Well, its Tax Time again. For most physicians, this is a complicated and often confusing subject. Employed? Then perhaps your W2 income is taxed and you don’t worry as much. Private practice? The sky is the limit for how complicated your tax structure may be. Locum Tenens? Well, locums work has its pros and cons, and taxes can be put in both these categories. There are huge tax benefits to for an independent contractor and there are also some huge pitfalls. Let’s slow it down a step and go through the issues a locum tenens doctor will face with taxes starting with the basics.

Locum tenens hospitalist work can be a high-demand, high-flexibility way for physicians to control their schedule and boost income, but success depends on understanding the operational details that define the job—census caps, admissions expectations, cross-cover burden, ICU/codes responsibilities, staffing and case management support, EHR/documentation workflow, and clear scope-of-work language to prevent scope creep. This guide explains the main types of hospitalist locums roles (days, nocturnist, swing/admitter, observation, rural, mixed ICU), the credentialing and contract terms that matter most (pay structure, guaranteed hours, call, malpractice, cancellation, paid onboarding), and a first-week playbook for quickly learning site workflows and building efficiency, followed by an FAQ answering common questions to help hospitalists choose safer assignments, negotiate smarter, and avoid burnout.

Where do I stay and is there a better way to arrange housing when doing locum tenens work? It’s a question we often get asked. Often times physicians are choosing assignments in desirable geographic locations and want to have some input into where they stay. Yes, that Ramada Inn is good enough, but couldn’t you just stay in a nicer hotel or get an AirBNB on your own? Well, let’s take a deep dive into the correct way to approach housing when you are on a Locum Tenens assignment.

Locum tenens—temporary clinical work that fills staffing gaps—has traditionally been associated with physicians, but it has rapidly become a meaningful and often lucrative option for advanced practice nurses (APNs/NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) as well. Whether you’re burned out from a permanent role, looking to increase income, relocating, or simply craving more schedule control, locums can be a powerful way to practice on your terms—if you start with the right foundation.

We have all been trained to practice medicine, years of medical school and residency have prepared us to care for patients. Exactly how and where we practice is unique to all of us, from an emergency medicine doctor on a locums assignment in Hawaii to an employed hospitalist in New York City. We all aim to do our best in a setting of our choice. However, the grim reality is we are at risk of being sued. It’s unfortunate, stressful, and can be life changing. Being prepared for this event can help make the roller coaster ride much smoother. Let’s talk malpractice Insurance!

Individual Disability Insurance is a necessary evil for locum tenens physicians. When you do not have an employer to provide you with group disability insurance benefits, the task falls upon you to secure adequate disability insurance to protect your current and future income. While this may seem like a small hurdle in the process of getting started with locum tenens work, there are a couple potential big landmines here.

We know locum tenens can be easy for doctors right out of residency or closing in on retirement, but what about the rest of us? We break down the good, the bad and the awesome of locum tenens for a doctor with a spouse and children. Is it even possible?!

Today’s blog post breaks down the details of a doctor’s first experience while on a locum tenens assignment. We shine some light on the nitty-gritty of taking a position and provide some first-hand experience to clarify the process for those considering taking the plunge. Oh, and to make it truly original, this was his FIRST locum tenens job ever!

In today’s post, we dissect the origins and history of locum tenens, starting way back in the 1800s and detailing the historical moments that shaped what locums is today. Now gather round young kids and let grandpa tell you a story….

These details can make or break your locum tenens experience! Find out why Credentialing, Licensing, Malpractice, Travel, Accommodation and Support are so critical. 

Not all specialties are in equal demand, and with unequal demand comes differences in duration of assignments, locations available, and pay structure.  We polled 5  locum tenens agencies and these are the results!

Many of us know a friend from residency who is dabbling in locum tenens work, or are familiar with that ER doctor who spent the summer helping out in our short staffed community, but who are the good folks making a career out of this? Well, sit back and let us introduce ourselves.

Are all the locum tenens jobs in rural Arkansas (no offense to the razorbacks out there) or is there the ability to practice in desirable locations for long stretches or in consecutive order? Today’s post digs deep into the geographic variation of the locum tenens jobs available both in the United States.

Physician burnout is a very serious problem. Despite clear data to support this massive issue, it’s not looking like health systems are doing anything to make it better.  Let’s all just put our heads in the sand and hope this issue goes away, right? Wrong. The situation isn’t getting any better with increasing physician shortages, workloads, and non-clinical demands. So how do physicians manage this level of stress and burnout? Time to talk about sabbaticals.

Locums offers many doctors the opportunity to practice where they want, for the pay they think they deserve and to leave when they are ready to move on. Read on to learn more if  locum tenens is right for you!

Last week, the Federal Government announced the details of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This loan is designed to support American small businesses with immediate cash support during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have received a massive amount of emails about the details of the loan and how a Locum Tenens physician can utilize it. We are all on edge right now and missing out on this economic support is not the path we advise, lets break down how you can take advantage of this loan.

Locum Tenens in The Time of COVID

We have received hundred of emails from doctors on or about to start Locum Tenens assignments. We understand the overwhelming concerns many of you have. In an attempt to clarify where we are and where we are going, we teamed up with LocumStory to clarify the current environment for locum tenens doctors and shine some light on why we think locums will prove critical for this pandemic. We address credentialing, positive COVID tests, travel issues, loss of assignments and finances. This is what we know