Are Locum Tenens the Key to Better Minority Representation in Healthcare?

A lack of diversity among medical/healthcare professionals remains a pressing issue: “racially and ethnically minoritized students and practitioners remain underrepresented across the health professions.” 

As a locum tenens staffing company, we believe that locum tenens professionals may be a key to creating better minority representation in healthcare.  

Here’s how: 

Locums can break down barriers with their flexibility

Traditional careers in the health professions tend to come with inflexible schedules as well as geographic constraints, which can affect minority healthcare pros more than those of majority populations.  

Locum tenens assignments offer terrific flexibility, potentially breaking these barriers.  

To leverage this potential for minority healthcare professionals, hospitals and healthcare offices could: 

  1. Team up with one or more locum tenens staffing companies. 
  1. Offer assignments of varied lengths. 
  1. Provide mentoring programs for minority locum pros. 

Combat ageism and create opportunities 

Locum tenens work offers older healthcare pros a solution to ageism in the healthcare sector. In addition, new graduates from underrepresented groups gain valuable experience. And experienced minority practitioners can continue to contribute their expertise.  

Healthcare facilities using locums can maximize this benefit by: 

  1. Creating “rising star” initiatives for recent minority graduates. 
  1. Develop “wisdom sharing” programs by pairing experienced locums with newer team members. 
  1. Offering skills workshops to help all ages stay current 

Grow a pipeline for permanent diversity

Many healthcare facilities understandably use locum tenens work as “try before you buy” for both the locum and the facility. Such a strategy can be a great way to increase permanent minority representation. 

To turn “temporary” diversity into something permanent, facilities could: 

  1. Provide a “locum-to-perm” track for exceptional professionals of all backgrounds. 
  1. Offer leadership development education for the locums who are thinking of permanent roles with the facility. 
  1. Create a supportive network for minority locums to transition to permanent positions. 

There are several ways to increase minority representation in medicine and locum tenens work has the potential to be a terrific tool for progress. Embracing the flexibility, opportunity and cultural savvy that minority locums bring hospitals and other healthcare facilities can take large steps toward a more inclusive and diverse future. 

Contact SUMO Staffing for all of your locum tenens recruiting needs.