Just my own experience. 3-4 years ago the Texas market was red-hot. Locums everywhere. You could get a $275-325/hr job at the drop of a hat. Easy money. That's all changed.
I grew up and went to medical school in Texas. Family ties to Houston, rotated at Baylor/Ben Taub as an audition. Trained at a highly-respected (top 10) program in another part of the country.
It didn't matter.
By the time I applied (September/October), spots were mostly full. TH had already done their interviewing and most of their hiring by the time ACEP was finished in October. They were looking for outlying places like Huntsville (no thanks). I did get a late nibble at UT Houston (Memorial Hermann main) but I had already signed a contract.
San Antonio has two private groups, one is a semi-SDG that does not hold their actual staffing contracts (Envision does, which is weird as hell). The other is a private firm operated by one guy that employs a bunch of docs around the Hill Country, San Antonio area, on down to the border. One group ghosted me after what (I thought) was a good interview. The other told me they had a position they wanted to fly me down and interview me for, then 12 hours later they suddenly "couldn't swing it financially". Both groups left a bad taste in my mouth with these antics. Yet the group that changed their mind suddenly has their recruiter e-mailing me again. Go figure. USACS is also in San Antonio, if you're interested.
Austin is overrun by USACS, unfortunately. Both of the private groups were bought up in the past few years. Good luck trying to get a job at a Seton or Saint David's hospital. Baylor Scott and White is starting to make a footprint in the area. They hired 10 FTEs this past season for two new facilities in Southwest Austin and Buda.
