While there are locum tenens jobs available in just about all physician specialties, there are a few specialties that are more popular than others. Whether you’re a well-established locum tenens, or just getting into the field, it’s important to look at the following physician specialties and to see if your area of expertise fits with these positions. These are just a few jobs to consider when looking for a locum tenens job.
4 Physician Specialties in High Demand for Locum Tenens
Hospitalist
A hospitalist is basically a generic term for anyone who works a physician position in a hospital. Hospitalists are stand-ins for a traditional physician, and they examine patients as well as facilitate transfers to other departments. They also arrange other forms of care after patients are discarded. Due to the very prominent physician shortage, hospitalist positions are always available, so it’s important to consider this option when looking for a locum tenens job. These positions are great opportunities for locum doctors to experience a wide variety of patient conditions and health issues, as well as a variety of facilities and locations.
Internal Medicine
These physician specialists deal with the internal organs of adults during a stay in the hospital. Their physician specialties include treating symptoms, preventative care, and treating and diagnosing serious illness. While these locum tenens can act as the primary physician, they most likely will assist other physicians at the practice and take on specialty cases. Locum tenens will enjoy this job because of the variety of patients and experiences they will get out of the job. Assisting a variety of doctors and helping at different floors are great ways to get experience.
There are a variety of physician specialties to look into when pursuing a locum tenens job.
Family Medicine
Family medicine physician specialties are similar to hospitalist specialties. While hospitalist locum tenens usually work in the E.R., family medicine practitioners usually help with family practices. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, “family physicians provide the majority of care for America’s underserved rural and urban populations.”
Since physicians are hard to come by, especially in rural areas, locum tenens should keep an eye out for jobs in this field. Those experienced in family medicine would like to help out an area in need, or would just like to stay close to home should take advantage of this position.
Emergency Medicine
Emergency medical facilities are constantly looking for staff members. A short-staffed E.R. can lead to serious issues, especially when a number of patients overwhelm the staff. Emergency facilities should never be short on staff, so plenty of locum tenens jobs should be available. Physicians will get a variety of experiences and will learn on the go as they assist with everything from broken bones to strokes, to heart attacks. While it can be a very stressful environment, it’s still a position that locum tenens should consider because emergency management is a crucial skill to have while working in any medical facility.
These are just a few of the available jobs for locum tenens. Be sure to explore our website to see all of the opportunities available. It’s time to travel and take your medical career to the next level.
