Locum tenens 101 webinar: Answering your questions

Are you curious about locum tenens? Our recent webinar was packed with valuable insights, featuring a special guest — Dr. Kay, a family medicine physician who embraced locum tenens as her first job after residency. See below for key moments and questions addressed, complete with time stamps to help you easily navigate the recording.

Meet Dr. Kay

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:35:22 – 00:35:46
Dr. Kay, a 2023 residency graduate, currently works in Philadelphia with Weatherby Healthcare. She shared how locum tenens empowered her to explore new states, stay connected with her family in Texas, and gain experience across diverse practice settings. Her top advice? Start early — apply for licenses ahead of time to avoid delays.

Key questions answered

1. Are all locum tenens assignments 1099 positions?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:40:34 – 00:41:23
Yes, locum tenens roles are typically 1099 contract positions. This means you’ll manage your own taxes as an independent contractor.

2. How long are locum tenens assignments?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:41:23 – 00:42:16
Assignment lengths vary by specialty. For family medicine, assignments usually range from 3 months to 2 years, with opportunities to extend based on mutual agreement.

3. Should you work with one agency or multiple?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:42:25 – 00:44:44
It’s up to you! Working with multiple agencies can broaden your job options, but building a strong relationship with a recruiter who understands your goals often leads to a smoother process.

4. Do physicians with small children work locums?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:45:36 – 00:46:17
Absolutely! Many physicians balance locums with family life by taking assignments with flexible schedules, such as two weeks on and two weeks off.

5. What about state taxes for locums?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:44:45 – 00:45:09
State income tax applies where you work unless the state has no income tax. Be sure to consult a financial advisor to navigate tax implications.

6. How does the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) work if my primary license isn’t part of the compact?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:51:35 – 00:53:06
Panelists discussed the steps to qualify for the IMLC, including pre-qualification, fingerprinting, fees, and typical processing times. They also shared resources to guide you through the process.

7. When should a fourth-year resident start preparing for locums?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:53:51 – 00:56:16
Start early! Panelists recommended beginning the licensing and credentialing process during the winter of your final residency year. They also emphasized building a relationship with a recruiter.

8. Are international locum opportunities, like in New Zealand, possible?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:57:03 – 00:57:25
Yes! Through Global Medical Staffing, a division of our parent company, physicians can explore locum assignments worldwide, including in New Zealand.

9. Can residents work locums if they’re independently licensed?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:57:31 – 00:59:57
Residents can prepare for locum opportunities, but board certification or board eligibility is generally required. Panelists provided tips for preparing during residency.

10. How long does credentialing take, and what’s the fastest turnaround time?

🕒 Time Stamp: 00:59:57 – 01:00:11
Credentialing typically takes 30–90 days, but emergency placements can be expedited within 1–2 weeks when needed.

11. Do I need a separate DEA license for each state?

🕒 Time Stamp: 01:00:11 – 01:00:56
A single DEA license can often be transferred between states, but some circumstances may require additional licenses. Panelists shared scenarios and tips for managing DEA licenses.

12. Are there upper age limits for locum providers?

🕒 Time Stamp: 01:01:25 – 01:01:34
No age limits! Locum opportunities are open to all qualified physicians, regardless of age.

Ready to learn more?

If you’re considering locum tenens or want to revisit these questions in more detail, watch the full webinar or check out the transcript below.

Want more tips? Connect with our team for personalized advice on starting or growing your locum tenens career. Give us a call at 954.343.3050 or view today’s locum tenens job opportunities.

Webinar Transcript

Peyton Page: Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us for this webinar. Beyond residency with locum tenens, my name is Peyton Paige. I am the physician engagement coordinator here at Practice Match. I will let the presenters introduce themselves in just a minute. I'm just going to give it a couple minutes for more attendees to get on and logged in. But in the meantime, if you're attending this webinar tonight, this will be recorded and posted to our website by the end of the week. Please note that all microphones will be muted if you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the Q&A in the chat box and they will answer those as they go and as they see them. So Rachel, if you want to go ahead and take it over, you are free to.

Rachel Gendi: Awesome. Thank you Peyton. Thank you. We are very excited to be speaking with you all today about locum tenens. And before we get into it, I'll start by introducing ourselves and telling you a little bit about who we are. So my name is Rachel Gendi. I am the Resident Career Program Lead at CHG Healthcare, and my main focus and my mission is to educate residents on the non-clinical parts of their career so they feel prepared and ready once they transition into practice. And joining me today, we have Liz Barber, the brand manager of Locumstory, Denise Taylor, a family medicine consultant at Weatherby Healthcare, and Doctor Kay, a family medicine physician who took a locums assignment right out of training. And we'll hear a little bit more about her story later on in the presentation. And all of these wonderful panelists will be helping to answer your questions during the Q&A portion of the presentation. So just a little bit more about who we are. CHG Healthcare is the parent company to a family of healthcare staffing agencies that help physicians find permanent and locum tenens positions across the world and nationwide.

And last year, we conducted some research to learn more about the non-clinical resources that residents and fellows felt were missing from their training, and many residents explained that they wish they knew more about locums and that it's not really mentioned much in their training programs. So we decided to leverage locums for one of our educational brands to help arm and empower physicians with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate the world of locum tenens.

All about locums

Rachel Gendi: So today, we're going to cover everything from the basics of locum tenens to the financial considerations. And finally, how to secure your first locum tenens assignment. Plus, we will have the opportunity to hear from a real locums physician, Doctor Kay, who will share her journey and answer any of the questions you might have. And then at the end, we will have our main Q&A session where you'll get to ask your questions and we will address all of those at that point. So before we dive in, I'd love if you could join our Slido page by scanning the QR code on the screen. Or you can go to the Slido website and type in our code locums 101. And once you get to that page, you'll see two tabs. So there's a tab on the left that's going to be the Q&A tab.

And you'll be able to ask your questions anonymously there and submit them throughout the presentation. And then at the end we will answer them. And then the tab on the right is for our polls. So we want this presentation to be informative, but we also want it to be fun and not boring. So we placed a few interactive polls throughout the presentation to keep it engaging and to help break things up a little bit. So I'll give you all a few seconds.

I know I've been talking for a little bit to scan that code, just so you can get it open on your phone. And then this will also be on the other slides too, with the different questions. This QR code. All right. So first I'd love to get to know you all a little bit. Where are you in your medical journey? And I'll give you a few seconds to submit your answers. But these will live populate as you guys answer. Like a good mix of attending other premed, medical. Any residents in the house? Any fellows? A lot of other.

Okay, so we have a mix looks like. Oh, there's some residents. Awesome guys. So we have a good mix here. And I'm just curious, how familiar are you with locum tenens? I know everyone's understanding of it varies a lot, so I'm just curious to see where everyone stands. And so we got some slightly familiar, moderately familiar. We have a few extremely familiar. Just good.

Okay, so it looks like half of you are moderately familiar, which is awesome. And hopefully by the end of this presentation, you feel a little bit more familiar with locums. And then finally, what do you know about locum tenens? This can be the first word. Or like the first couple of words that pop in your mind when you hear locum tenens. I'm just curious to see what you guys know about it.

Opportunity I like that one. Travel flexibility. Travel a lot. You guys are saying travel. That's awesome. Options. After retirement good pay. Awesome. And after we go through this presentation, or as we go through the presentation, you'll learn more about what you guys are posting, if it's true, or maybe it's misconceptions. And you'll get to hopefully get a lot of your questions answered. All right. So let's begin by giving you a quick intro into locum tenens.

Locum tenens basics

Rachel Gendi: In case you don't speak Latin. Locum tenens means to hold the place of. Locum tenens originally began in 1979 as a way to provide physician coverage for facilities supporting underserved populations in modern healthcare. Today, these are simply physicians that work temporary assignments across the country and the world. So, for example, if a physician goes out on leave, such as like maternity leave, or maybe they're just on an extended vacation, or maybe the facility is just short and they need coverage, this would be a great opportunity for a locum physician to step in.

Locum physicians are considered to be 1099 independent contractors, and we'll touch on this more later. And around 7% of US physicians practice locums every single year. Locums has become more popular over the last few decades for a few reasons. One being an increase in physician burnout rates. Locums gives physicians the opportunity to work a little bit differently and gives them more of that work life balance that they're after.

Struggling rural communities continue to be in need of support, and locums allows physicians to give back and help in areas that truly need it. And there are also tons of benefits when it comes to working locums, which we will cover in a few slides. Now, you may be wondering who can practice locums. Physicians can really make locums work in any stage of their career, from right out of residency up until easing into retirement.

And there are many reasons this practice type is attractive to each of these groups. So for new physicians, they can use locums to pay off student loans faster or safer. Really big purchases. They can use it to explore practice settings and employment options, and they can also use it to travel the country and to build their network. Mid-career physicians can use locums to increase their income, or they can use it as a way to supplement their current salary.

And they could also use it as a way to reduce burnout. And late career physicians can really use locums to transition into retirement at their own pace. So there's lots of different reasons to work locums at each stage of your career. And if we look to the right, we see that most physicians, around 56%, work locum tenens early in their career, with 13% working locums right out of residency.

And here you can see locum tenens and opportunities are available for most specialties. And I have the most in-demand specialties listed to the left. And then on the right you can see that these specialties for locum tenens have stayed fairly consistent over the past five years, with an exception of during the Covid time. There was a little bit of switching up, but for the most part, they've stayed pretty consistent.

And when it comes to how physicians incorporate locums into their life, more physicians work locum tenens full time than part time. But the difference is it's slight and about a quarter of physicians have worked both full time and part time gigs. And while 39% only work locum exclusively, we see most physicians, around 61% work locums assignments in addition to an employed position or private practice.

Why work locum tenens?

Rachel Gendi: So more of that combo. So why work locum tenens? We're physicians attracted to this way of working challenges like burnout, administrative burdens, and a growing patient to physician gap are causing many physicians to look for new ways to practice. Working locums can lead to a more satisfying personal and professional life, and remind you of why you got into medicine in the first place.

One reason physicians find locums especially attractive is because it gives them the opportunity to supplement their current income or increase their overall earning potential. Working locums also means having fewer administrative tasks, which means you get to focus more on what you love working with your patients. Another benefit is the flexibility of it so you can work full time.

You can work part time, you can work when, where and however much you choose. So this is a really great option for someone who prioritizes work life balance, because it allows you to choose the assignments that fit your goals, your lifestyle, and your preferences. Locums also gives you the opportunity to experience new practice settings and patient populations, so it gives you that change of pace and in addition, it allows you to travel and experience new places and different cultures on every assignment depending on where you go.

And because you're experiencing different settings, this will help you grow professionally and develop new skills and learn from other professionals. Finally, locums offers the opportunity to try before you buy, which is essentially letting you try out different work settings and environments before you commit to a permanent position. Now, when thinking about locum tenens as a career option, there are some considerations to keep in mind.

So there is that consistent change. So working locum tenens requires you to be adaptable since you are going to be working in different settings and different locations. And while some may enjoy the flexibility and the variety that that brings into their career, others might find the constant change a bit challenging. There aren't any standard benefit packages when it comes to working locums because you are a 1099 contractor, you don't get the same sort of benefits package that an employed physician would get through their workplace, such as health care and retirement benefits.

So you will be responsible for securing these benefits on your own tax responsibilities is another one. Because locums are 1099 independent contractors, they have different tax responsibilities, which we will dive into shortly. But many locums physicians will seek counsel from tax professionals to help manage this. And unfortunately, locums does not count towards PSLF or public student loan forgiveness.

So you'll want to consider all of your loan repayment options before making the decision to work locums. And finally, as a locums physician, the application and credentialing process can be a bit time-consuming. However, when you partner with an agency, they can help guide you and make this process very quick and pretty much seamless. So everyone get your phones out because it's time to play a quick game of trivia to debunk five of the most common misconceptions about locums.

Locums misconceptions

Rachel Gendi: These are going to be true or false questions. And just a reminder, this is anonymous, so no one will know if you're voting one way or the other. And on each slide there will be that QR code, just in case you accidentally exit out of the Slido application. Okay, let's get into it. All right. True or false, it's hard to find consistent work as a locum physician, and the answers are going to pop up.

So I'll just wait a few seconds and then I'll go to the next slide and we'll see how everyone how everyone voted.

Okay, I'm gonna press next. False. Okay. We have a little true but false. Good job guys. It is false. So for all locums talent locum tenens assignments may involve more frequent changes in location and schedule than permanent positions. You can still create a pretty predictable schedule. The key to finding consistent work is to partner with with reputable agencies that can help provide those consistent job placements and that ongoing support that you'll need.

All right. Next one true or false. You can only work short term assignments as a locums physician.

A false great job. This is false. Locums offers physicians a variety of assignment types to fit any lifestyle. So although there are plenty of short term assignments to choose from that only last a few days or weeks, there are also longer assignments that are that last several weeks or even months. And in addition to these flexible options, the there are also opportunities for reoccurring contracts as well.

All right. Next one. True or false? Locum tenens assignments don't always require travel.

Hey, that's not true. And some false. The answer is true. Although many enjoy the travel aspect of locums work, frequent traveling doesn't always fit everyone's lifestyle, and that's okay. Luckily, there is something called local locums where you can take on local assignments and work in the same area or nearby where you're already living, which is pretty cool.

All right, next one true or false? You can't work locums full time. Most of you guys got it right. It is false. Although locums assignments aren't permanent, a lot of physicians embrace locum tenens as their full time career. And that's because they enjoy the flexibility and freedom that locums offers them.

All right, true or false? Locum tenens positions provide lower quality patient care.

All great job guys are doing so good. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no significant difference in mortality rates between patients treated by locum tenens physicians and non locum tenens physicians, and something I also wanted to add in the vetting process that locum physicians have to go through is very extensive. So you have to be pretty good at what you do to even make it as a locum physician.

Financial considerations

Rachel Gendi: Okay. Now let's talk financial considerations. Locums. Physicians are independent contractors or 1099 employees, and they're paid per hour, day or shift. And some locum contracts also include sign on or completion bonuses. And similar to permanent positions, there are several key factors that influence how much you'll get paid when working locums. So first, there's your relevant skills. Having expertise with specific procedures or patient populations can lead to higher pay, especially if there is a high demand for your skill set.

When it comes to location areas experiencing severe shortages of healthcare professionals or those with a higher cost of living, tend to pay higher to attract skilled physicians. Another important factor is your specialty. Physicians working in those harder to fill specialties can often command higher rates and high workload assignments, where you're seeing more patients or dealing with more complex cases generally pay more than those slower paced facilities.

Finally, the type of sector working can impact your pay, so weekends, holidays and overnight or on call shifts often command higher hourly rates. Since those are more or less desirable types of shifts. Okay. Now let's talk about taxes and benefits. The fun stuff. As a locum physician, you are responsible for paying your own taxes and coordinating your own benefits such as health coverage and retirement planning.

 Locum tenens taxes

Rachel Gendi: So when it comes to taxes, it's essential to set aside a portion of your income. Since income tax is not withheld from your paychecks, you'll need to make estimated payments throughout the year. Additionally, you'll need to pay taxes in each state that you work, and this includes both self-employment taxes and state taxes for health insurance. You need to enroll in health insurance on your own.

It is okay it or sorry, it's a good idea to secure supplemental life or disability insurance as well to ensure you and your family are also protected there. And then there's also retirement. Since you won't have an employer sponsored retirement plan to fall back on, you'll need to set up your own retirement accounts, such as the IRA and SAP plans.

It's important to make regular contributions to these accounts to build up your retirement savings over time. And although managing taxes and benefits as a local physician may take a bit more effort, it opens the door up to many opportunities. So as an independent contractor, you have the ability to claim various expenses such as travel, meals, work supplies, continuing education and there's a lot more and this can significantly reduce your taxable income.

Managing this can feel a little bit overwhelming at times, so we do recommend using a CPA to guide you through this process. And when it comes to health insurance, this gives you the flexibility to choose the coverage that's ideal for you and your family. Additionally, you can maximize tax advantages by enrolling in a health savings account plan. And when it comes to retirement, by taking control of your retirement planning, you can maximize many tax advantages.

You have the freedom to choose your investment strategies that align with your financial goals, and you might even consider setting up a business entity to further maximize the benefits of your independent contractor status.

A career with locum tenens

Rachel Gendi: Okay, now let's finally dive into the essential steps that you need to take in order to get started with your locums career. So first off, it's important to do your own research and ask yourself a few questions to see if locums makes sense for you.

So here are just a few questions you can kind of ask yourself to get yourself thinking. Do you want more flexibility and control over your workload? Do you enjoy travel and does your personal situation even allow for travel? Do you want to expand your skill set and your professional experience, and do you thrive in changing environments? Or is that not your thing and you more prefer a sense of routine?

This is also a time that you can talk to other physicians who have gone the locums route. Be sure to ask a lot of questions to make sure this is what you truly want, and to ensure you feel confident navigating this process. And once you've decided locums is the path for you, you'll need to decide how you're going to seek out opportunities.

While it's possible to work locums on your own, it can get a bit complicated. You'll be responsible for creating business connections, negotiating contracts, and coordinating all of the logistics. The other route, which is more a little bit more common, is partnering with an agency which can offer many benefits that streamline a lot of these things and make the process much more seamless and easy.

 Working locums with an agency

Rachel Gendi: There are a few benefits that come with working with an agency. So first off, agencies provide you access to a very large network, and they connect you with job opportunities across the country and across the world. They also hold a lot of negotiating power and will help you negotiate on your behalf, ensuring that you receive the contract terms and competitive compensation that you're looking for.

Agencies also offer legal protections, ensuring that the contracts that you are working through are legally sound and protecting your interests throughout your assignments. And they also manage licensing and credentialing, making sure they're saving you time and ensuring you're compliant with state regulations. Agencies also handle and cover your travel arrangements and logistics, and simplify that process when you're relocating to your assignments.

And when it comes to malpractice insurance agencies will usually cover physicians while they're on their assignment. Most reputable agencies will even offer tail coverage to protect you in perpetuity, even after your assignment is over and lastly, agencies offer ongoing support throughout your entire locums journey, from your assignment placement to post placement assistance, ensuring a smooth experience, and addressing any concerns as they pop up along the way.

 Debunking locums myths

Rachel Gendi: Okay, time for more trivia. You guys take a look. Yeah, just getting time for more trivia. Let's debunk five of the most common myths about locum tenens agencies. Everyone, get your phones out. Okay. First one true or false? Locum agencies make you sign binding contracts with them.

False. Okay. And some of you said true. It is false. You do not have to sign an exclusivity contract when you're working with an agency. While locums agencies will have you sign an agreement that defines how you're going to work together for your assignments. The truth is that the reputable agencies will never lock you into an exclusive contract with them, so you don't have to worry about that.

All right. Next one. True or false? There's no cost to doctors to work with an agency.

Hey good job guys. It is true. The reality is that locum tenens agencies only get paid when you show up to work your assignment, and these fees are paid by the employers to the agency. So nothing comes out of your pocket. You do not have to worry about paying a cent. All right. Next one. True or false? Doctors earn industry standard rates with agencies, if not more.

Good job. 100%. True. So while rates tend to vary by region or specialty, many locum physicians report earning more than their peers who work in similar permanent placements. All right, true or false? Locums agencies don't cover any of your out-of-pocket costs.

False. Good job. Another hundred percent. Good job. Guys. That is false. Locums agencies pay for travel, housing malpractice and more. Ultimately, a good agency excels at reducing the amount of legwork that you need to put in to work locums. They want to make your life as easy as humanly possible. All right. Now, when it comes to picking your agency, it's important to realize that not all agencies are equal.

Some excel with specific specialties or in specific regions, while others offer a broader industry reach. And here are just a few considerations to keep in mind as you are evaluating your agencies. So first off, reputation is important. Check out an agency's reviews and ask for input from colleagues from friends who work with them to learn more about the agency.

You also want to consider the agency's specializations and make sure they understand what you do. However, you don't necessarily need a specialty specific agency to receive excellent support. Larger agencies often have dedicated teams for different specialties, ensuring you get specific support tailored to your specific specialty. Size and matter are also sorry. Size and reach also matter as well.

Larger agencies tend to boast a broader network of industry contacts and job opportunities, offering more choices for assignments that suit your preferences and your career goals. And you also want to make sure they have a good system to support you throughout this entire process. A reputable agency should be able to handle everything from your travel arrangements to content billing to providing support throughout the assignment, and this helps really alleviate your stress and allows you to just focus on patient care.

You also want to make sure that agencies are fair and transparent when it comes to your compensation. Beware of the bait and switch offers that promise unrealistically high rates and know that a trustworthy agency will offer competitive compensation packages that are clearly outlined from the very beginning. Flexibility and communication, of course, are also key to a positive experience, so choose an agency that respects your preferences and maintains regular communication throughout your assignments.

And also double check the agency's malpractice insurance coverage to ensure that it protects you even after the assignment ends, and it provides detailed coverage.

 Working locums with an agency

Rachel Gendi: So you might be wondering how the agency process even works. And I'm going to just walk you through the process. So first you're matched with a specialty trained recruiter who gets to know you and what you're looking for in your assignment. And next your recruiter will search for assignments and match your criteria. So once they find those opportunities, they will present them to you for review.

And after you choose an assignment, the recruiter will actually walk you through the online application process and help you gather those required documents you need. If the fact is sorry, if the facility sees you as a really strong candidate, they'll typically set up an interview with you to discuss the position further. And if everything goes well in, you're selected as the top candidate.

They'll typically extend offer through the agency. After accepting the offer, the agency's credentialing team will work with you to get all of your credentials in order and also help you obtain a state license if you need one, and the agency will also take care of all of the logistical details, such as arranging transportation, your rental cars, and all your accommodations you need for the assignment.

Remember that your recruiter provides ongoing support throughout the entire assignment. They're there to help you wherever you need, and you're not in this alone. I know that seems like a lot of steps and a big process, but they're there for you to be your advocate through all of this. And once you're matched with a recruiter, they'll begin sending over.

Sorry. Once you're matched with the recruiter, they'll be able to send over assignments. So they think you're going to be a good fit for. And it's important to know, when you're reviewing assignments, what you'll want to consider. So you want to look out for location and accessibility of the assignment. So you may be presented a job, for example, in an attractive location, but it might be difficult to access, like maybe it's far away from an airport, for example.

So we recommend doing your research on accessibility prior to accepting a new assignment case. Next and patient volume are duly important considerations, both of which may offer or both which are often overlooked when you're choosing a locums assignment. So make sure that you inquire about both. You should also consider the time commitment. The requested time commitment may range from a single block of time.

For example, when a physician is planning on going to convocation and the facility seeking a temporary block of coverage to ongoing and nearly full time coverage, with the potential of transitioning into a permanent position. Finally, after weighing these variables, you can decide on what you want your desired compensation to be based on the market, based on what you think your time is worth and what you think that you deserve.

After evaluating your assignment options, it's time to get all of your paperwork in order. First, you'll want to gather all of your educational, all your educational documents. This includes information related to your undergraduate medical school, residency, and fellowship. So you'll want names, addresses, phone numbers, years attended, and degrees earned for each. Next, you want to compile your licenses.

So this includes all your states, your CSPs, your DEA and your life support cards. You should be able to show potential employers, state issued dates issued, dates expired, and physical copies as necessary. Certificates are also very important. Gather all your board certifications, your past and present credentials, your references, and any specific specialty specific certifications you hold and having these documents ready will facilitate a smooth application process.

Identification is another key requirement, so agencies do verify your identity to ensure compliance. And unfortunately, you can't work locum tenens on a J-1 or H-1b visa. You must have a green card or a government issued ID. Now it's time to interview. Interviewing is a unique set of skills that we don't use every day, so it can feel a little bit intimidating.

But to prepare for your interview, you want to make sure that you research the organization. You want to learn about their leadership, their mission, their values, any recent accomplishments or big projects they've completed. You want to look into the overall reputation and how physicians are liking it there. And you also want to do some research on the location because you're going to be staying there.

So you want to make sure it's somewhere you would want to live. You also want to practice answering come answer sorry. You also want to practice answering commonly asked questions. This is going to help you feel more comfortable talking about yourself, and help you determine what parts of your professional life you want to highlight, but also remember that you are getting to know them as much as they are getting to know you. So you have make sure you have your own questions to ask and make sure they meet your needs as well.

Locum tenens contracts

Rachel Gendi: And when it comes to receiving the job offer, you should expect a call and an email from your recruiter with the good news. Be sure to read through the offer thoroughly to ensure it reflects what's been discussed. And if you're making any changes, please get them in writing. If you have any questions with legal language or you have any pause about anything in your contract, hiring a physician contract lawyer is always an option.

And once you get the final contract and you are interested in pursuing the opportunity, you'll want to make sure you're communicating your final decision with your recruiter and that they know which direction you want to go. So let's take a closer look at locum tenens contracts, which are just work agreements between physicians and staffing agencies who have their own contracts with healthcare facilities.

When negotiating these contracts, there are certain terms that agencies may help you negotiate on your behalf while there's others that are typically non-negotiable. So under negotiable compensation rate is most frequently it's the most frequently negotiated item. When looking at compensation, you want to ensure that your rate is satisfactory and in line with the demand for your specialty.

Payment terms are also negotiable. These are. These typically range from 15 to 90 days, and electronic transfers are usually much faster than paper checks for contract buyouts. If you accept a permanent position, your locums contract might mandate a buyout, but hiring organizations typically cover these costs, and expense limits can also be negotiated, especially concerning reimbursements for housing, transportation, and other costs.

A few terms that are generally non-negotiable include cancellation terms, which just outline the conditions under which either party can terminate the contract. Malpractice coverage amounts. Agencies usually have a policy in place already that covers you on assignment, but be sure to make sure you ask about the TL coverage and that you have that and indemnification policies and your independent contractor status provide legal protections for all parties involved and are generally standard across contracts.

Locum tenens licensing

Rachel Gendi: For physicians wanting to work locum tenens, the idea of obtaining medical licenses in multiple states can seem like a lot of work, and it. However, if you're serious about locum tenens as a career option, taking the time to get licensed in the states where you want to work is well worth the investment. So you first want to make sure you understand the state requirements.

Each state has their own licensing requirements and their own processes, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the specific requirements for the states that you plan to practice in. For documentation boards require copies of all certificates, university transcripts, and other records, so it's helpful to have these items already copied or scanned in electronically. If you are eligible, you'll want to apply for expedited licensure through the IMLC or the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

There are currently 40 states and one U.S. territory currently accepting applications for expedited licensure through MLC, simplifying the locum tenens licensing process significantly. And you can also apply for the FCVS, which is the Federation Credentials Verification System. This is a fast and convenient service offered by the Federation of State Medical Boards that stores your verified education information and can be sent to multiple state medical boards.

Most locum tenens providers can expect to need a new DEA license to go with their new state license, and once that's obtained, it's typically easier to transfer these for future assignments without impacting your current assignment. And most importantly, remember to start early and be patient. The licensing process can take several weeks to months. A so a good rule of thumb is to apply for a license 90 days in advance of the assignment to make sure you're just giving yourself enough time.

And when it comes to arranging accommodations, generally speaking, a locums agency will pay for certain travel logistics for your assignment, so they'll cover a standard airfare, your rental car, your mileage, and your housing. And on the right you can see, we have more comprehensive travel and housing guides with more information. And we'll be sending all these links out.

Later after the presentation and just a few final tips for your first locums assignment, you want to make sure that you get organized. Keep important details like your location, your schedules, and your contact information in one place. Ask questions. Make sure you clarify your role, your responsibility, and your schedule, and make sure you understand the facilities, expectations and requirements.

Stay flexible being willing to adjust your schedule if needed, and remaining open minded about new people and work environments is crucial, and it'll make your life a whole lot easier. Communicate effectively. Obviously this is like a given stay in regular contact with your recruiter and facility colleagues and address any concerns promptly. Be professional. Of course. Punctuality, positivity and professionalism will go a long way towards establishing a good reputation.

And of course, most importantly, take care of yourself. Your first few assignments may feel chaotic at times, but rest, exercise and proper nutrition may help manage that stress and maintain your overall physical and mental health. And we know that the world of locums can be confusing, but we are here to make it easy. So here are just a few more additional resources.

Meet Dr. Kay

Rachel Gendi: And again that will be in that resources document that we send out after the presentation. So now we are moving into a portion of the presentation that I am very excited about. You're going to meet a real locum physician and you're going to get to hear her story. So meet Doctor Kay. She is a family medicine physician, and she decided to work locums as her first job out of training.

She actually completed residency last year in 2023, and she's currently on assignment in Philadelphia and working with Weatherby Healthcare. Doctor Kay is also a content creator who shares motivational and educational content about her physician journey. And if you want to follow her, her handle is below Doctor Kay on Instagram and TikTok. And now let's welcome Doctor Kay as we hear more about her story and how she got into locums. Welcome, Doctor Kay.

Doctor Kay: Hello everyone. Thank you so much for introduction. So excited to have everyone here and familiar faces and new faces. So thank you for that. But yeah, I just finished residency last year and I was introduced to locums by a friend who was working at the clinic that I was doing residency at.

And because I was moving states, I was actually kind of nervous to start over in a new place. And I also wanted flexibility, with my family being back home in Texas. So I looked into locums. I was told about it, and then I looked into it and I thought it was a perfect fit for me.

It provides the flexibility that I really was looking for and also the chance to experience different settings. And the chance to negotiate and the chance to ask for different situations is really awesome. So I've been working with Denise. I got in touch with her after the year I graduated, early 2023.

And believe it or not, it took a while for me to find my first assignment, and I wanted to talk about some things that I didn't do right. So hopefully everyone who's on this session can learn from that. The first thing is, is that I wasn't ready with my license on time because I was honestly expecting the typical 1 to 2 month turnaround.

I thought, okay, I'll finish residency, I'll take a couple months off, and then I'll go have my license and be ready to work. Well, it doesn't work that way because a couple things, I went through the IMC like Rachel mentioned and it took a while to get verified, but it's a great resource because it does kind of standardize your credentialing, so that when you do license a different state, it's an easier process once you're in the system.

But getting into the system takes a while. So believe it or not, it took me almost 3 to 4 months to get my first license. And Denise was really patient through all that. You know, we literally touched base, I think in like May or June and then like we touched base every month until I got my license. And during that time, she was just like waiting on my license to come in by sending me job opportunities.

And during that time, we got to really figure out what kind of job I was looking for. And so she really got to know what I wanted. And, you know, I got to know that she really was understanding what I wanted. So we were a good fit. And I stuck with her, and, ended up working out because my license I think it was, like, a few weeks to a month, we found my first assignment, and maybe even sooner than that.

I don't remember exactly the timeline, but yeah, it was pretty quick. And it worked out great. And a lot of the things that Rachel is saying, I think there's just like a learning process. And I think the first time you do it, it's definitely like, okay, what is this? But it helps to have a mentor.

So I want to be a resource for anyone who's interested. Obviously, my DMs are open. My email address will be at the end of the slideshow. But just, you know, just know that it's not always, like, easy. I think people are scared because they think, well, we've had to the traditional pathway. We've always known what's next, you know, going through being a premed. And then in medical school you always have like this timeline ready for you and like this map. And when you're a locum doctor, it can be scary to be like, oh, what's my next time we're going to look like, am I going to stay here? Are they going to send me? But honestly, that's been the funnest part for me because it's really taken me out of my comfort zone and really allowed me to, like, grow at this current assignment.

Also, to let you know what other options for me and currently I'm working an outpatient clinic job. But it's cool to think that, you know, I could possibly do an urgent care position. I can look into, like hospital positions. I can look into academic positions, even sometimes with locums. So it's cool to know that you can switch the kind of work you're doing, kind of on your own time.

And I think that's super awesome, especially for a younger doctor who wants experience and wants to know, what's out there. So I've had a great experience. And I know, Denise will probably have a lot to say as well, but does anyone have questions. I'm happy to answer them.

 Locum tenens Q&A

Rachel Gendi: Thanks, doctor Kay. That's awesome. I loved hearing your story. And if you guys have questions, feel free again. Put them in the chat or put them in the Slido app because now we are going into our Q&A session. Let's see if I can make the slide go. Okay. So let's see if you guys asked. Oh, there's lots of questions. Okay. Let's do the first one. First question are all locums 1099 or is it something you need to negotiate?

Doctor Kay: Great question. Oh, I can answer or someone can't go. Yeah. You go okay, okay I will. I'm also obviously very nervous. This will be my first year. Like next year will be my first year filing as a locum. So I actually started like late, almost like the end of December of 2023. So, officially, like my full year will be this year.

And for my understanding, because you're a contract worker, you are filing as a 1099. But if somebody is more experienced on this-

Rachel Gendi: I believe you're correct. Right? Denise. Like, they're all 1099, correct?

Denise Taylor: Yes, that is correct. Yeah. You're not salaried.

Rachel Gendi: Okay. How long are locums assignments typically?

Doctor Kay: Great question. So 3 to 6 months. And I don't know if I'm just going to answer. I'm just taking over this. I'm sorry. If you guys go ahead.

Denise Taylor: Well it depends on the specialty with, doctor Kay, she's working, as she said, family medicine. So our assignments for family medicine typically run anywhere from three months, up to two years. We've had doctors working for us for years. I have another doctor working. I think she's on her third extension. And again, she's been with us now for over two and a half years. So it can vary per specialty. And then like, obviously a hospitalist, two weeks on, two weeks off, and again with Weatherby, per se, we have over 30 specialties. So then they all vary within that gamut of, you know, the length of the assignment.

Working with multiple agencies

Rachel Gendi: Thanks, Denise. Okay. Is it recommended to work with one locum agency or multiple companies to consistently be employed? You guys want to jump in or-? I've heard that it's good to work with a few. But I don't have to do so. Or Doctor Kay, if you guys have different opinions

Denise Taylor: With Weatherby, our sister company is CompHealth. So, to answer that fully, I think that it is good to work with multiple agencies only because we don't share jobs there. So CompHealth could have some of the jobs that we don't have with Weatherby and the other way around. So obviously you can see what would be a good match for you. And according to that, I wouldn't see the jobs on CompHealth’s side. I'm only seeing the jobs on Weatherby side. So I wouldn't be able to know what that would look like, per se, for a Doctor Kay but knowing her now and knowing what would be a good match for her, I would look specifically for those types of jobs within Weatherby. Yeah.

Liz Barber: The other thing I would add in this one is  your relationship not just with one agency, but with the recruiter that you're working with, is also really important. So, you know, when you're first starting out, you might connect with multiple agencies and just really find that recruiter that understands what you're looking for, your wants, your needs that you can build a nice rapport with and that can determine, you know, if you click with multiple people and you want to work with multiple agencies, or if you know, you find your one recruiter that scratch your back and you want to work with one, it's kind of your preference to.

Denise Taylor: And to add to that too Liz, if there is, you know, a specific job that shows interest with one agency and you've really made a great connection with that particular consultant. A lot of times clients and facilities will have multiple agencies that they work with. So even though say, we as Weatherby don't have that specific job open, if we were to know where that facility is located, we could potentially call on behalf of whether it be an open that specific job as well, and having multiple companies working with that one facility and still work, we could work then potentially still together with that same, doctor.

Rachel Gendi: Thank you. Okay, the next one is can you clarify the state taxes comment? Is this for all states you work in? What about states with no state income tax? Does anyone want to take this? If there's no state income tax, then you wouldn't have to pay it. I don't really know if I do, you guys?

Denise Taylor: I just always advise my physicians that I work with to seek, you know, obviously with your financial advisor and let them know specifically that you will be working locums or that you are considering working locums so that, you would one want to know that you're working with a financial advisor that is familiar with locums and the advantages of your tax benefits with working locums as well?

Working locums with a family

Rachel Gendi: Okay. Do physicians with small children at home work locums? How do they manage travel and family responsibilities? There's actually a great resource that you guys can answer, but there's actually a great resource that we're sending out about how to work locums with a family. So that would be good. But if any Liz or Denise or Doctor Kay, if you guys have, it's a great question.

Denise Taylor: And yes, to answer that. We do have doctors. I have a doctor right now. She actually is a FM OB, so she does, two weeks on, two weeks off. She has a teenage, son. So, they're very familiar that mom is going to work, and that's what her two weeks is, is going away and working at various states to do that. So, it depends again, on the doctor, on the specialty. I would say, but I think that that's probably recognized within the family unit if they are going to be traveling like that, with small children and then really young children, they can travel, obviously, because then we can house your whole family with small children and accommodate within an Airbnb or 2 or 3 bedroom, whatever that looks like. That would accommodate a whole family as well. Yeah.

Liz Barber: I would also add one of the benefits that we often hear physicians talk about that do locums and have, you know, whether it's small children or just family that they're looking to spend time with, is there's a really nice separation that they can create with locums. So, Denise, give a great example.

When they're on their locums assignment, they're focused on work. But when they're at home they can really focus on being with their family and spending that time with them. If you think of the average doctor's schedule, you might physically, you know, be at home, but maybe you're getting home really late, you've already missed your children's bedtime, and you might be physically there, but you don't necessarily have the same kind of focus as if, you know you didn't have to worry about work or call or things like that.

So that's something else that we've heard from other physicians. It's really nice to kind of have that separation. When you're at work, you're there, and when you're at home, you can just focus on spending that time with your family.

Denise Taylor: Yeah, and I think doctor Kay can add to that too.Doctor Kay, I think you can add to that too, as far as charting and after hours and things like that.

Doctor Kay: Yeah. And these are familiar too -  with my story is not with children, but I do have family responsibilities ongoing between Texas and where I'm at now. So I think like my take on this is two things. One is that locums is not always like it doesn't require you to travel and live somewhere else. You can drive an hour away, you can drive, you know, even like if you work few shifts like an hour and a half away, for like three days a week. And so be a locums doctor. Right? Like, locums is not always that you have to leave home and get accommodation somewhere else.

But if it is, like they mentioned, there is it's shift work. So when you're working, you're paid for your time, you're committed of your time, and when you're off the clock are off completely. And that's one thing I found, even though I'm in a specialty that's typically like, you know, family medicine is very much like outpatient, like office hours.

But I think that, like, Denise is familiar, like I like to try to keep my work at work. And so, like, if there is a time where, like, I'm starting over or like if there's my schedule to be adapted to that, to the point where I can get my work to that clinic and come home and, you know, I have to chart, I like, let her know.

And so we've made changes to my schedule to where I'm not taking work home with me. And so I think that's been the beauty of locums, is that when I'm there, I'm doing just work so I can be compensated for that time. And secondly, I think that if you are like, I guess, my specialty in medicine.

So there is like a component that we can do, like virtually. And I just want to say that if you're in a situation where you're at assignment, they really like you, and you're in a specialty that has that option, like you, that's also an option you can ask for or like ask for a schedule that allows you to be home.

But it's like, I think with locums, the beauty is that, like, if you find a good match and you're a good fit for the client and they like you and you like them, there's always room for talking about making changes to the schedule that will fit your family and their needs as well.

Denise Taylor: Thanks, guys. And to add to that too, where Doctor Kay is currently working, they do love her and she's on her second extension. So, we did make a change to do that one day of telehealth from home for her. And, I think that's another aspect of, working locums with an agency is that, Doctor Kay was great and brought that to the director's attention, but then we were the ones, myself and my business partner, negotiating that for her on her behalf so that, those kind of challenging conversations that may feel awkward to have, we were the ones having that, on her behalf for that change to her schedule.

Doctor Kay: Yeah. I didn't know if I could just say that, but that's exactly what happened. And it was it was awesome. Like, literally, I was so nervous to ask this question and Denise did all the back work for me. And I was so nice to not have to ask that, but exactly that. Like, I had to change my schedule because I was traveling back home quite often. And so, I got a schedule that allows me to work remotely for that one day that I typically go home and, like, have a longer weekend. And honestly, it's been amazing. And the coolest part has been that I'm not having this conversation. Someone else is having them for me. So that's exactly it.

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Rachel Gendi: Thanks guys for all the insight of good. Let's see. So we got that one done. If a primary state license that I hold is not part of IMLC to get IMLC verification, I have to first apply for other state license to designated as primary. So anyone know this one? I'm not super well versed with it. Yeah.

Denise Taylor: So if I'm reading this question correctly, you would have to live within the primary state of a IMLC state in order to apply for it. Yes, if I'm reading this correctly, you do have to live there. I want to say 20% of the time I don't remember, but I'm sure when you send out the information to share the IMLC website, they have a really great question site there.

 It's very informative. Their whole website is very informative, especially the first page of their website on the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. So, all of that information is right on there. You have to kind of pre-qualify before you apply for that. You do fingerprinting. Typically we're seeing right now speaking with doctors, 6 to 8 weeks. Once you apply, it's a $700 fee per year.

And each year you do have to reapply. And the state license are the same cost if you were not to have any IMLC, but the benefits are the expedited medical license. Getting that in a much faster time frame for assignments.

Start looking into locums early

Rachel Gendi: Thank you. Denise. Okay. Next one. I'm a fourth year resident. How early should I start looking into locums?

Doctor Kay: Is this your final year or are they, like, four out of four? Four out of five? Like, I'll just answer that generally. But typically your last year of residency, like the winter of, I would say, look into it and get your start on your licenses because those can take much longer than even it says online.

It's different for every person. So you don't want to be in my situation where, like, I was unemployed unwillingly for like six months. It was nice, but not having income and having, like, a lot of debt is not fun. So, if you're in that situation or if you don't want your situation, apply. Get ready.

Like that winter, like January before you graduate and like start applying for those licenses. But the cool thing about doing this whole process is that I learned that if you're in that system and you apply for a second state license, it’s a lot easier to get, like they're hit by a proof of that license. So do that if you can, at least six months for free graduate because, like, it's nice to take time off, but it's nicer if you're doing it, like, voluntarily and you have a job lined up versus if you're just waiting to get a job.

And I think that like anxiety, I don't recommend anybody. So, if you're a fourth year, you're going to graduate next year. Look into it like winter of this year if you can. And I would say like try to find a recruiter you trust and can build a connection with, so that they can be on the lookout to know what you like as well.

And that's that. When you're graduated, you have something lined up and one thing I noticed, and I guess you can verify this, but like jobs do open up like all the time. So like, though you may have your license ready, you may not find your exact job, like maybe a month or two before you're supposed to start, right? And that's okay. You have to be ready for that.

Denise Taylor: Right. And I think also to Doctor Kay’s point is just building that relationship with a consultant. And for me, I would rather have conversations six months before a provider is out of residency so that I'm familiar with what you are looking for.

And not only if there is not a job open, but knowing the provider really well, we do something called reverse market a position. So if there's a certain state that you want to be in and even a certain area within that state, and we don't have a job open, you know, Weatherby has been around for over 24 years. So we've established relationships with many clients and facilities throughout the nation.

So, nine times out of ten, we've probably worked with a facility within that region. We may not have a job open at the time, but we could then potentially reverse market the position to that site and open a job specifically for that doctor. So that's something to think about as well, building that relationship with a consultant that you feel comfortable with and can trust.

Rachel Gendi: Awesome. And the next one I've heard of locums in New Zealand. Is that a possibility? Yes. Global Medical Staffing, they actually staff across the world. And New Zealand is one of the locations that they staff at. So yes, that is an option. Okay. And can residents work locums if they're independently licensed. Is that like independent control?

Denise Taylor: I don't I understand the question, independently licensed. I'm not sure I understand.

Doctor Kay: I think when they mean, like, when they're still in residency and like, they're not graduated yet, but they're licensed, I think. I think that's what they're referring to?

Denise Taylor: We can work with doctors and start looking for opportunities if you're board certified, but you would have to have completed the residency program before we can then place you on assignment. Hopefully I answered that correctly.

Most of our jobs within family medicine do require - I mean, right now 99% of our jobs require board certification, but I can't answer for the other specialties within Weatherby. I'm not quite sure on that. But for family medicine, yeah, they all require pretty much board certification or board eligible. We will take board eligible as well.

Credentialing requirements

Peyton Page: Awesome. We've got questions on this end as well. One person said, do all locum positions need lengthy credentialing, or what is the shortest turnaround time that we can expect?

Denise Taylor: I guess I'll answer that. So they can do what they call fast break for us so that we can credential a doctor within even a week to two weeks and get them started on an assignment that maybe has an emergency start like that. So that is something we can do. And obviously emergency travel can all be handled with our teams for that. And the longest credentialing for family medicine would be 90 days. But typically the average is anywhere from 30 to 60 days for our jobs.

Peyton Page: Can you clarify getting a new DEA? Do we need DEA for each state?

Denise Taylor: If it is required, if you just have the one DEA, and then our teams can help you transfer that to the different site and the different state. And I believe you actually can have more than one, more than two. But, typically the doctors that I've worked with, the most they've had is three, but they were doing urgent care shift coverage and going to multiple states and picking up blocks. So they would need those additional DEAs. But if it is that you're working in one state like that and have it and then getting another job, we can help you and assist you with getting that DEA address change.

Peyton Page: And the last one I have on my end is there’s a community in Louisiana that has used a CV surgeon multiple times who is over 60. I am an interventional cardiologist who may transition to locums, and I'm 64. Do you have upper age limits?

Denise Taylor: No, not at all. Now, I've worked with doctors in their 70s, very spry, very energetic. So there's no discrimination on age I would say.

Peyton Page: Like I said earlier, and I put in the chat, I will be emailing everyone who attended tonight. Just a little bit of information about Practice Match and locum tenens. If you guys have any questions, feel free to reach out. I will send you guys the email. So that way, they have your information as well in case they have any questions. I don't have anything else. This is a great presentation. Thank you guys so much. I love to how interactive everything was. And I think other people did as well. So thank you guys all.

Let our Weatherby consultants help you start your locum tenens career. Give us a call at 954.343.3050 or view today’s locum tenens job opportunities.