By Guest Writers, Calvin Bruce & Lori Jannings,
of Jackson & Coker
Physicians and other health professionals who are investigating practice opportunities
online are advised to consider employment options with government medical facilities. The essentials of practicing quality
medicine are, of course, the same wherever a doctor or caregiver treats patients. However, there are unique challenges
and benefits associated with government locum tenens (temporary) contract assignments.
“A substantial number of physicians and midlevels whom we have placed in locum tenens assignments had no previous experience working at government medical facilities,” mentioned Randy Weikle, Vice President of Jackson & Coker’s Government Healthcare Division.
“However, after accepting a couple of government assignments,
they appreciated the wide variety of practice settings and long-term earning potential
available to them,” he added.
Variety
of Locations, Clinical Settings
Job seekers in healthcare fields who are willing to
travel and work in different practice settings will find plenty to choose from when
accepting contract assignments with government medical facilities.
Benefits of Government Locum Tenens
Aside from being able to travel extensively and work in a wide variety of clinical settings, physicians and other healthcare professionals can benefit significantly in other ways from accepting contract assignments with government medical organizations.
Length of assignments: Temporary assignments in private-sector organizations can be as brief as one day or one week. Although a few government assignments are as short as one week, most of them last for several months or longer. In fact, at the federal level, it’s not unusual for locum tenens contracts to extend for one year, or beyond. Locum tenens providers who prefer not to live out of a suitcase, favoring stability and a consistent income, are drawn to long-term locum tenens engagements.
Any state license: At the federal level, 99% of the time doctors can present any current, unrestricted state license in order to practice as contract providers. This opens up an unlimited amount of opportunities for short-term and long-term employment.
Background checks: Whereas private-sector contracts may or may not involve detailed background checks, government opportunities typically require them. In-depth background checks are obligatory when medical service is performed in penal institutions, or involves minor patients, or occurs in a work setting requiring security clearance. On the positive side, candidates who successfully pass a government background check should have no problems securing employment in any other practice environment.
Hassle-free medical practice: Doctors who accept locum tenens assignments can practice medicine without being encumbered with ordinary practice management matters such as office overhead, staff payroll, medical malpractice, insurance, insurance billing, and the like. In addition to receiving competitive daily wages, their travel, lodging and daily car rental expenses are covered.
Temp-to-perm opportunities:
For the most part, jobs in the private sector do not offer healthcare candidates
the chance to “test drive” a practice opportunity before signing the dotted line. In contrast, some government healthcare
employers are willing to employ practitioners on a temp-to-perm basis for several
months. If both parties consider the
work relationship satisfactory and beneficial, they can then discuss making it a
permanent arrangement.
Online Job Postings
With point-and-click convenience, physicians and health professionals can investigate permanent or temporary practice opportunities listed with government medical facilities. Here is a sample of what’s available online:
Other sources of practice options with government entities
are locum tenens firms that staff county, state and federal medical facilities. Fifty companies are listed on the website
of the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (http://www.nalto.org/nalto-companies/).
Most NALTO firms have established business relationships with government organizations
and post updated job openings on their individual sites.
Conclusion
Physicians and healthcare professionals who are looking for challenging professional responsibilities, unlimited travel options, longer term contracts, and a wide variety of clinical settings should avail themselves of opportunities to practice at government medical facilities. Practitioners who accept temporary assignments enjoy the freedom and flexibility of choosing when and where to practice, along with earning competitive wages without burdensome practice-management responsibilities.
Healthcare providers who seek permanent opportunities have the option of working in temp-to-perm situations, or apply directly to government medical organizations for full-time employment consideration.
Job boards that list a wide variety of appealing practice
opportunities are an invaluable resource for busy job seekers investigating career-enhancing
options.
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Endnotes
[1] Douglas
Miller, “How Veterans’ Hospitals Became the Best in Health Care,” Time.com, 09/27/2006. Philip Longman, “The Best Care Anywhere,”
Washingtonmonthly.com, January/February 2005.
“What’s Behind the VA Hospital Turnaround?” NBC News.com, 03/16/2006.
[2] Janet
Fraser Hale, PhD, APRN, FNP, “Correctional Health Primary Care:
Research and Educational Opportunities,”
Journal of Correctional Health, Vol. 14,
No. 4, 279-289 (2008).
Calvin Bruce serves as managing editor of the Jackson & Coker Industry Report. Lori Jannings is Senior Recruiter in
Jackson & Coker’s Government Healthcare Division.
For two years in a row, Lori was designated a “Recruiter of the Year” by
Locum Life magazine.
