Locum tenens loosely translates to “place-holder”. Healthcare facilities use locum tenens emergency medicine physicians to fill in for other EM doctors who are on vacation or leave. Locum tenens emergency medicine physicians may also be needed to establish new service lines or satisfy staffing shortages. Traditionally, locum tenens appealed to physicians who were in retirement and wanted to return part-time, but the arrangement has evolved to include various scenarios and physicians at all stages of their careers – even those who are just starting out.
The locum tenens arrangement appeals to physicians for various reasons, from fulfilling a sense of adventure to allowing more time with family. The compensation for locum tenens emergency medicine physicians can be higher than the salary of a permanent emergency medicine physician and the perks make locum tenens even more enticing.
Some reasons physicians choose to work locum tenens are to:
According to the 2018-2019 Compensation Report for Emergency Physicians published in the American College of Emergency Physicians’ ACEP Now, the national average salary for emergency physicians increased 3.5%, a steady trend over the past ten years. There continues to be a broad range in salary across some states from $116-$300 an hour in Pennsylvania and $160-$282 an hour in Minnesota. Locum tenens continue to offer higher rates of $300-$320 an hour.
There are locum tenens opportunities for emergency medicine physicians in:
Many factors contribute to the demand for emergency medicine physicians. This growing demand can be attributed to:
Moreover, while many facilities are open to hiring physicians who are board-certified in primary care, doctors who are board-certified in emergency medicine (BCEM) are in high demand.
At Cross Country Locums, we are proud to offer a variety of locum tenens assignments featuring advantages that include: