Flexible 'Locum Tenens' Work Gains Traction Among Doctors
The practice of locum tenens, where physicians work on a temporary or contractual basis, is gaining popularity as a career path. This model offers doctors more autonomy, variety in practice settings, and a flexible way to manage debt while shaping their work-life balance.
- The concept of "locum tenens," Latin for "to hold a place," originated in the 1970s to help staff rural health clinics in underserved areas. This model was created to address burnout among rural physicians in Utah, allowing them to take time off for continuing education. - Approximately 52,000 physicians, or about 7-8% of the U.S. physician workforce, currently work locum tenens assignments. The majority of these doctors (61%) take on temporary assignments in addition to a permanent position or private practice. - Financially, locum tenens physicians are independent contractors who often earn a higher hourly rate—on average $32.45 more per hour—than their permanently employed counterparts. However, they are responsible for their own taxes and benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. - The most in-demand specialties for locum tenens work include anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, neurology, OB/GYN, and psychiatry. This demand is driven by physician shortages, an aging population, and rising patient needs. - While initially a way to provide relief for rural doctors, the reasons for using locum tenens have expanded. In 2024, 67% of healthcare organizations used them to fill gaps while seeking permanent hires, with other common reasons being to cover maternity/paternity leave (42%), vacations (42%), and to manage rising patient demand (35%). - The majority of physicians who work locum tenens (56%) begin within 10 years of completing their training. Many use it as an opportunity to explore different practice settings and locations before committing to a permanent role. - Locum tenens physicians avoid much of the administrative burden and office politics associated with a permanent position, allowing them to focus more on patient care. However, they may also face challenges adapting to new workplace cultures and electronic medical record systems for each assignment. - The locum tenens market is a multi-billion dollar industry and is projected to continue growing. In 2024, the use of locum tenens physicians was part of 16.4% of all physician employment searches, a significant increase from 6.3% in 2020.
