Locum tenens are growing and a highly-demand career these days. The vast majority of doctors are familiar with the concept of locum tenens job, but most will not stop to think about whether these temporary assignments can work for them.
To find out if this career will work for you, read on. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of locum tenens to consider before getting a contract.
Advantages of Locum Tenens
Get Extra Income
Most doctors and nurses make a lot of money working as a locum tenens. Although it depends on nature and location, many hospitals are willing to pay more for an excellent doctor or nurse. Even if you choose only a few extra shifts during the year, the extra money will increase. Some of the doctors work as a locum tenens use the money they earn to pay for their children’s tuition fees or to fund medical missions.
Choose Your Preferred Schedule
Locum tenens like to set their own schedules because it gives them more flexibility because they can set their own schedule whenever they want. You can work full time every week, or you can work every weekend or twice a week. You can even schedule your work around family vacations or take a full summer vacation if you wish.
Travel And See The Country
Expect that when you work as a locum tenens, you will have a different location on your assignments. If you have always wanted to go to another country to see their culture and experience living there, then you will have the opportunity once you work as a locum tenens. The best thing about working as a locum is you get paid and have a chance to travel to the place you always wanted to see.
Test Drive a New Job
If you have never tried working in a different environment, and you have always wanted to work in a rural clinic or hospital, then becoming a locum tenens is a perfect option for you. If you have spent your career in an urban hospital, locums are a sure way to try something new.
If you want to make sure that the place you will be assigned fits you, you can take on a temporary assignment before packing your bags and establishing for months.
Focus On Medicine
When you take a locum tenens job, which is temporary and flexible, you do not have to worry about a lot of paperwork or endless meetings. You can focus only on patient care. This is especially appealing to doctors who have kept their own practices for years and are involved in medicine’s business side.
You will not be disturbed when you are at home. At work, you can focus on your patients, and at home, you can focus on your family. You no longer have to spend your time or energy focusing on other matters.
Disadvantages of Locum Tenens
Time away from family
Getting a job hundreds of miles away from your family and friends is not easy, especially if you have young children. Others bring their family with them for the entire assignment.
However, most readily accept small assignments, so they do not have to take much time. Even when there is no option to see your family away from home, the good news is that you are home when you are at home as you do not bring any paperwork or other matter at your place.
Too much travel
If airports and long-distance travel are not your thing, the idea of traveling around the country for a short-term job is not for you. Fortunately, you don’t have to go on a 12-hour trip if you don’t want to. Some of the doctors who work as locum tenens take jobs near home so they can drive home on the weekends. Others work in cities with easily accessible airports so they can fly home quickly whenever they want.
Out of your comfort zone
Being a locum tenens, you need to be flexible and adaptable in your new environment. However, if you are someone who has a hard time working with new people and new culture, locum tenens might not be for you.
You will also work with patients you have never seen before and can even treat conditions you may never have come across. The few days or months might not be easy, but if you force yourself to be flexible and learn new things, you can escape your full-time job’s daily exhaustion.
Conclusion
Locum tenens is not for everyone, but you may experience and discover new skills with this temporary job. From getting extra income, to travel, choose your own schedule and try new things, the advantages of locum tenens far outweigh the disadvantages.
This article was created by Jen, a writer, and blogger of LifeStyleConvo & UrbanHouses, who worked as a full-time content creator. She is a writer by day and reader by night.
