5 Ways to Elevate Your Locums Game
5 Ways to Elevate Your Locums Game
I have been working as a locums physician for over 10 years. Although I now have plenty of locums work, this hasn’t always been the case. There have been times when I did not have as many locums opportunities as I would have liked. However, when I made these five simple changes, my locums opportunities increased and I became more successful as a locums physician.
Be Flexible. Be open to new and different locums opportunities. Being rigid in your criteria will limit the locums assignments available to you.
Be the “go to person.” Develop a reputation with locums recruiters as someone who is available on short notice to take last-minute assignments. These often come up when organizations have a crisis and need immediate staffing. Being willing and able to take these last-minute, emergent assignments is a win-win situation. Your locums company looks good and you have the opportunity to make additional money—oftentimes at a higher pay rate.
Be open to travel. This goes along with developing the reputation of being the “go to” person. Being able to travel will allow you to take advantage of last-minute locums assignments. Always stay packed so you can be off to the airport at a moment’s notice.
Be willing to take different types of assignments. In order to increase the number of locums assignments you do, consider taking a role in a different specialty or practice environment. For example, I am a critical care physician. However, since I am also board certified in internal medicine, I have taken locums assignments as a hospitalist. I know several family medicine physicians who have left traditional family medicine and perform locums work as a hospitalist, in urgent care, or in occupational medicine. Think about all of your clinical skill sets and consider doing locums work in those areas.
Be willing to develop a strong professional relationship with a good locums recruiter. This is key. Having a locums recruiter who understands your needs as a locums physician can expand the opportunities available to you and potential for the future. This recruiter will go out of their way to find you a good role and will consider you first for the really good assignments.
It doesn’t take a lot to be a successful locums physician. Making these five simple changes can do a lot to elevate your locums game. The locums professionals at Floyd Lee Locums pride themselves on doing everything they can to ensure the success of their physicians. Contact us today.
Stephanie E. Freeman, MD, earned her Medical Degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and her Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Freeman also completed a Geriatrics fellowship at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. She obtained her Masters of Business Administration at Auburn University.
Learn more at DrStephanieICU.com