18 Feb Eager to give back to your community? Locum Tenens might be exactly what you need
By its nature, locum tenens work fills a need.
Whether a locum tenens physician is:
- filling in for vacationing doctors
- holding a spot until a permanent physician can be found for a role
- traveling to help in underserved communities
- rotating in give permanent staff time off to prevent burnout
- assisting with a temporary increase in patients
They are fulfilling a critical care need that would otherwise go unmet. There’s no doubt that many locums are a rare and generous breed of doctor, and none more so than those physicians who are deeply motivated by the desire to serve others in their community.
Although you certainly don’t have to be retired—locum tenens roles are great for doctors at all stages of their careers—many retired doctors are turning to locums work to use their skills and give back to their communities.
If you’ve been looking for a way to use your physician skills after retirement, locum tenens work can help you achieve that goal. Consider these 3 ways locums work can allow you to:
Help Rural or Underserved Communities
Use your skills to help those who might otherwise not have access to medical care
- Some rural communities don’t have the resources for full-time health clinics, and locum tenens doctors are the only ones they see. Physicians who choose these assignments have a unique opportunity to serve those who need care the most. They can ensure patients have access to the care they need and improve the health of the community.
- Many locums doctors also offer free clinics and health workshops while on-assignment, further helping the population.
- Veteran hospitals and community health facilities often need additional help.
Fund Medical Missions
Some doctors work locum tenens to make extra money to go on medical mission trips. Although many doctors work full-time as locum tenens physicians, many others pick up a shift here and there. The flexibility of locums work means physicians can choose to:
- work extra shifts during their time off
- choose assignments during their vacations
- pick up extra call hours
- and more
If a medical mission trip doesn’t fit into your personal budget, working occasional locum tenens assignments could provide the dedicated funds to help others in need.
Find the Scheduling Flexibility to Do Volunteer Work
For some doctors, locum tenens work provides the scheduling flexibility to focus on passion projects in non-working time. Of course, many of those passionate doctors pour their energy into volunteering. For locums on assignments away from their homes, volunteering can be a great way to make friends and get to know the community. For locums working at home, the ability to choose assignments based on days or hours worked allows them to have dedicated schedules within their chosen volunteer organizations. Some locum tenens doctors volunteer to work during national disasters, assisting the Red Cross or other aid foundations.
Are you looking for a way to give back to your community? Talk to a recruiting expert at Annashae to learn more about opportunities to help others. We take care of our clinicians, supporting them through every step of the process and helping them find fulfilling work.