Physician career change guide

Locum tenens jobs

Job: Locum tenens physician 

Name: Rip Patel, MD, MPH 

Location: Houston, Texas

Education

Undergraduate: New York University

Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas

Residency: Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia

Patel is founder and lead of Mercision Emergency Medicine, a private locums group, and an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Patel is also a contributor for Locumstory.com and chair of the Locumstory Physician Advisory Board. Patel has written and been interviewed extensively on locum tenens practice, most recently featured in the Wall Street Journal.

What do you like about being a locum tenens physician?

I really just enjoy not being affiliated with any one hospital. If I am contracting with a staffing company, I am a 1099 independent contractor through my own company, Mercision, allowing me to practice on my own terms. I appreciate doing the right thing for my patients. I love the control locums gives me for making my schedule. I truly believe career longevity comes from new experiences, and locums gives me that. I am always meeting new colleagues and often making new friends during my travels. It’s fascinating how emergency medicine is practiced in different parts of the country.

What’s the most challenging part of the role? 

Every con can always be spun into a pro. One example is ensuring adequate work. If you are not credentialed at several facilities, you may run the risk of not having work or the work may dry up. I address this with my group by being credentialed at multiple hospitals across seven states. We always book shifts months in advance to ensure our weeks are full. I know that travel can be taxing, so I also blend in regional locums, which are locums gigs closer to my home so I can drive there and back. I often tell colleagues you will often lose time no matter what you do. Some will lose time flipping between days and nights. As a locums, you can “lose time” traveling but then have a more consistent schedule of days or nights.

Anything surprising to you about choosing locum tenens jobs?

I don’t think a lot of medical students and residents realize that for ER and a lot of specialties, you are compensated on a Relative Value Unit (RVU) system. Essentially, this means hospitals will pay you based on productivity.  …It can be immensely stressful not knowing what your pay may be and having this vary based on many factors out of your control (boarding, acuity, etc.). When I started locums, it was astonishing to me to see a flat hourly pay (which can be found in non-locums settings as well).

What’s your advice for physicians considering locum tenens jobs?

Locums is becoming more trendy because physicians are burned out, especially post COVID. 

I think starting with an agency is a great way to go and trying it PRN on top of your full-time job, or part time.

Agencies are like training wheels to show you the ropes. They will assist in finding work, addressing travel and ensuring you are properly compensated. You always have all the control when working with an agency or contracting with a hospital. You choose your location, your days and you can propose your own rate. 

There is a multitude of resources both at locumstory.com and on our own group website,
mercisionem.com. I have created a course entitled Locums Masterclass, which provides 6+ hours of detailed instruction on successfully launching a locums career.

Anything else you’d like to add about locum tenens jobs?

Locums is not for everybody. I think if you are unhappy with your job, quitting medicine is not the answer. If locums isn’t for you, there’s a path out there where you can be happy, focus on your health, wellness and personal life and also provide outstanding care to patients.