Doctors are not on call all of the time. Some days, they have to attend meetings, and other days, they travel to visit medical providers in other parts of the country. Sometimes, they have assignments that are well beyond their control. Locum tenens, also known as locums, are professionals who temporarily fill in for them. The locum tenens job is not for everyone, but a good candidate is anyone who wants to help people and would rather not stay in one place. Learn more about the benefits of taking on this transient work.
The Meaning
Locum tenens is the Latin term for placeholder. A locum is someone who fills in for another person. A substitute teacher fills in for a regular teacher, and an understudy fills in for the regular actor. In any industry, illnesses and accidents happen all the time.
In the world of medicine, most doctors are reliable, but many of them have emergencies themselves. Locum physicians fill in for the ones who are temporarily away or busy doing other medical duties. These locums tend to move from one place to another, but they have the same duties and qualifications as regular doctors.
The Advantages
Locums are placeholders for those positions that are too important to leave unfilled. The positions could be left unfilled for a short or long period of time. In either case, the healthcare agencies intervene to loan their doctors to various clinics and hospitals. The locums take on the workloads where the regular doctors left off. If they are new to medicine, they see the opportunity to gain experience in their specialty. Most of them are employed by private agencies that have thousands of doctors working actively every day.
If the locums are not hired by agencies, they work as freelancers. They work independently, controlling their schedules and using their own resources to travel.
Taking on a transient job is not for everyone. People who like to travel are the best candidates. They have no problems getting on a plane and spending long hours on the road. They work well under the stress of delayed flights and work-related relocations.
Some doctors like to visit their patients in poor, foreign countries. They genuinely enjoy working with all types of people. Transient doctors must have high levels of motivation, determination and other skills to do their jobs right.
The locum tenens job is not for everyone. You may or may not the personal skills to become a transient professional. Persistence is one very important skill that you must have. Know that there is no requirement to stay in one hospital and work there until retirement. You have many options to help people in your medical profession of choice.
