How locum tenens OBGYNs structure their week

OBGYNs know more than most what it’s like to work in a field with high rates of burnout and a physician shortage. But you’re taking back control of your schedules by working in locums roles that allow you to protect your time, health, and peace of mind.

As an OBGYN, your schedule is everything to you. Yes, your typical work day is packed, but getting to choose which days and weeks you work is a game-changer. Strategic scheduling is more about matching your specific needs and career goals to the locum job landscape. But you don’t need to fall down a late-night research rabbit hole because we analyzed top job postings to give you an overview of the types of schedule available and how they work.

Let’s dive into the data so you can choose the right role for you.

Locum tenens OBGYN work week

• How much do OBGYNs work on average?
• Why OBGYNs choose locum tenens
• Standard 5-day workweek
• 7-on/7-off
• 24 hour shift week
• Locum tenens is for scheduling freedom
• Ready for a schedule that works for you?

How much do OBGYNs work on average?

According to MedScape survey data, approximately 60% of OBGYNs work over 51 hours a week. The reality of working in a field where there is consistently high demand is that many OBGYNs end up working 55 to 60 hours per week. For those in academic settings, this not only includes clinical duties but faculty meetings, presentations and continuing education. The high demand and high hours worked per week have contributed to OBGYN burnout, making it all the more important to focus on controlling your schedule to protect your health.

Why OBGYNs choose locum tenens

Physicians are choosing locums at a faster rate than ever and the top cited reasons are all about workload. From excessive patient loads to tough hours, the field just doesn’t feel the same. The choices presented about where to go next often center on either leaving or staying in a work environment that isn’t serving you. 

If this sounds like you, then locum tenens is an option worth exploring now. Working in locums gives you the chance to build in the boundaries that should always have been there: 

• setting your hours
• choosing specific weeks you work
• better pay rates in some cases
• building in a buffer between patient needs and your own health. 

Locum tenens roles offer a flexibility that just isn’t there for full-time positions. The ability to make a schedule that works for you, your career goals, and your family allows you to restore the work life balance that was missing when you were in the daily grind and find your passion for the field again. 

Standard 5-day workweek 

Weekdays

The standard 5-day workweek absolutely exists in locums. Some healthcare facilities look for locums roles that cover standard clinic hours, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (with a real lunch break in many cases!). 

Another version of this schedule may look like a 1:4 rotation where you have 4 days in-clinic and 1 day of call per week. As with most call roles, facilities will either want you onsite for the call or within a 15-20 minute radius for critical patient needs. Typically, you’ll see around 36 total patient-facing hours, with 4 additional hours of admin time that is either included in your schedule or blocked separately. 

Weekends

You can pack a lot of locum work into a weekend.  Typical call schedules are 7am-7pm and many start Friday evening and end Monday morning.  Taking some time to cover for a physician taking the weekend off can be a full time option for you doing locums. You should always check your contract for details about working on weekends and holidays.

7-on/7-off

Working week

Working 7-on/7-off means you’ll likely work 12 hour shifts, where there is a gap week in between shift weeks. During your “on-week”, you’re fully on and 100% focused (also caffeinated, but we digress) and ready for both rounding and call with a rapid response time. The patient load for this style of schedule can vary by location and practice setting, with some physicians seeing a very manageable load of 10 patients, to something closer to 15 per shift. Be aware that this may include outpatient hospital duties with rounding as well as clinic and call.

Off week

7 full days off with no duties allows enough time to rest and get some of your energy back. Especially for locums who are continuously seeking professional development and education, the off-week can be a solid time to catch up on locum business duties. But also be aware that working multiple 12s in the week past will leave you feeling drained for the first part of the week. Many physicians advise planning out their off-weeks, but allowing some latitude and flexibility when it comes to rest and family needs.

24-hour shift week

24-hour shift 

24 hour shifts come in a couple varieties and tend to be the most common form of shift available. A lower intensity 24 hour shift week would typically have 1–2 twenty-four-hour shifts. For instance, that could look like one weekend Friday to Sunday for 3 shifts total that week.

A higher intensity 24 hour schedule week would have around 3–4 twenty-four-hour shifts. If an OBGYN locum is working 10–15 shifts per month, that would translate to between ~2.5–3.5 shifts per week on average. 

24 hour shifts are more readily available than many other roles. These are often taken by early-career locums and/or as a transitional job out of residency. They’re usually highly paid shifts and a great chance to have some very solid take-home pay. But one solid thing to look for in the job posting itself is the phrase “cannot be consecutive.” Mandating an at least 24 hour break in between on call shifts suggests the facility isn’t just aware of post-call fatigue, they’re actively moving to mitigate it and protect physicians from burnout. 

Recovery Advice From Physicians

While on call life is demanding, 24 hour shifts can be manageable with the advice of other physicians about how to rest and recover. Physicians across social media have been giving an inside look into their 24 hour shifts. Physicians like @drchi_fit prioritize nutrition and self care, to minimize the impact of long-term masking on her skin and keep herself fueled for the 2-5 AM hours. Similarly, @jetlaggedob recommends not only keeping yourself fueled, but getting small rest periods wherever possible.

But recovery is about more than catching up on sleep, it’s about building in the reset you need to take your career to the next level. Locums entrepreneurs know that the ability to choose your schedule is essential for recovery and burnout protection. Your core brand positioning and market strategy rely on being healthy and functional– meaning recovery time is a key component to your work. Dr. Naomi Lawrence-Reid knows this because she’s lived it. If you’re seeking to move away from schedule survival mode to building a career where you get to thrive in an environment that prioritizes your wellbeing, it’s time to start Doctoring Differently.

On-call hours 

On-call shifts tend to run from 7:00 AM to 7:00 AM or 9:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Many on-call shifts require physicians to be present onsite at the healthcare facility, but some don’t. In this latter category, you might just need to be within 20-25 minutes of the facility in terms of response time. That response time is typically specified in the job posting itself.

Off the clock

24 hour shift weeks introduce a new level of exhaustion for most physicians. So it’s critically important to take the days between to rest and recenter. There’s many ways to get that badly needed rest. Some physicians recommend writing the entire day off, focusing on resting. But others see rest days as a way to not only get sleep, but get some light exercise to cut through that post-call adrenaline. Remember to treat yourself with kindness, moderate your expectations for what you’ll be able to do the day after a 24-hour call shift.

Locum tenens is for scheduling freedom

The bottom line is that you deserve to do what you love on your terms. Being able to condense your schedule from full-time to a few weeks and months out of the year is a true paradigm shift in OBGYN life. In part, it means you get to do the things we don’t often talk about as being essential to you: rest, spending time outdoors, self-care, and having real time with your loved ones. 

But there’s an additional perk. In a field that’s still playing catch-up when it comes to pay rates, you’re often able to make more in the amount of time you work as an LT physician than you could in full-time roles. This combination of scheduling flexibility and better pay that matches your expertise is part of the reason why OBGYN locums experience significantly less burnout than their full time peers.

Ready for a schedule that works for you?

In locums, you don’t have to prescribe to a cookie-cutter schedule: you say yes to the schedules and assignments that work for you. Maybe you’re looking for a higher yield schedule to help kickstart your career or finding the right role so you can put down roots, and we’re here to help you go the distance.

We specialize in tailored support for locum tenens physicians running their own businesses. With decades of experience and deep networks of trusted healthcare facilities, we’re the right team to support you in your next big career move. 

Put your schedule to work for you. Let us help you find it.