13 Oct Want to Find the Best Locum Tenens Positions with the Most Pay? Here’s How.
For many physicians, being a locum tenens provides the flexibility, freedom and pay to create a perfect work/life balance. When caseloads can’t wait for newly hired doctors to come on board, many hospitals, clinics or practices fill the gap with locum tenens physicians.
While many physicians are drawn to the travel, flexibility and freedom that goes with being a locum tenens practitioner, for others, the excellent pay and benefits are the real draw. A successful locum tenens can often earn significantly more than a resident physician with similar skills.
So how can you find the most interesting and highest-paying locum positions? Here are a few suggestions:
Know What you’re Looking For
Because there are a lot of locum jobs available, it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking for. For example, which states, cities, clinical settings, and patient populations are good for you? Think about how much you want to get paid. And really understand why you’re doing locums. Your answers to these questions, will make you feel more confident conversing with the people trying to hire you.
Look Outside of Large Metro Areas
Although large cities may seem fun and glamorous, it’s the more remote locations that tend to offer the most value. Due to physician shortages, the highest paying locum tenens jobs are often located away from large metro areas.
So don’t shy away from smaller cities and little towns. With the high demand for qualified doctors in rural areas, those working locum tenens have the unique opportunity to negotiate higher salaries – and the cost of living is lower!
Pay Rates and Terms are Negotiable
If you really like a locum job opportunity, but aren’t crazy about the compensation, chances are you may get a higher pay rate. Negotiating pay may not come easy for everyone – and it often leads to fear and anxiety for many people who haven’t used this skill very often. However, it’s important to speak up and ask for what you want. You never know what you can get if you don’t ask for it.
Research the average salary of physicians with the same specialty. Make sure to factor in your desired geographical area. Once you have a realistic salary range in mind, ask for compensation on the higher end of that range. That way you’ll have wiggle room to still end up with pay you’re happy with.
Consider the Entire Compensation Package
While pay rate is often a make-or-break part of any negotiations, your compensation as a locum should include more than pay. Along with the freedom to choose when, where, and how often you work, there are other aspects that can be negotiated to ensure you’re getting the best possible assignment. These may include housing, travel expenses, malpractice insurance, food allowance, and more.
Respond Quickly
Healthcare recruiters are always actively speaking with multiple qualified candidates. And the ones who are the most responsive often get the gigs. A high level of engagement is also a very positive signal and helps recruiters know that you’re enthusiastic about an opportunity – and your career!
Contact Annashae For More Information
At Annashae, we’re dedicated to the placement of highly-skilled clinical practitioners in short and long-term positions. As a nationwide medical staffing and consulting firm, we provide a range of services that enable our candidates to quickly find the career opportunity that fits their needs. For information on how you can further your clinical career, contact us today.