Doing locum work is A~W~E~S~O~M~E plain and simple! It gives you the opportunity to travel, become time-rich, learn a lot about yourself, make life-long friends, upskill your medical/procedural repertoire, but most of all it pays handsomely. Below are just some of the many benefits of becoming a locum:
1. Financial Benefits:
Locuming undoubtedly offers exceptional financial advantages. I will explain my personal situation; I started off in Victoria (AUS) as an HMO2 earning around $90-100k/year within the typical hospital system. Transitioning to a locum allowed me to make over 5 times that amount in a single year! As a locum HMO, I have worked shifts ranging from $120/hr to an astounding $350/hr! Rates vary based on factors such as the state, hospital, urgency of need, time of day (day vs. night shift), medical specialty (ED vs surg vs mental health) and your skillset (HMO vs reg vs consultant). As a general rule of thumb, the further away from a city centre you are prepared to work, the higher your locum rate will be. Locum work can help you pay off your student loans, purchase a house, or like my co-founder… buy your dream car(s)!
2. Flexibility of Schedule:
As a locum doctor, you run your own business and work-hours. You can pick up and put down shifts on your own schedule. Let’s say you want to take 4 weeks off to travel to Bali. No “leave” forms need to be filled out, no personnel have to be informed, Head of Department approval does not have to be begged for. Those workforce arguments can be a thing of the past. Just take the damn time off! This freedom has given me the opportunity to travel extensively around Australia. It has allowed me to head home to NZ multiple times plus be free every Christmas and New Years. Want to go to that wedding? Go! Want to see the Japanese cherry blossoms at the right time of year? Do it! Want more time with your family? Have it! Time will always be your greatest asset.
3.Travel Opportunities:
Ordinarily, locum shifts at large metropolitan hospitals are less available due to sufficient workforce coverage. But since the pandemic, this is no longer the case. Locuming is a great way to visit another big city, or get your foot in the door with a desired main hospital (long term career-wise). Note however, rural hospitals present unique opportunities and significantly more pay. Through locum work, I have been able to travel extensively and explore parts of Australia that I may not have visited otherwise. What’s more, instead of being a mere tourist you can become part of the local community. Working alongside the local residents of these towns provides insights into hidden gems such as the best eateries, beaches, scenic walks, activities and picturesque spots for sunrise or sunset. Oftentimes, hospitals will happily pay for your travel including petrol +/- flights.
4. Skill Development:
Locum work can allow for exponential growth of your medical and procedural repertoire. In larger metropolitan hospitals, junior doctors have limited exposure to interesting or complex cases because these are typically managed by senior staff. However when working as a locum in rural areas, you are given immediate involvement and responsibility. You have the opportunity to tackle challenging cases under supervision, enhancing your leadership skills and confidence. I have learned procedures such as arterial lines, intubations, femoral nerve and shoulder blocks, chest tubes, countless reductions. I have become confident with the management of STEMI’s, Cat 1 traumas, status epilepticus, paediatric resus’s, Addisonian Crisis, DKA, HHS, among many others. Please don’t let this intimidate you; trust me, it is one of the most rewarding learning experiences of a lifetime. Stepping outside your comfort zone is the key to learning and growing as a doctor! I find rural consultants LOVE to teach, and there is always a safety net. When comparing myself to colleagues at a similar stage of their medical careers, they can’t believe the breadth of cases or level of responsibility I have encountered.
5. Relationships:
The relationship dynamics and friendships you build as a locum doctor are distinct. Rural settings often foster tighter-knit communities. Also, the less busy departments allow for more socialising and interaction amongst nursing and medical staff. The team atmosphere in rural towns is exceptional, and I have had the pleasure of forming lifelong friendships in every town I have visited. There is no division between registrars, residents, interns, medical students, or nurses. Everyone comes together for pub-grub, drinks, or even a friendly game of pool — everyone is welcome.
6. Contacts:
My Co-founder Dr. Amelia Kerr hated her intern year in Australia. She had a classic story of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and being laughably underpaid overtime. Locuming as a PGY2 enabled her to explore other hospitals and specialties. Within 8 months, she had 3 different specialties falling over themselves to be references for her, and entice her towards their field of medicine. What started off as a concern for referees, instantly turned into being spoiled for choice! Every hospital she worked at, consultants and departments begged her to stay on and be formally employed by them. It was actually through locuming that she was able to secure a traditional/non locum job at her dream metro hospital! Ironically, this metro hospital was her original first preference as an intern, but she unfortunately missed out. There is a very palpable misconception that locuming takes you OUT of the hospital system, or that you lose references. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Locuming exponentially opens doors, not closes them. The traditional hospital system will always be there to go back to when/if ready.