Balancing Work and Family

Locum tenens careers can help physicians balance difficult work-life challenges. As we’re written before in this blog, the ability to choose your own work schedule as a locum tenens is appealing to many physicians.

Life - Family - Career - Balance

But any medical career—whether working full-time or part-time—can put be stressful. Just because you take a locum job, doesn’t mean you’ll immediately achieve a healthy balance between your professional and personal responsibilities. It takes some effort on your part. Here are some ways to ensure that your locum life doesn’t overwhelm your family life.

Work with your recruiter. Let them know about your family and your personal goals and interests. They can help you find an assignment that allows for flexibility to work around these things. And the more they know, the better they’ll be able to find an assignment that fits your lifestyle.

Planning and lists are your secret weapons. Keep your calendar handy so you’re always in the know about family events and milestones. You can create a shared calendar online using sites like Google. Have your family go in and update it with activities and events, so you always have the latest schedule handy. Also, make a list of your priorities and goals. This helps you to focus on what you need and want to get done, so you can get to spending time with your family quicker.

Now that you’ve set your priorities, don’t be afraid to say no. For most people, work and family come first. So if you’re being asked to do something that would interfere with either, it’s ok to politely decline.

When it comes to family time, unplug. Give them your full attention. Though it might be hard to step away from your Blackberry for a few hours, spending quality time with your kids and spouse will make it worth the sacrifice.

There’s no secret formula when it comes to achieving the ultimate balance. Whatever your perfect mix of family, friends, work and hobbies makes you feel fulfilled is what’s right for you.

Wondering About Locum Tenens Opportunities?

With summer approaching, many physicians across the country are wondering about locum tenens opportunities. What are the advantages of taking a temporary position during the peak vacation season or any other time of the year?

To answer those questions, talk with Locums4You’s staffing professionals at Internal Medicine 2012, the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Physicians April 19-21 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

For more than 20 years, Locums4You has been finding temporary or long-term locum tenens placements for physicians and other healthcare professionals.  For internists, the major advantages include:

• Variety.  You have a chance to practice your skills in a new clinical setting and serve a different patient population.  Many locum tenens physicians also enjoy a change of pace in their lifestyle, such as spending a month or two in a seaside, mountain or other vacation-oriented community.

• Flexibility.  You can choose a schedule that meets your needs.  That might mean working a new shift, taking a temporary assignment for several weeks or moving to a new location for several months or longer.

• Work-family balance.  A locum tenens assignment can help you find a healthy balance between work and family responsibilities.  For instance, it can be difficult for two medical professionals to find appealing jobs in the same location.  A locum tenens placement can provide a temporary solution while you search for the right step to advance your careers.

Five Resolutions for Your Locum Tenens Career

Happy New Year! What’s on your list of career resolutions? If you are a locum tenens physician or are considering locum work, why not resolve to take a few simple steps to prepare for your next opportunity. Here’s what our recruiters recommend.

Refresh your CV. If you haven’t reviewed your CV in a while, chances are, it could use updating. See our tips and ensure that you’ve added all of your new skills, licenses and other relevant information since your last update.

Enhance your skills. CME is a must, and if you’re going to do coursework, focus on classes that improve your skills and marketability. If you’re a hospitalist, consider procedures training. If your specialty demands other skills, make this the year that you get up to date.

Contact your References. A new job typically means reference checks—so when was the last time you reached out to someone you’re listing as an employment reference? If it’s been a while, a New Year’s greeting is a great excuse to reach out and renew that relationship. Remind the individual that you are still listing them as a professional reference, and consider asking them to write a newly dated reference letter.

Check-in With Your Recruiter. While you’re doing outreach, renew that relationship with your recruitment professional. Even if you have worked with a firm in the recent past, a periodic check-in is a good idea. Have your personal circumstances changed? Do you have more or less availability than you have had in the past? All of this information will help you and your recruiter build a plan to keep you happily employed throughout the year. (See our tips for building strong recruiter relationships).

Review your Licenses. Up to date licensure info is a must. Do you have yours handy? January is also a good time to get started on new licenses if you seek to move to or work in a new state in the New Year. Locum Leaders can help get you started. We’ll often reimburse you for your license costs if you work for our firm in a new state.

Good luck in 2012! We look forward to hearing from you—and working with you—in the New Year.

www.locums4you.com

www.pathmarkinc.com

Locum Tenens Physicians: Requirements and Benefits

Today, most healthcare facilities look forward to hiring physicians for Locum Tenens positions as it not only helps in fulfilling their staffing needs, but also helps in bringing down the costs associated with permanent recruitment for any position.

The term Locum Tenens is derived from Latin and is a healthcare phrase used for fulfilling a permanent position lying vacant due to a vacation, ill health or maternity leave of the permanent employee. Sometimes, the hiring of professional medical staff is also done on locum basis during periods when the influx of patients increases during specific months of the year.


This type of position benefit medical students who are freshly out of their residency and also to the experienced healthcare professionals. The duration of an assignment can be anywhere between four to fifty-two weeks in a year. Professionals starting their career take locum hiring as a bonus that can help them in getting assorted kinds of practice experience. The doctors and specialists who have been working for many years use locum positions for cutting down their work gradually before retiring.


The basic requirement and essential criteria for locum tenens jobs include U.S. residency training, work permit for the United States and one or more valid medical practice licenses. These positions also require fulfilling requirements such as an active Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration along with clearing any drug screening and criminal background tests.


Most locum positions are generally filled by the physicians with the help of physician staffing agencies, which can be easily found and contacted online. The medical experts, who are looking for locum positions, have their CV’s forwarded to suitable employers by the staffing agency and a follow up is done by the recruiter of the agency from time to time.


Once selected, screened and hired, physicians start practicing in the respective healthcare facility for a period of time under a contract. Locum Tenens physicians are free to schedule and plan their working hours and week offs. Another benefit a physician rules is the choice of selecting the desired location to work before applying for a job in the medical field.

For more information on opportunities for Locum Tenens and the hiring essentials, please visit the website http://www.locums4you.com/