Building your brand as a locum tenens physician

A career in medicine looks different today than it did even a couple of years ago and it continues to shift. For many physicians, especially younger ones joining the profession, work-life balance is a bigger priority, affecting where and how clinicians choose to work and how they work, regardless of their speciality or geography. And increasingly, this ideal doesn’t resemble the physician roles of the past, which were known for unreasonably long hours, coupled with administrative strain and resulting in widespread burnout.

“What we’re seeing, and what the surveys are telling us, is that physicians today really want true work/life balance. And they really don’t want to take their jobs home with them,” said Atul Grover, MD, PhD, executive director of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Research and Action Institute.

Recent data shows more than half of physicians would be willing to take a pay cut in exchange for better work-life balance. Many want more time with their families, the opportunity to travel, and space to pursue interests outside of medicine. While the commitment to patient care remains paramount, many modern physicians are recognizing they can meet this ideal without the hardship that strains so many in the profession.

Today’s physicians are rethinking not just where they work, but how, with an eye toward building sustainable careers that will carry them through all life’s stages.

Reframing the value of locums

Locum tenens, or physicians who work temporary assignments at hospitals and health systems, can offer a compelling alternative for physicians who envision a less traditional career path for themselves. More than just flexible work, locums can serve as a deliberate and strategic way to build a professional brand for a physician looking to practice medicine outside the traditional constraints that have historically defined successful careers.

While work-life balance is an important appeal of locum tenens, there are many others that support this model. For example, locums can be a beneficial choice for physicians seeking faster ways to pay down student debt, or who are looking for opportunities to expand their clinical skill sets.

Additionally, the flexibility to explore and work in different care environments, such as rural communities where specialized expertise is increasingly valuable can be an important asset. “Through intentionality and passion, I’ve helped stabilize areas in dire need,” said Dr. Trevor Cabrera, a pediatrician in Kansas City. “There is something special about walking through a town near the U.S.–Mexico border and hearing a proud father shout, “Hey! That’s my baby’s doctor!” It is about who the locum tenens is, not where they are.”

Done well, locums isn’t a stopgap but rather it’s a very real, effective way to build a career in medicine that allows physicians to redefine what success can look like outside of what has traditionally been considered the ‘go-to’ for decades.

A strong locum tenens brand

As a result of physicians increasingly exploring nontraditional roles that better suit their desired lifestyle, the locum tenens landscape is growing. The number of physicians that are working locum tenens has grown steadily since 2020, with about one-third of eligible U.S.-based physicians having had experience with locums work. As of May 2024, 8% (or 57,000) of physicians report that they are currently working locum, with another 27% reporting that they have worked locum in the past. As participation grows, so does the importance of standing out for the right reasons.

While there are misconceptions that sometimes surround locum work such as that it's only for physicians edging into retirement, or that locum physicians are less skilled, intentionally managing your reputation is important, especially in tightly connected medical communities. Physicians who approach locums strategically can build a brand that opens doors to more worthy assignments and long-term opportunities.

Key elements of a strong locums brand include:

• Fulfilling contracts, arriving prepared, and delivering high-quality care are foundational. Facilities and staffing partners remember physicians who are dependable.
• Timely completion of credentialing paperwork, good, clear communication, and responsiveness to administrative needs go a long way. Onboarding timelines matter in medicine.
• Locum physicians move between hospitals and health systems frequently, each with its own workflows, cultures, and expectations. The ability to quickly integrate, learn new systems, and collaborate effectively is valuable.
• Strong interpersonal skills matter whether it’s a locum or permanent assignment. Building rapport with nurses, administrators, and physician colleagues not only improves patient care but also strengthens professional reputation.

An intentional path forward

By building a strong brand, physicians can unlock new opportunities for their career paths through locums. For physicians just starting out especially, it can also be an excellent opportunity to learn different clinical skills and surgical techniques that may not be available staying with one hospital or health system long-term.

Locum physicians at the start of their career often benefit from accelerated clinical experience. Given that they are often placed in high-need environments, they may encounter a greater volume and wider variety of cases and this can fast-track clinical confidence, decision-making skills, and procedural experience.

Additionally, locums allow physicians to “test drive” different practice settings, specialties, and organizational cultures before committing long-term, leading to informed career decisions and better alignment between personal and professional goals.

Medicine is a fast-paced and high-stress career, and while that is not going to change, we do need different models of what a career can look like to create an environment where physicians want to stay in it for the long term and that prioritize their well-being. When we add in elements that make this work more sustainable and flexible for those who forge their own path, we can help ensure that all communities have the benefit of enough physicians to meet their needs.

Brooke Bowers is President of CompHealth, a division of CHG Healthcare. CHG is a leader in healthcare staffing and the nation’s largest provider of locum tenens services.