Locum tenens was a great semi-retirement option even before the financial crisis. It makes even more sense now.
Over the years we have talked with hundreds of physicians teetering on the brink of retirement. They wonder how quickly they might lose their skills. They wonder if it would really be ok not to earn an income. They wonder if people will still look up to them. They wonder if their spouses will throw them out of the house for organizing, and then reorganizing, the DVDs (by alphabet or genre, always a struggle.) They wonder how it will feel to NOT practice medicine every day.
Working as a locum tenens physician can be a great solution to this wondering. It gives you the ability to work part-time, when and where you choose. Near the grandkids, in the small town near your summer home, in the facility where your oldest child is completing residency (That would drive her nuts, wouldn’t it?)
Locum tenens is a way to keep your skills sharp and learn new ones, treat unique patient populations, and practice pure medicine without the hassles of running a business/practice. It’s a way to help out a community in need.
And yes, there’s the financial component. Financial advisors are telling us all not to panic, to think long term, that this too shall pass. But if you had your sights set on retirement this year or next, those words don’t mean much. You may feel trapped or, just as likely, really angry. If it was me, I think I’d alternate between the two.
That’s why this is such a good time to consider locum tenens. Locum tenens gives you the ability to earn a competitive income that is overhead-free. Your housing, travel, local transportation, and malpractice insurance are covered. (If you opt for an international assignment, we help you negotiate for an optimum package to assist with these things.) Locums can either help fund the plans you had for retirement or open up a whole new world for adventure. Don’t give up on your plans. Give us a call.