How to Become a Locum Tenens Physician in 2026

Life in locums is the best way to find your balance era. (At least, that’s what one third of physicians in the U.S. are saying.) 

Physicians are looking to stave off burnout and utilize their expertise to build their careers differently. The locums business model offers a vehicle for them to do that, whether part time, full time, or just for a season. In the four decades since the rise of locums we’ve seen this work flourish and grow, from a rural exclusive solution, to one that alleviates physician shortages. But on the provider side, locum tenens offers physicians a route to redefine themselves as founders rather than products within the healthcare system.

With so many entry points to locums work, some of which are determined by specialization, others by career path, today we’re focusing on the on-ramp to locums. Previously, we’ve looked at the what and when of locum tenens, but this week we delve into the who and how when it comes to getting started on your locums journey. 

How to Become a Locum Tenens Physician

• Who Is Likely to Work in Locums?
• Getting Started
• On The Benefits of Locum Tenens

Who Is Likely to Work in Locums?

While physicians who already hold full-time positions are the most likely to pursue locum tenens as a side job, the landscape of locum work in 2026 extends far beyond a side hustle. Healthcare facilities are now more likely than ever to incorporate locums into their core roster. Top reasons for hiring include both covering a permanent physician absence and filling a role gap caused by a departure, meaning many of these assignments remain on shorter-term contracts rather than evolving into permanent placements. 

Increasingly, locum physicians tend to be younger professionals from more diverse backgrounds seeking the career control and lifestyle flexibility that contract work affords. But physicians at every stage of the career path, from those fresh-out-of-fellowship to senior practitioners, are entering the field. There’s also growing evidence that this shift is tied to burnout prevention and recovery, with physicians using locums as a deliberate strategy to regain balance. 

Ultimately, this shows us that locums isn’t an “either/or” situation, it can be both on-ramp and off-ramp. Physicians are rejecting outdated constructs of their career path, and forging ahead to make something new. As a result, many physicians are looking to locums as a viable career transition strategy: a bridge that can lead them back into permanent, full-time positions if they so choose.

Getting Started in Locum Tenens

A significant majority of physicians who work locums start within a decade of graduating. But it’s also good to keep in mind that there’s no time like the present to get started. Physicians who go into locums have different motivations for starting depending on where they are in their career paths. 

Let’s explore what those different starting points often look like.

Early Career Physicians

Many physicians first encountered locum tenens during residency, using it as a strategic way to supplement income early on and pay down a portion of their med school debt. Now, with a family and a solid home base established, they practice from a place of intentionality: they return to their home community between assignments and choose locums work that allows them to serve surrounding states while keeping their roots intact. 

For many, this means balancing multiple contracts in a single year and traveling across regions that span rural and remote areas, metropolitan centers, and suburban neighborhoods. Locums is no longer just a detour; it’s become a sustainable, integrated model for how a modern medical career can be built.

Mid Career Physicians

Mid-career is often where burnout takes hold, but it’s also where physicians are discovering that locums offers a path to recovery that doesn’t require leaving medicine entirely. At this stage, many are looking for choices that allow them to draw boundaries and take back control of how, when, and where they work. 

Along the way, many physicians who take on locums assignments mid-career report rediscovering their love for practicing medicine and seeing reduced rates of burnout when compared to their peers in permanent roles. Freed from the administrative overload and institutional pressures of full time, and placed into more focused clinical environments, they remember why they became doctors in the first place. Locums, for them, isn’t just a paycheck, it’s a way to reclaim their passion.

Near-Retirement Physicians

While the generational base of physicians entering locum tenens has diversified significantly since the 1970s, a substantial and enduring cohort remains: later-career physicians approaching retirement who’ve chosen to continue working in locums. For many, this decision is driven by a desire to supplement income, to bolster retirement savings and to fund major quality-of-life investments, from home remodeling to long-deferred personal pursuits. 

But their motivation runs deeper than finances. These seasoned physicians are also seeking opportunities to stay engaged with the communities they’ve served for decades, offering expert knowledge and clinical wisdom that facilities might not otherwise have access to. That passion and enduring commitment to care is irreplaceable.

How Do You Find Work in Locum Tenens?

Finding work in locums is all about research and connection. While we’ve definitely heard stories of physicians finding locums positions through their professional networks, you should also keep an eye out on trusted agency websites. (Agencies have access to jobs directly from facilities where they already have deep network connections, and a trusted locum partner can help to manage the details like housing, malpractice, etc.!) 

Google jobs and LinkedIn are also two critical resources you’ll want to look at in your locums job search. To do this, search for “locum tenens” or “contractor/temporary” on both sites. We also suggest adding in your specialty to narrow down the results you’re likely to find. Gather your CV and your application materials, and you’re ready to start interviewing.

Working with a Locum Tenens Agency

We talk about agencies because well, we are one. But not every agency out there offers a professional concierge service that feels personal. Working with a trusted agency partner is all about setting your locums founder era up right. That means finding an agency that empowers you with data and transparency when it comes to salaries, the inside scoop on culture and fit, and expertise on the business side of locums. They should be in your corner, not the other way around.

How can you tell if an agency or recruiter is right for you? Do the research, but go with your gut: they should feel like a supportive partner who works to protect your autonomy and time as a locums founder. You should keep an eye out for behaviors that treat you as a product rather than an expert provider. That means opacity around salaries, a lack of clarity on assignment work (or “surprises” along the way), and feeling like you’re just a number on their roster. 

On The Benefits of Locum Tenens

The top reasons why physicians love locums are about control and compensation. The ability to control your schedule is crucial to achieving the work life balance necessary to stave off burnout and keep doing what you love. This includes taking that vacation and building in time for family. The pay is significantly better as well, and allows many physicians to achieve the financial independence they’re looking to build.

But we’re also hearing about some new benefits for locums that include day-to-day stress relief. In a recent sit down with a long-tenured OB-GYN, Era expert Kat Nisperos learned that many providers feel they’re able to provide more intentional, higher-quality patient care. From a specialist standpoint, the flexibility of locum schedules allows time to complete the continuing education necessary for career growth and to fully digest new medical information. That means less contact with pharmaceutical representatives, and more time to adequately research emerging treatment regimens that ensure better patient care. 

Let Us Find the Right Role for You

We specialize in supporting locums founders building careers on their own terms. From rural and remote roles, to academic medicine in major urban hubs, we empower physicians to do what they love, where they love, in roles that fit your unique goals and needs.
Whether you're just beginning to explore locums or are ready to make it the centerpiece of your practice, we’re here for you.