A locum doctor is a qualified medical professional who temporarily fills a vacant medical position in a hospital or organisation. These positions can arise due to regular staff absences, increased workload demands, or staff circumstantial changes such as pregnancy, carer’s leave, or disability. Locum doctors bridge these gaps and can be employed on either a part-time or full-time basis. In fact, approximately 10% of all shifts worked across Australia are covered by locum doctors.
One of the key advantages of being a locum doctor is the freedom and flexibility it offers! Unlike traditional employment, locum doctors are not tied down to fixed obligations like a standard 40-hour workweek. You have the autonomy to determine your own working hours. Whether you prefer to work a few days a week or take on more shifts, the choice is yours! Locum pay is roughly 3-5x greater than earned in the normal hospital system, so you do the math.
Current market
Australia and New Zealand are currently experiencing persistent and significant medical staffing shortages. These shortages have been supercharged by the impact of COVID-19 2020-2021. Previously, many vacant doctor positions were filled by international doctors. This is especially the case for rural areas! Due to the international travel restrictions from COVID, these positions have remained unfilled for two years. NZ and AU are still catching up with the backlog of unfilled positions after travel restrictions. This has resulted in a surge of locum opportunities! There is an insatiable demand for locum doctors, as hospitals and healthcare facilities strive to maintain adequate staffing levels. What does this mean for you? A greater variety of available work, more locations, remarkably higher earning potential, and more flexibility than ever before.
There has never been a better time to be a locum doctor!