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10 Things to Know When You’re New to Locum Tenens
If your curiosity about locum tenens has been piqued recently, but you are unfamiliar with the career alternative, we invite you to keep reading for 10 factors that can set you up for success.
1. Locum tenens can fit into any career stage.
Regardless if you are looking ahead to your first position post residency or fellowship, or your last few years before retirement, locum tenens can enhance your practice. Providers in the middle of their professional lifespan also benefit from the locums alternative.
2. Locum tenens can be a full-time career choice or a part-time side gig.
Demand for supplemental staff supports individuals who wish to exchange the traditional private practice model or hospital staff position for one temporary assignment after another. On the other hand, some physicians and advanced practice providers prefer to pepper their regular work schedule with moonlighting opportunities. All Star Healthcare Solutions looks for positions that best match your personal circumstances.
3. Locum tenens assists in making career changes.
The practice alternative serves as an invaluable tool when seeking to make a change in your professional status. Temporary contracts place you inside a facility or private practice shift after shift for a set period. The consistency allows you to assemble a realistic and comprehensive portrait of what a full-time position at that healthcare employer would entail. Plus, you get to know would-be co-workers and develop an understanding of what life in town offers. If those specific conditions do not satisfy your ideal job parameters, as a locum tenens provider, you are not bound by a multi-year contract. When the assignment’s end date arrives, you are free to pursue the next possibility.
4. Locum tenens allows retirees to keep skills current.
If you do not want to commit to a full-time career the closer you edge toward retirement, but you also want to maintain your license and clinical capabilities, consider locums. Semi-retiring with locum tenens allows you to accomplish all these goals.
5. Recruiters become your locum tenens partner.
Your All Star consultant (aka, recruiter) becomes your fiercest advocate and supporter. They search for jobs that check off as many of your individual preferences as possible and for which your clinical skills align. They also serve as your primary contact on virtually everything to do with locums. Your recruiter will call to inquire about the job after your arrival. They will intercede if necessary to iron out wrinkles. And oftentimes, they become a personal friend.
6. Expect thorough credentialing.
The process to match physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified registered nurse anesthetists with temporary positions is faster than the recruitment process for direct-hire jobs. Still, expect to undergo thorough credentialing. All Star kicks it off by vetting your education, training, licenses, DEA number, certifications, work history, and any malpractice activity. To expedite the process, prepare to submit all necessary documentation, either hard or electronic copies.All Star’s due diligence will speed up facilities’ credentialing systems to gain privileges before treating their patients. Our Medical Service Specialists will pre-fill a majority of the requirements before the facility’s forms land in your email inbox for completion, review, and signatures.
7. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact opens the door to many out-of-state assignments.
One of the unique and appealing aspects of the locum tenens practice is that you can travel to other communities. This gives you the chance to experience practicing medicine in different settings as well as a different way of life. However, if those towns are out of state, you first must be licensed by that state’s medical board. Our licensing experts will assist you with the steps to secure licensure or to meet the requirements of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLCC). Physicians who apply to and satisfy the IMLCC eligibility mandates qualify for separate state licenses in each of the member states and the District of Columbia. The advantage is a highly expedited timeframe.
8. You are covered by All Star’s medical liability insurance.
Providers function under the All Star medical liability insurance policy while working locum tenens contracts with us.
9. All Star secures necessary housing and travel for locum tenens assignments.
The journey to locum tenens opportunities starts with granting your consultant permission to present your CV and profile to a hospital, clinic, private practice group, or other healthcare organization in need of clinicians. The next stop is a phone or video interview between facility administrators/managers and provider. Once you agree to an assignment, All Star will arrange temporary housing, usually close to the facility, and book the necessary flights and rental vehicle for you to use while on assignment. If you have specific requests associated with the type of housing, inform your recruiter.
10. All Star’s signature “Red Carpet” Service means going above and beyond as a standard.
Whether it’s your very first locum tenens opportunity or the first one with us, when you choose All Star Healthcare Solutions, you choose a staffing agency invested in supporting you throughout your locum tenens journey while you focus on delivering high-quality care to patients.
To find out more about locum tenens and our signature “Red Carpet” Service, call a knowledgeable All Star Healthcare Solutions consultant at 800-928-0229 or contact us online.
