Locum tenens provides facilities with surgeons when there is a need to fill in gaps in the schedule. These are temporary positions, so surgeons should expect to only be with the facility for a short amount of time before moving on to something different. This provides numerous benefits for surgeons, such as the ability to try out different specialties and travel.
It is important to understand how it works before taking on a locum tenens position.
Start With Onboarding
The first day for surgeons that work locum tenens is onboarding. This is where they learn more about the facility, become familiar with how it works, and ensure they have access to all of the rooms where they may be needed. They’ll learn more about what will be expected of them, the people working at the facility, the patients, and more.
This is a good time to ask any questions and to get a better idea of what to expect during the assignment.
Day-To-Day Assignments
The daily work of a surgeon who is doing locum tenens assignments isn’t much different from what a surgeon typically does during the day. They’ll likely have a set schedule during the assignment and will be provided work to do while they’re at the facility.
Some of their daily tasks can vary based on how long the assignment is for or who they’re covering for while they’re at the facility.
On-Call Assistance
Depending on the assignment, the surgeon may be on-call to relieve other surgeons during busy times. How busy the surgeon is can depend on a number of factors, so they may see there is quite a bit of downtime while they’re waiting to be called in.
On the other hand, if the hospital is extremely busy, they might find they are working constantly while they’re on call and don’t have much downtime to relax.
Move On to Different Facilities
Once the assignment is done, the surgeon can then choose to move to a different facility. This doesn’t necessarily mean staying in the same area, either. Surgeons who take on locum tenen assignments can take ones that are anywhere in the US, as long as they are qualified for the position, so they can use this opportunity to travel and see new places.
If they’re trying to find the best place to live, this gives them the opportunity to live and work in different cities to find what they prefer.
Deciding on the Future
Surgeons who want more flexibility, who want to be able to travel, or who want to try out different facilities may want to take advantage of locum tenens opportunities. This gives them the opportunity to pick assignments based on what’s available and what interests them. Once an assignment is finished, they can choose what they want to do next and be on their way to the next adventure.
If you’re a surgeon who is interested in all of the benefits locum tenens has to offer, now’s the time to sign up and learn what assignments are available. By working on locum tenens assignments, you’ll be able to do the typically daily tasks of a surgeon but have the added benefits of higher pay, more vacation time, a flexible schedule, and a lot more. Take a look at the options now to learn more.
