A critical part of a physician's career is deciding on what setting they desire to practice in. There are many different factors involved in this decision, such as patient volume, location, specialty, compensation, CME opportunities and countless more, which can differ for every physician depending on what their personal and career goals are.    While this is an important decision for all physicians, it is an especially critical juncture for newly trained physicians, residents or fellows. When it comes to physicians’ lifestyles, between seeing patients and administrative duties it can be difficult to establish long term pursuits to obtain their ideal practice setting.

Additionally, once a setting is identified, finding a proper position can be a very difficult proposition.  Since there are so many factors involved, such as interviewing, travel, or relocation, it can be a burden to search for the ideal position and setting.  When a physician has not decided upon the different aspects of their ideal setting, they may consider Locum Tenens as an option.  Locum Tenens gives physicians an opportunity to not only learn about but personally experience various practice settings, allowing them the best possible chance to identify one that they love.

Experience Different Areas

Locum Tenens assignments allow you to explore different areas of the country without committing to a permanent placement.  There are an abundance of Locum Tenens assignments across the country, which provides the possibility of assignments in personally desired areas.  This could include areas that are close to family, or areas you have always desired to live in.  With Locum Tenens, you can fulfill temporary assignments in different locations to gauge if they are a fit for your long term career goals.

Variety of Settings

Locum Tenens assignments furnish the ability to get insight into different areas of practice.  Through fulfilling assignments in different practices, such as corporate health clinics and private practices, you will gain understanding of different factors in a practice setting.  These assignments can allow you to explore low volume practices for more intimate patient relationships, or high volume practices for a faster paced environment.  Fellow physicians in these settings can provide invaluable insight into aspects such as compensation for your type of training or further training you would like to pursue.

Deciding on your permanent practice setting is a vital decision for a new physician or physician in training. With the rising number of Locum Tenens positions available, you can explore a variety of settings, so that you can decide on what fits your ideal scene.   For physicians looking to dive into the exciting career choice of Locum Tenens, contact The National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations today.