Finding Adventure in Locum Tenens Jobs

Advanced practice providers who choose locum tenens jobs usually have a strong sense of adventure. In order to successfully jump into a new position every couple of weeks or months, they must be comfortable with change and not shy away from challenges.

Kristine, a physician assistant from Missouri, certainly isn’t afraid of change. She’s lived in 15 different states and worked in a variety of fields – internal medicine, psychiatry, addiction medicine, academic medicine, orthopedics and sports medicine.

“One of the advantages for advanced practice providers* is being able to change fields and learn on the job,” Kristine explained. This attitude is one of the things that made Kristine a great candidate for locum tenens physician assistant jobs.

“I think I burned out at my last permanent position of four years,” Kristine said. “But I like to travel and I love to learn, so locum work is appealing me.”

She also likes that locum tenens physician assistant jobs allow her to be her own boss – letting her work as much or as little as she wants to.

Kristine is currently working a temporary psychiatric PA job in Georgia. She works in an acute care unit, stabilizing patients who are a danger to themselves or others.

Kristine has thoroughly enjoyed working with physician assistant recruiter, Carrie McDowell, at AdvancedPractice.com. "Carrie has been absolutely delightful to work with," Kristine said with genuine enthusiasm. "She's professional, helpful, conscientious, and incredibly pleasant to work with."

Kristine’s contract is almost over and she’s not sure what she wants to next. “I still haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow up!” Kristine said, laughing.

And if she keeps working temporary physician assistant jobs, she doesn’t have to!

*Sometimes also referred o as a mid-level provider.

Temporary PA Jobs in Times of Transition

Advanced practice professionals choose locum tenens jobs for a variety of reasons. Some use temporary NP and PA jobs as a means for providing income during a transitional stage of life, others like the variety afforded by changing jobs on a regular basis--and some use locum jobs as a way to build their resumes and expand their skill sets. Locum tenens jobs can also provide an opportunity for a healthcare professional to “try out” an employer before making the decision to work for them full time.

Thomas, a PA based in Florida, sites all of the above as reasons he considered temporary physician assistant jobs. But what made him finally move forward with locum work?

“Well, we thought we were going to be moving, but it wasn’t definite,” he explained. “I decided to look for something short-term so that I could earn some money while we figured things out.”

Thomas worked with Neil Trabel at AdvancedPractice.com to help him in his search for temporary physician assistant jobs. “Neil was very accessible,” Thomas said. “He were easy to communicate with and very supportive throughout the process.”