How in Demand is My Specialty?
/Is YOUR Specialty in Demand for Locum Tenens?
In 2016, an increasing number of health care systems, medical practices and private practitioners turned to locum tenens physicians to fill gaps in their practices. This number is expected to grow over the next decade, with an anticipated deficit of almost 100,000 doctors needed to care for the population of our country. However, not all specialties are in equal demand, and with unequal demand comes differences in duration of assignments, locations available, and pay structure. Today we shine some light on the average breakdown for each specialty. We polled 5 of the top locum tenens agencies and averaged the responses to our questions. These are the results!
· Allergy
Demand: Low
Typical Pay: $100-125/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 1 week
· Anesthesiology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $165-200/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 7am-4pm for 1-3 months, some call expected
· Cardiology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $115-205/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 3months
· Cardiothoracic Surgery
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $1500-2500/ day
Typical Schedule: 24 hour call, 5-7 day blocks
· Dermatology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $115-205/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm 3-6 months
· Emergency Medicine
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $160-300/ hour
Typical Schedule: 8-12hr shifts, 4-12 shifts/month for 6 months
· Endocrinology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $120-150/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, 1-3 months
· Family Medicine
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $90-125/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, some call, 3 months
· General Surgery
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $900-1500/ day
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm or Nights and Weekends. 2-3weeks with long term assignments available
· Gastroenterology
Demand: Low
Typical Pay: $240-250/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 2 weeks
· Hematology/ Oncology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $ 150-175/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 2-4 weeks
· Hospital Medicine
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $145-175/ hour
Typical Schedule: 12 hour shifts on 7 day rotation for 3 months
· Internal medicine
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $100-130/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, for 2-3 months
· Infectious Diseases
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $100-130/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, some call for 3 months
· Interventional Radiology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $200-250/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, with call, for 3 months
· Nephrology
Demand: Low
Typical Pay: $1200-1500/day
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 1 week
· Neurology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $1200-1400/day
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, with call ,for 2 weeks to 3 months
· Neurosurgery
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $2000-2500/day
Typical Schedule: 24hr call, shift work or long term
· Obstetrics and Gynecology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $90-120/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, 1:3 call, 3-6 months
· Ophthalmology
Demand: Low
Typical Pay: $115-150/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, 1-3 months
· Orthopedic Surgery
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $1000-1500/day
Typical Schedule: 7 day shifts, with call, for 1-3 months. Longer terms available
· Otolaryngology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $125-150/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, with call, 3-6 months
· Pathology
Demand: Low
Typical Pay: $75-105/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 2-3 weeks
· Pediatrics
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $100-130/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 1-3 months
· Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $150-175/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm with call, 1-3 weeks
· Pulmonology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $200-225/ hour
Typical Schedule: 8hr shift, 7-14 shifts/month for 3-6 months
· Psychiatry
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $150-200/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm
· Radiology-Diagnostic
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $185-225/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 1-3months
· Radiation Oncology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $165-185/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm for 7 days
· Rheumatology
Demand: Moderate
Typical Pay: $120-150/ hour
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm 1-3 months
· Urology
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $1200-1500/day
Typical Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm, with call ,for 1-3 months
· Vascular Surgery
Demand: High
Typical Pay: $1200-1400/day
Typical Schedule: 24hr call, shift or long term
These represent the norms for each specialty, but even within these, there are outliers. In a future post, we will determine what factors help certain locum tenens physicians get the best deal possible!
~ The Locums Life ~
FAQ: Locum Tenens Demand by Specialty — Why Some Physicians Are Booked Instantly and Others Aren’t
1) Why does locum tenens demand vary so much by specialty?
Locum tenens demand by specialty is driven by basic workforce economics: how many physicians exist in a specialty, how evenly they’re distributed geographically, how urgently hospitals need that specialty to keep services open, and how hard it is to recruit permanent clinicians. Some specialties are essential to keep a hospital functioning day-to-day (like ER, anesthesia, hospital medicine), while others are more elective or easier to schedule around. The result: demand and pay can feel dramatically different depending on your field.
2) What are the biggest drivers of specialty-based demand in locum tenens?
There are five primary drivers:
Supply: how many trained physicians exist in that specialty
Distribution: whether physicians cluster in cities, leaving gaps in rural areas
Coverage necessity: whether the hospital can operate without the specialty
Call burden and burnout risk: harder call = more turnover = more locums need
Recruitment difficulty: specialties with long recruiting timelines rely on locums as a bridge
When all five align, you get hot demand and strong negotiating leverage.
3) Which specialties typically have the highest locum tenens demand?
Demand changes over time, but historically high-demand locum tenens specialties often include:
Emergency Medicine
Anesthesiology
Hospitalist (Internal Medicine)
Family Medicine (especially rural and outpatient coverage)
Psychiatry
General Surgery (varies widely by region)
OB/GYN (especially call coverage and rural)
Radiology (including remote reads in some settings)
Critical Care / Intensivist coverage in certain markets
The true “hottest” list depends on the year, region, and market cycle—but those fields are frequently recurring.
4) Which specialties often have more variable or lower locum tenens demand?
Specialties that can be scheduled more electively or consolidated into fewer sites may have more variable locums demand, such as:
some outpatient-only subspecialties
highly niche surgical subspecialties in saturated metro areas
specialties where hospitals can delay care (not ideal, but it happens)
That doesn’t mean locums doesn’t exist for these specialties—just that assignment availability may be more regional and timing-dependent.
5) Is locum tenens demand higher for procedural specialties or cognitive specialties?
Both can be high demand, but for different reasons:
Procedural specialties are often essential for OR revenue and trauma coverage (high urgency)
Cognitive specialties like psychiatry and primary care can have huge access shortages (high volume need)
Demand is less about “procedural vs cognitive” and more about whether the specialty is required for a facility’s core operations.
6) Why is Emergency Medicine often a major locum tenens market?
Emergency departments cannot “pause.” If shifts aren’t filled, patient safety and operations suffer immediately. EM also has:
high burnout risk
shift-based scheduling (easy to plug in locums)
variable staffing needs (seasonality, surges)
That combination creates consistent locum tenens demand.
7) Why is Anesthesiology often in high demand for locums?
Anesthesia is tied to the OR. If anesthesia isn’t staffed:
surgeries get cancelled
hospitals lose revenue
surgeons and patients get frustrated
backlogs grow quickly
Anesthesia shortages in many regions make locums a common solution—especially for call coverage and short-notice gaps.
8) Why are hospitalists commonly recruited through locum tenens?
Hospitals rely on hospitalists for continuous inpatient coverage and discharge flow. Hospitalist staffing is also prone to:
rapid turnover
burnout
expansion needs
seasonal census spikes
Locums hospitalists become the “bridge” that keeps inpatient services functional.
9) Why is Psychiatry locum tenens demand so strong?
Psychiatry is one of the clearest access shortages in many regions, and demand spans:
inpatient units
ED consult coverage
outpatient backlog relief
telepsychiatry
Because it can be hard to recruit permanent psychiatrists—especially in rural areas—locums becomes essential.
10) What specialties have the best negotiating leverage in locum tenens?
Leverage tends to be strongest when:
the specialty is scarce
the need is urgent
the facility cannot operate without coverage
the location is hard to staff
you can start quickly
In practical terms, high-demand specialties in hard-to-staff geographies usually have the best leverage.
11) Does locum tenens demand differ between inpatient vs outpatient roles?
Yes. Inpatient coverage gaps are often urgent and must be filled immediately. Outpatient gaps may be “important but schedulable,” which can reduce urgency unless the clinic has significant backlog or contractual obligations. That’s why inpatient-heavy specialties often have more urgent locums pipelines.
12) Why do rural areas amplify specialty demand?
Rural regions often have:
fewer physicians per capita
recruitment challenges
higher call burden for specialists
dependence on a small number of doctors to keep services open
This turns many specialties into “must-fill” roles and increases locums usage.
13) Do surgical subspecialties have locums demand?
Yes, but it’s more variable. For example:
trauma/acute care surgery coverage can be urgent
general surgery call coverage is frequently needed in community hospitals
highly specialized elective subspecialties may have fewer locums opportunities unless the service line is essential
If a hospital needs a subspecialist to keep a program running, demand can spike.
14) How does “call burden” affect locum tenens demand by specialty?
Call-heavy specialties often have higher turnover and recruitment difficulty. That creates more locums need. Specialties where call is frequent, unpredictable, or high-acuity often rely on locums to prevent service collapse during transitions.
15) Does demand differ for new grads vs experienced physicians by specialty?
Often yes. Some facilities want:
physicians with independent experience
physicians comfortable with broad scope
minimal ramp-up time
New grads can still do locums, but may find more options in certain settings:
supervised environments
outpatient coverage
standardized protocols
lower-acuity sites
Experience typically increases assignment options, especially in rural or high-autonomy settings.
16) How does fellowship training affect locum tenens demand?
Fellowship training can:
increase demand if it’s in a scarce area (e.g., certain subspecialties)
decrease available assignments if the niche is too narrow in certain markets
allow higher compensation when the fellowship skill is essential (e.g., complex cases)
The “best” fellowship for locums demand is one that’s both specialized and widely needed.
17) Does telemedicine change demand by specialty?
Yes, especially for:
psychiatry
radiology
some primary care
some endocrine/derm follow-up models
Telemedicine can expand locums opportunities without geographic travel, but licensing and payer rules can still create barriers.
18) What specialties are most compatible with “blocks” or shift work?
Shift/block-friendly specialties often have easier locums integration:
Emergency Medicine
Hospitalist Medicine
Urgent Care
Anesthesiology (in many systems)
ICU coverage in block models
Radiology (often shift-based reading schedules)
Block schedules also tend to be more attractive for physicians seeking predictable time off.
19) How does locums demand differ in pediatric vs adult specialties?
Pediatric demand varies widely by region. Some areas have strong pediatric workforce density; others have severe shortages. Neonatology and pediatric subspecialties can have targeted demand, especially where recruitment is difficult. Adult specialties often have broader national demand simply due to larger patient volume.
20) What about “lifestyle specialties”—are they in demand for locums?
Some “lifestyle specialties” still have demand, but it may be:
more outpatient-based
more regionally variable
less urgent compared with core hospital operations
That said, if a community has no access, even outpatient specialties can become high demand.
21) How do I know if my specialty is in high locum tenens demand right now?
The best method is to ask recruiters for:
number of open jobs in your specialty
typical time-to-fill
rate ranges in different regions
how often assignments extend
which settings are hottest (inpatient, outpatient, call coverage)
Locums markets shift. Real-time recruiter data is often the most practical signal.
22) If my specialty has lower demand, can I still do locums successfully?
Absolutely. You may need to:
be flexible on geography
accept shorter-term coverage needs
build repeat relationships with facilities
diversify settings (mix outpatient + inpatient)
consider part-time locums as a supplement rather than full-time model
Locums is still possible—you just may need a broader net.
23) Does demand by specialty affect credentialing and onboarding speed?
Indirectly. Facilities are often more motivated to expedite credentialing when:
the specialty is urgently needed
the service line is at risk
revenue is threatened
patient access is failing
High-demand specialties sometimes see faster internal urgency—but credentialing still depends on committee schedules and paperwork completeness.
24) How does specialty demand impact locum tenens compensation?
Compensation generally rises when:
demand is high
supply is low
urgency is high
location is hard to staff
call is heavy
Specialty demand is one of the biggest pricing levers in locums. High-demand specialties often also have more ability to negotiate schedule, housing, and cancellation protections.
25) What specialties tend to have the strongest “repeat assignment” potential?
Repeat assignments are common where continuity matters and turnover is frequent:
hospitalist coverage
emergency medicine staffing
anesthesia coverage
rural primary care
psychiatry access relief
Once a facility trusts you, repeats can become the easiest and most profitable way to do locums.
26) Is it better to choose locums based on specialty demand or lifestyle goals?
The best approach is to combine both:
Use high-demand periods/locations to increase income quickly
Use lifestyle-friendly assignments to prevent burnout
Build repeat relationships where you enjoy the work
Think of locums as a portfolio: some assignments maximize income, others maximize quality of life.
27) How can I increase locum tenens demand for myself within my specialty?
Increase your “market value” by:
being licensed in multiple states (especially high-demand ones)
having clean, organized credentialing documents ready
being flexible on schedule blocks
building a reputation for reliability and good communication
developing comfort with broader scope settings (if safe)
Reliability is currency in locums.
28) What questions should I ask to evaluate specialty-specific demand in an assignment?
Ask:
Why do they need locums? (turnover, expansion, leave, crisis)
How long have they been trying to recruit?
What is the call burden and why is it hard to staff?
What support exists (APPs, consultants, transfer agreements)?
Is this likely to extend, and is that a good thing?
Understanding the “why” behind demand tells you what the job will feel like.
29) What is the bottom line for locum tenens demand by specialty?
Here’s a clean closing paragraph you can drop into your blog:
“Locum tenens demand varies by physician specialty based on workforce shortages, call burden, recruitment difficulty, and whether a hospital can operate without that service line. Emergency medicine, anesthesiology, hospitalist medicine, psychiatry, primary care, and many surgical coverage roles often show consistent locum tenens demand, especially in rural and hard-to-staff locations. Physicians who understand specialty-based demand can negotiate stronger rates, better schedules, and improved housing and travel terms—because in locum tenens, specialty scarcity drives leverage.”
30) Quick “Demand by Specialty” takeaway in one line
The specialties most essential to keeping hospitals open—and hardest to recruit—create the strongest locum tenens demand.
If you tell me your specialty (and whether you’re looking for inpatient, outpatient, or call coverage), I can tailor this FAQ with specialty-specific questions, red flags, and negotiation points you should add to the blog.
