the state where you’ll be working
- Any certifications that may be required by the state or facility
Why work locum tenens jobs?
There are many benefits of working locum tenens jobs, from the chance to boost your earnings to the opportunity to deliver meaningful care to patients and communities that truly need and appreciate it. They give you control over your career and schedule, letting you continue to earn money and build skills in a temporary capacity while looking for the permanent role you really want.
Many physicians and practitioners choose to work locums as a way to ease into retirement, while many others embrace it as a lifestyle, giving them the freedom and flexibility to work in new locations as they desire.
We’ll have more about the benefits of working locums in the next installment of our guide to locum jobs. And in the weeks and months to come, we’ll also explore everything else you need to know, including where to find the best assignments, what to expect on a day-to-day basis, and lots more. Stay tuned to the HealthTrust Engage blog for all the details!
Find Your Next Locum Tenens Job with HealthTrust
Here at HealthTrust, we’re proud to offer the locum tenens jobs that best meet your needs and preferences, plus a full range of benefits including free medical malpractice coverage, 401(k), help arranging travel and lodging, and much more. See what’s available: search all of our open locum jobs here.
