Professionals in many industries take advantage of their travel jobs by turning required work trips into mini-vacations. While they have to complete their work obligations during the day, they get to spend time exploring new places in their free time. It can be a fun way to gain new experiences and check out other cities if you consider relocation in the future. However, it can be challenging to get a good feel for a place when you are only there for a short time.
Working locum tenens for the summer could be the answer. It is the perfect opportunity to not only make more money but allow your family to experience different environments. Whether you are checking out future homes, better working environments, nicer weather, or just a change of scenery, working locum tenens could be your next enriching adventure. If you've ever wondered about the benefits of working locum tenens during summer, this blog should help answer that question.
As a locum tenens professional, you likely understand and value the flexibility that your job offers. While many medical professionals wish they could have a change of scenery with their jobs, it’s a reality for you. Not only can you practice in your chosen profession, but you get to choose when, where, and how you work. If you’re a person who craves change, working locum tenens is the ideal choice.
It can be tricky as a medical professional to take enough time off during the summer to enjoy your family, much less travel with them for extended periods. Locum tenens professionals can choose jobs that fit their family's goals, passions outside of medicine or combine paid assignments with volunteer efforts. One of the most popular answers to the benefits of working locum tenens during summer is the freedom to take off long periods during other parts of the year. Spend extended holidays on the beaches of California, hiking in the mountains of Wyoming, or simply spend a quiet time with family in a cozy cabin with nothing on your schedule for a few weeks.
As a city physician, cool breezes, wide-open spaces, and natural rural areas may seem like a fantasy escape during the hot summer. If you work in an area known for high rainfall, you may be craving a sunny locale. Weather plays a significant role in how much you can enjoy and explore everything your area has to offer. Imagine how nice it would be to have the option to walk or bike to work without getting rained on or drenched in sweat instead of sitting in traffic breathing exhaust fumes or standing shoulder to shoulder on a train.
If you live in the North and have become tired of cold winters, you may be considering a relocation. Locums work gives you the unique advantage of temporarily living in a more peaceful location to see if it would work for you and your family in the long term. You get the added benefit of trying the culture on for size without a permanent commitment. If one location doesn't work out, you have next summer to try another one.
Many physicians take time off during the summer, even in areas, others seek out as vacation spots. Finding highly desirable assignments in the summer can be even easier than at other times of the year. While physicians in areas like Miami, South Beach, or Destin are traveling for the summer, the need in those areas is higher than ever due to tourism. Since the demand exceeds supply, medical facilities are willing to pay to increase their professional for the anticipated need during the summer.
That leaves exciting opportunities for locum tenens workers to accept assignments in popular destinations that could become your family's dream vacation. It gives you the option to live in a locale you may have previously only dreamed of visiting. You may even be able to finally take up that new sport you've always wanted to try but never had the time or ability due to where you lived. From weekends spent on the beach on the Mediterranean coast to cycling through Copenhagen to surfing in Oahu and more, locum tenens offers the opportunity to live and work in beautiful locations for an entire summer.
While physician burnout has long been a major challenge in the healthcare industry, a pandemic and a culture where overwork can be the norm has propelled it to critical proportions. It can be a challenge to fully relax and recharge when you don't have a chance to step away and take a breath. Work-life balance is a distant oasis in the desert of stress. Treating those in need, much less maintaining a practice, can become virtually impossible when the practitioner struggles mentally, physically, and emotionally.
According to the AMA, approximately 40% of physicians work from 60 to 80 hours a week. Coming off of residencies where the hours extend into triple digits each week represents a long, slow road ending in a brick wall of exhaustion. Locum tenens not only gives the traveling physician a much-needed change of scenery, but it gives other practitioners the gift of time so that they can take a break.
What are the benefits of working locum tenens during summer? The answers can change depending on each medical professional considering it. For one, it may be the opportunity to help another physician spend time with their family so they can come back with a renewed energy and passion for their practice. For others, it may be the flexibility to chase the sun, spend time in an exotic locale, or take time off throughout the year. No matter your motivation, see VISTA's job board and get started on your next adventure, or contact a VISTA expert today.