Locum Tenens vs. Staff Job: Is Temporary Right for You
You have the skills. You have the education. Now, you get to decide how to use them!
In today’s healthcare marketplace, options are limitless, so it makes sense to step back and consider which option works best for you. If you’re considering locum tenens work, you’re probably weighing the pros and cons of contract work with permanent placement within a hospital system or in private practice.
These are the things you’ll want to keep in mind.
Flexibility
As a locum tenens provider, you get to decide when you want to work, and where. With a permanent position – though you do have some leeway in private practice compared to a hospital setting – you’re there for the long haul. Though, you also have a guaranteed salary, benefits and can reliably count on that job to be there until you decide to move on. Locum tenens positions, though lucrative, are less predictable.
Administrative Responsibility
Many providers who choose locum tenens appreciate the reduced administrative duties that come with the role. There are fewer meetings, less paperwork, and, you get an agency to support you with the nuances of credentialing and licensing. As a locum provider, however, what you trade off in administrative duties, you’ll replace with routinely learning new colleagues, facilities and workplace cultures. But you also get to focus solely on patient care.
New Experiences
In a permanent position, there is something to be said for stepping into private practice or a hospital community and becoming engrained in a community where you’ll form long-lasting relationships with colleagues and patients. But if you’re looking to explore what’s out there, working in various facilities, being exposed to different patient populations and clinical environments, locum tenens may be the right choice for you.
Networking
As a locum tenens provider, you’ll network with healthcare professionals across the country and build resources that could open doors to new referrals and career opportunities. In a permanent role however, you can form deep relationships and connections in your community and become a valued resource in your own right – leading to leadership roles you may not achieve otherwise.
Earning Potential
This is the biggest selling point! If you’ve done any research at all, you know that locum tenens providers earn more per hour, on average, than provider with the same skills and experience in a permanent role. There are tradeoffs though. Locum tenens providers don’t receive a complete benefits package with health insurance, retirement plans or paid time off. Plus, your pay will vary depending on your specialty and location.
The Choice is Yours
The decision may simply depend on whether you’re looking for adventure and flexibility or stability and long-term career growth. Though, there’s nothing that says you can’t do both at some point in your career! Many healthcare professionals choose to do a combination of both.
Either way, a successful and fulfilling career awaits.
Take the Next Step
Locum tenens has truly become a popular career choice for medical professionals seeking a flexible schedule, great pay and the power to chart their own professional path.
Once you’ve decided to explore your options as a locum urgent care provider, you want to make sure to find a medical staffing company you can trust. SUMO Medical Staffing has a proven track record in helping healthcare professionals find locum jobs that best fit their specific needs. Our staffing representatives are ready to discuss your career goals and future. Request a consultation with a locum tenens staffing specialist today.