VISTA Archived Blogs

To err is human. Most of us have our own collection of horror stories involving travel—forgetting key belongings, remembering some version of “the stove is on” as you’re about to board your flight. And even when you are prepared, sometimes bad luck can still find you.

National Nurse Practitioner Week is November 12-18 this year, marking 52 years that NPs have provided proven, expert, patient-centered health care across the country.

If you’ve heard that practicing locum tenens is synonymous with being a traveling doctor, don’t let that scare you off. The chance to travel is seen by some as an advantage of the locum's lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean it’s a requirement!

The physician shortage in the United States is not going away anytime soon. New data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) supports previous estimates, projecting shortages between 40,800 and 104,900 doctors by 2030. That means job opportunities will always be abundant, and a career in locum tenens can open doors wherever you want to go—so when looking ahead to future work, the choice is truly yours.

Summer months bring vacation to mind (whether you’re fresh out of school or not). Taking time off is important to work-life balance, but if you have student loans to pay off or you’re like the majority of Americans who leave vacation days on the table each year, maybe it’s time to try something different.

Accepting a job in a new place can be incredibly exciting! We’ve talked about perfect summer locations, Southwest scenes and other places across the country worth visiting. But when it comes to making a permanent move, we know it can get complicated. In fact, sometimes it doesn’t work out.

Dear Locum Tenens Clinicians,

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

-Pablo Picasso 

This first ever National Locum Tenens Week, the team at VISTA wishes to extend a sincere and tremendous thank-you to locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners everywhere.

What do almost all medical school graduates have in common? This isn’t a clever riddle. The answer is enormous debt.

In 2015, the average medical school debt balance for graduating physicians was $183,000. Added to the average undergraduate balance of $24,000, the total average student loan balance for a doctor was a staggering $207,000—and that number is no doubt even higher today.

Whether you’re just out of school or not, locum tenens can provide a great opportunity for physicians and advanced practice providers to pay down student loans and other debt. How does locum tenens work set you up for financial success? Three big ways.

What comes to mind when you think of the Southwestern United States? If it's desert expanse and scorching temperatures, you’re partly right—but there’s a lot more to take in. The Southwest includes Arizona and New Mexico as well as parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Texas. No matter where you’re from or where specifically you land, the Southwest has a lot to offer as a new escape with your next assignment as a locum tenens physician, PA or NP.

The need for change. We’ve all felt it at some point or another—the urge to switch things up, or the suspicion that maybe the path we’re on isn’t a good fit. If you’re a physician or advanced practitioner and you’re feeling stuck, bored or just unsure, locum tenens may be exactly what you need.