What is Locum Tenens? The Basics + How to Get Started

Locum tenens (Latin for "holding the place of") refers to healthcare professionals—often physicians—who work temporary assignments to fill staffing gaps at hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. This career path offers flexibility, diverse work experiences, and the opportunity to practice medicine in different settings.

Whether you're considering locum tenens as a short-term option or a long-term career strategy, understanding how it works is key. Below, we’ll cover:

• The definition and origins of locum tenens
• How it differs from traditional permanent roles
• The benefits and considerations of this career path
• Steps to getting started

By the end, you’ll have a clearer sense of whether locum tenens aligns with your professional goals.

Table of Contents

• What is locum tenens?
• How does locum tenens work?
• Why are physicians choosing locum tenens?
• How does locum tenens help healthcare facilities and patients?
• The role of locum tenens companies
• FAQs
• Why choose Era Locums?

What Is the Meaning of Locum Tenens?

Locum tenens means “holding the place of” in Latin, and it refers to a physician or other healthcare professional who works in a temporary role or as a substitute. As a locum tenens, or colloquially, “locums”, you’re holding the place either for a physician on leave or to fill a staffing gap for a healthcare facility.

Locum tenens means “holding the place of” in Latin, and it refers to a physician or other healthcare professional who works in a temporary role or as a substitute.

While locum tenens originated in the 1970s as a solution to staffing shortages in rural healthcare facilities, working as a locum tenens is now a lifestyle. As healthcare facilities across the country struggle with staffing shortages—particularly with specialists—physicians are overworked and plagued with burnout. 

Locum tenens give both parties the solutions they need: healthcare facilities get their much-needed specialists, and physicians get more control over where they work, when, and for how long. It also allows physicians in private or family practices to keep their permanent positions while working locum tenens assignments as an additional income stream. It’s the perfect solution for a problem that seems to be worsening (with fewer physicians across the board).

How Does Locum Tenens Work?

Locum tenens typically works as a relationship between healthcare facilities and outside locum tenens companies and/or internal "float pools." A facility will request locum tenens support when they’re understaffed, need temporary coverage for a physician who’s on leave, or want to offer more services to their patients. Outside agencies then connect them with physicians, whether through recruitment or job listings.

Physicians looking for their first or next opportunity may connect with the healthcare facility directly or through a locums company to apply for the job, get all the necessary credentials, set up housing, and start the assignment (more on that later). Here's how the process works for physicians:

1. Find Opportunities – Work with an agency or browse job listings to find assignments that match your specialty, schedule, and preferred location.
2. Complete Credentialing – Submit necessary documentation (licenses, certifications, etc.) to meet facility requirements. Credentialing typically takes between 30-90 days.
3. Finalize Logistics – The agency or facility often assists with housing, travel, and malpractice insurance.

Why Are Physicians Choosing Locum Tenens?

Being a physician is a really difficult job. Only 40% of physicians would recommend the career to young people, and only 29 and 21% feel positive about the current state and the future of the medical profession, according to the Physicians Foundation’s 2023 report. Locum tenens can alleviate many of the key stressors associated with the career.

1. Work-Life Balance

The biggest benefit you’ll see as a locum tenens is better work life balance. You’ll have the control to choose assignments that fit your schedule, work preferences, and location. Opt to work part-time, take a break between assignments for long vacations, or select your next job based on where you want to live. Create the work-life balance you never thought you could have as a physician.

2. Financial Reward

As a locum tenens, you have the potential to achieve financial goals more quickly, whether paying off student loans, saving for retirement, or enjoying a higher standard of living. According to ZipRecruiter, the average locum tenens physician earns around $308,000 a year, while the average physician brings in $188,000 per year.

Temporary positions typically come with higher compensation packages, including higher hourly rates, housing, and even food stipends. Don’t feel comfortable negotiating for these perks? When you work with a locum tenens company, they can have these difficult conversations for you.

3. Reduced Burnout

While physicians overall have high levels of career satisfaction, burnout is still a constant threat. As a locum tenens, you can create your own workload to prevent burnout. That helps you treat the symptoms but doesn’t address the root issue.

According to a 2024 Medscape survey, 62% of physicians say bureaucratic tasks are the top source of burnout—making it the #1 cause in the survey. Locum tenens physicians typically focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks. This will help enhance your job satisfaction and prevent burnout without having to take time away from patients.

Becoming a locum tenens allows physicians to continue doing the healing work that fills their cups without flaming out on long hours, double shifts, and endless administrative paperwork.

Source: The Physicians Foundation, 2023 Survey of America’s Current and Future Physicians 

Era Locums recently partnered with ScribeAmerica to take this issue head-on, offering AI scribe support to reduce the administrative burden for Era’s locum physicians.

4. Professional Growth

As a locum tenens, you’ll work in a variety of different healthcare settings. It sharpens your clinical expertise while also expanding your perspective. Not only does this make your work environment engaging and dynamic, but it also encourages professional growth. You’ll learn how to adapt to different environments, use new techniques and technologies, and enhance your skills while building a diverse professional network.

Beyond clinical benefits, locum tenens work offers the freedom to explore different regions and patient populations. Each new setting has its own challenges and rewards, deepening your understanding of healthcare. Every assignment is an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally, all while making a meaningful impact on the communities you serve.

The transition from traditional OB Hospitalist practice to Locums, for me, has been a journey of angst, faith, persistence, and reward. Era Locums has been outstanding in helping me brave the challenges of the Locums world by providing integrity, support, efficiency, and fairness.

Dr. Louise | Obstetrics & Gynecology

5. Personalized Support and Community

At Era Locums, we pride ourselves on the personalized support we provide our physicians from your interview and throughout your assignment. When you work with us, you’re paired with a dedicated recruiter who gets to know you, your needs, and your career aspirations. This hands-on approach ensures that every assignment is the best fit, providing a white-glove experience from start to finish. We also never want you to miss out on the community aspect of the healthcare industry. We foster a strong sense of community among our physicians, offering opportunities for peer support and collaboration. You’re never on your own when you work with Era Locums.

How Does Locum Tenens Help Healthcare Facilities and Patients?

Locum tenens play a critical role in the healthcare ecosystem, providing valuable support to healthcare facilities and the patients they serve. By stepping in when needed, locum tenens help ensure healthcare services run smoothly and efficiently, even in challenging circumstances. Here’s how locum tenens benefits healthcare facilities and patients.

Benefits of Locum Tenens for Healthcare Facilities

Locum tenens provide crucial support that helps keep healthcare facilities running smoothly and ensures patients always receive the care they need.

Addressing Staff Shortages & Maintaining Continuity of Care

When permanent staff are unavailable due to vacations, illness, or sudden departures, locum tenens step in to fill the gaps, ensuring that patient care continues uninterrupted. In this way, locum tenens help maintain consistent care by covering for physicians who are on leave or when there’s a sudden increase in patient volume. This ensures patients receive continuous care without disruptions, which is critical for effective treatment and recovery.

Reducing Burnout Among Permanent Staff

By providing temporary support, locum tenens can help reduce the workload on permanent staff, decreasing the likelihood of burnout. This helps improve job satisfaction among the regular staff but also enhances the overall work environment within the facility.

Flexibility and Cost-Efficiency

Hiring locum tenens can be a cost-effective solution for healthcare facilities. They can bring in specialized expertise on a short-term basis without the long-term financial commitments of hiring permanent staff. This is especially helpful for smaller medical practices that might need specialized support without a full-time commitment. Working with locum tenens helps facilities manage their budgets more effectively while still delivering high-quality care.

For healthcare facilities, working with locum tenens offers essential support and financial flexibility, helping maintain high standards of care, even in times of staffing challenges.

Benefits of Locum Tenens for Patients

Locum tenens are critical to maintaining patient care in the healthcare industry. Without them, patients would face long appointment wait times, limited access to specialized care, and overworked staff. As a locum tenens, you will step in when needed most, ensuring patients receive the care they deserve, no matter the circumstances.

Access to Specialized Care

Patients benefit from the expertise of locum tenens, who bring specialized knowledge to the table. This rings especially true for patients in rural or underserved communities where certain types of care might not be readily available. Locum tenens ensure that patients have access to the full spectrum of healthcare services.

Reduced Wait Times

With locum tenens filling in staffing gaps, healthcare facilities can reduce patient wait times. This means patients can receive the care they need more quickly, leading to better patient satisfaction and more efficient use of healthcare resources.

Improved Patient Outcomes

Continuous care and access to specialized services contribute to better patient outcomes. Locum tenens help ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care, which can result in faster recovery times and improved overall health.

Enhanced Quality of Care

By alleviating staffing shortages and supporting permanent staff, locum tenens contribute to a higher standard of care. Their presence allows facilities to maintain or even improve the quality of care they provide, ensuring that patients receive the attention and treatment they deserve.

As the demand for flexible, high-quality healthcare continues to grow, locum tenens will be essential to meeting patient needs, ensuring care remains accessible, timely, and tailored to every individual.

The Role of Locum Tenens Companies

Locum tenens companies are vital partners in connecting physicians with healthcare facilities in need of temporary staffing. They focus on making this process as seamless as possible, ensuring physicians can quickly find positions that align with their expertise and preferences while facilities maintain their standards of care.

• Connecting Physicians with Facilities: Locums companies like Era Locums excel at matching physicians to the roles that fit their skills and lifestyles. 
• Managing Logistics: From credentialing to travel arrangements, locum tenens companies handle the details, so you can focus on what you do best—caring for patients.
• Offering Ongoing Support: A trusted locum tenens partner provides ongoing support, addressing any concerns that arise and offering resources to help you thrive in your assignments. 

Choosing the right locum tenens company is crucial to your overall success. A reliable company like Era Locums makes the experience frictionless, empowering you with clear communications and proactive solutions. 

FAQs about Locum Tenens

Still have more questions about locum tenens? Here are some of the most common queries we here from physicians.

What Is the Difference Between Locum Tenens and Per Diem?

Locum tenens is best for longer-term, more stable temporary assignments, while per diem is suited for filling immediate, short-term gaps in coverage. Locum tenens workers generally have more structured, predictable schedules and higher pay, while per diem workers offer flexibility and fill short-term needs on a daily basis.

How Long Can Locum Tenens Work?

Locum tenens assignments can vary in length, ranging from a couple weeks to several months or even a year, depending on the facility's needs. The duration typically reflects temporary gaps in staffing, such as covering for a permanent employee on leave or filling a long-term vacancy.

Why Do Locum Tenens Pay More?

Locum tenens pay can be higher because these professionals work on a temporary basis, often filling gaps at short notice. Their rates account for the lack of job security, benefits, and the burdens of frequent travel or relocation, as well as the potential inconvenience of adjusting to new work environments regularly.

Is Locum Tenens the Same As Moonlighting?

No, locum tenens and moonlighting are different. Locum tenens refers to temporary, often full-time, healthcare roles filling staffing gaps, typically through agencies. Moonlighting involves a permanent employee taking on additional part-time or freelance work outside their primary job, often in the same field, for extra income.

Why Choose Era Locums?

Physicians today seek careers that offer flexibility, autonomy, and a better work-life balance—something traditional roles often can’t provide. Era Locums is here to bridge that gap, offering tailored locum tenens opportunities that fit your career aspirations.

At Era Locums, we focus on you. Our concierge recruitment process is personalized, matching you with assignments that align with your professional skills and lifestyle. We know your time is valuable, so we streamline everything from credentialing to travel arrangements, ensuring a smooth transition into each new role.

For more information on why we believe Era Locums is the partner of choice for specialist physicians, read our Why Era Locums? blog post.

Are you ready for a whole new era? For more information on how Era Locums can help you find the perfect locum tenens placement, click the link below to contact us today and start the conversation to begin your new era!

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