Showing posts with label Locum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Locum. Show all posts

Friday, 3 February 2012

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/

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

How to negotiate locum pay

When negotiating locum pay always keep these things in mind as they will give you leverage as to who needs who the most.

Firstly is there a shortage of locums:

  1. Shortage in your area
  2. Time of the year/day of the week eg. Holidays
  3. Low volume of locums as a whole in your profession

How quick:

  1. How soon do they require a locum
  2. How far away are you from the job.
  3. The number of days you can do.

Your Qualifications

  1. Do you have better qualifications then the rest
  2. Can you have someone who can vouch for your quality of work
  3. Have you got the number of years behind you for this type of work

The Company

  1. Does this company typically pay well
  2. If they require longer hours/shorter lunch
  3. Does nobody want to work for them
When negotiating the locum fees remember to calculate how much this will cost for you are you going to pay extra for mileage/accommodation to help them out? Will the parking be expensive? Will it take you 4 hours to get to (time is money).

Timescale is the most important factor for negotiating your locum pay, the sooner they need you the more room for negotiation. But remember that if you are too expensive they will just cancel the clinic. Ring back to see if they have found anyone cheaper (compromise)

Always sell your self eg. I have been qualified 10 yrs with a master’s degree and have exceptional communication skills that will guarantee people coming back.

Never negotiate with negativity, although your fee is sacred to you would you rather be sitting at home in anger or feel happy you did your best to compromise.