Settling into a conventional healthcare job isn’t the best option for all medical professionals. Many need a bit more flexibility and freedom that traditional roles can provide. If you fall into that category, becoming a locum tenens provider may be the right move for your life and career. Locum tenens assignments can allow you to choose schedules that work best for you, explore new places, and gain more diverse experience along with many other benefits.
Still, getting the most benefits out of being a locum tenens provider means finding the right assignments. Numerous locum tenens opportunities are available at any given time, but not all of them are right for everyone. While you’re sorting through potential assignments, keep the following tips in mind to help you find the best opportunities for you.
Set Your Priorities
First of all, be sure to set your priorities before looking at available assignments. Are you looking for short assignments or longer ones? Do you prefer to stay close to home, or are you looking to experience new places? Which demographics are you hoping to work with? Are you looking for flexible hours or a more rigid schedule? Those are some of the important questions to ask yourself before looking at the possibilities.
Look Into Communities and Facilities
Secondly, as you’re looking at assignments and considering those that best mesh with your priorities, delving deeper into the facilities you’d be working for and the communities they’re part of is also essential. Think about the sizes of the hospitals or clinics, the resources and benefits they offer, their typical workloads, and other important factors. Consider the attractions, amenities, and housing options available in their general areas as well. Both your employer and the surrounding community will affect your life when you accept an assignment, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into beforehand.
Consider Scheduling and Flexibility
We’ve already mentioned that scheduling and flexibility are top priorities for many locum tenens providers. If that’s the case for you, be sure to consider those factors while you’re looking at available assignments. They can be a bit subjective, so it’s important to dig deeper here. Look at shift lengths, on-call requirements, overtime, and other relevant aspects to be sure a facility’s idea of flexibility matches yours.
Compensation and Benefits
Understanding the compensation and benefits you’ll get is equally important. If you’re like many people in the healthcare industry these days, the former may not be quite as important as the latter. At the same time, you may not be entitled to the same benefits packages as permanent employees. Your locum tenens agency may offer its own benefits. Be sure you’re aware of each assignment’s pay and which perks you’ll have before committing.
See also: Top 4 Mental Health Sources That Work with TRICARE West
Finding the Right Locum Tenens Assignments for You
You’ll find an array of locum tenens assignments available across the United States. They’re with different types of healthcare facilities and in varied communities. Their schedules and demands can vary greatly as well.
Determine your priorities before beginning your search to help narrow down the choices. From there, dive deeper into the facilities you might be working for, their surrounding communities, their schedules and workloads, and the pay and benefits each assignment offers. Those factors can help you choose assignments that align with your needs and expectations and ensure you’ll be happy with them for the duration.
