Many physicians who have been practicing on the road as locum tenens for a while eventually start leaning toward permanent positions. Whether it’s for your finances, professional opportunities, or just convenience, there are lots of reasons why finding locum to perm jobs is a great career move! Sure, being a traveling doctor has its perks, but when it comes to great job security and settling down, permanent physician positions represent a healthy change.
Nonetheless, starting your medical career working as a locum tenens doctor is actually a very common practice. Many young professionals need time to explore the world of medicine before deciding on the best fit. Still, after new doctors establish their preferences for work environments and schedules, finding locum to perm jobs is the way to go. Honestly, there are some great perks to shifting toward permanent physician jobs in a variety of specialties:
Top Benefits of Finding Locum to Perm Jobs
1. Treat Positions as Working Interviews
When hospitals are looking to hiring permanent physicians, it’s common practice to hire locum doctors for a trial period. Many times, this is referred to as a working interview, during which travelers can get to know the area, their coworkers, and the flow of a facility. Although unlike a standard locum tenens position, finding locum to perm jobs come with the pretense of signing on with a hospital full-time.
By now, you’re probably used to finding your distinct responsibilities during temporary positions. And yet when it comes to considering permanent physician jobs, the approach varies a bit in terms of your long-term role. It’s important that you pay attention to a facility’s work ethic and philosophies regarding patient care. Think of this as a chance to interview the hospital and its employees. Sizing up the personalities and character traits of your future coworkers simply isn’t as possible (or necessary) as when moving from one locum job to the next.
2. Greater Professional Benefits
Finding locum to perm jobs means you’re essentially shifting from a temporary employee to a dedicated and full-time team member. With a higher level of commitment to a single position comes better benefits and often pay rates. Additionally, working with a team for a longer period of time than true locum doctors is allows better networking opportunities. Sure, it’s great to make a good impression during a temporary assignment, but continually doing so in a permanent position is even better.
Beyond really getting to know your team and the facility, finding locum to perm jobs really opens up the possibility of advancing to higher positions. In many cases, physicians who only work as locum tenens aren’t seen as logical candidates for higher and better-paying positions. Not only will locum to perm jobs open up these possibilities, but they can allow you to really preview a facility for the long-term to see whether you’re making the right move.
3. More Financial Stability
Although this is not to say locum tenens don’t have a stable income, there are ways permanent physician schedules can maximize your income. Considering that the retention of good employees is very important to both healthcare recruiters and medical facilities, locum to perm jobs will often feature sizable sign-on bonuses. Of course, finding a permanent position also comes with other expenses such as settling into a home or even moving one’s family to a new location. Nonetheless, finding locum to perm jobs can be a great way to begin planning for retirement and the course your career will follow.
In addition to having more stability, a uniform schedule opens up other opportunities for picking up moonlighting shifts in other facilities. For those who still desire the locum tenens life while working in a permanent position, these shifts can be the solution! In many cases, this entails working odd hours or picking up weekend shifts. However, working moonlighting shifts is something that can keep you on your toes and provides another solid stream of income after finding a permanent position.
Are you considering transitioning from locum tenens work to permanent physician jobs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
