VISTA Archived Blogs

If you’re a locum tenens clinician with a passion for giving back, the Indian Health Service may have the professional experience you’re looking for next. Taking on locum tenens work with the Indian Health Service (IHS) can help fill an essential need for a culturally rich, highly appreciative community.

National Doctors’ Day is an annual event to honor the service of physicians across the country. First observed in the 1930s, Doctors’ Day is held on March 30th to commemorate the anniversary of the first use of general anesthesia in surgery on March 30th, 1842. Designated a national holiday under President Bush in 1990, Doctors’ Day continues to be an occasion for patients to recognize doctors’ commitment to their care and for physicians to celebrate the achievements of their fellow professionals.

Our nation’s veterans served and sacrificed to protect our freedom. Now they deserve high quality care, and the Veterans Health Administration provides that to millions of veterans each year. As the largest health care system in the country, the VA operates thousands of hospitals, clinics, outpatient sites and other facilities—offering endless career opportunities for locum tenens clinicians.

We owe our nation’s freedom, safety and security to the brave men and women who serve in the United States armed forces—the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. They put their lives on the line and face unfathomable dangers when deployed. Ensuring their health and well-being at home is critical.

The Match is something every doctor remembers. Years of school, intense study and preparation lead to this moment when medical students learn where they will spend their next three to eight years or more in specialty training.

For locum tenens physicians and advanced practice providers, licensing is part of the job. Whether just getting started with locums work or moving to a new facility, locum tenens clinicians are required to be licensed in each state they work in and credentialed at each site.

If you’re prepping for an interview with a new facility, you might be thinking of all of the questions your interviewers will ask about your experience and potential fit on their team as a clinician. It’s smart to prepare to field a lot of questions—but don’t forget to ask yours! Asking questions not only shows that you’re truly interested in the opportunity, but gives you a chance to gather information and find out if it feels like a good match.

Over the last few years, much has been said about the ongoing physician shortage plaguing the healthcare system. So, where are we at now?

The ability to connect with patients is important for every health care provider. Right alongside sound clinical judgment and a certain level of competence, empathy is simply expected. But it’s particularly important for primary care physicians. After all, most of us will hopefully see our PCPs more than we will see hospitalists, surgeons or other specialists. That said, great primary care physicians are distinguished by their people skills and the relationships they build with their patients.

Hospitalists are defined by where they practice medicine — in the hospital, usually addressing severe illnesses and emergencies.