Year off. locum tenen or established group?!

[jondoe123]

Hi everyone,

I am applying for fellowship next year(non competetive specialty so no issues regarding getting in, at least i hope so) but I am Taking a year off to work because I want to experience whAt its like being a hospitalist and frankly feel like I need a little break before more training. My question is not regarding if i should take time off, thats something i want to do and will do.

so here is my question: after doing my due dilligence reading these forums Is it best to just look for locum tenens work over next year knowing Im almost 100% certain i dont plan to work more than that or should I apply broadly and look for an established group. Based on what ive read here its always best to be upfront with interviews regarding my long term plans, so will this decrease my chance at joining an established group? Problem with locums is i would need to move away from a major city i live in now.

I know a lot of questions but one more thing,, u guys say to avoid private recruiters so should i just simply call all in house receutiers in areas i wanna work in?

Thanks guys. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Only reason I am asking is cuz residency doesnt really prepare you for looking for a temporary job I just wanna go
About it the right way.

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[NotAProgDirector]

Either way is fine. Working in an established group for a year will give you consistency. Working in Locums might pay you more (depending on how many assignments you get) but likely will require you to move around / work with different EMR's etc. Locums is specifically a financial plus if you don't own/rent a place to live, and just move from assignment to assignment where they are paying for your housing -- but that's not for everyone.

 

[rokshana]

Hi everyone,

I am applying for fellowship next year(non competetive specialty so no issues regarding getting in, at least i hope so) but I am Taking a year off to work because I want to experience whAt its like being a hospitalist and frankly feel like I need a little break before more training. My question is not regarding if i should take time off, thats something i want to do and will do.

so here is my question: after doing my due dilligence reading these forums Is it best to just look for locum tenens work over next year knowing Im almost 100% certain i dont plan to work more than that or should I apply broadly and look for an established group. Based on what ive read here its always best to be upfront with interviews regarding my long term plans, so will this decrease my chance at joining an established group? Problem with locums is i would need to move away from a major city i live in now.

I know a lot of questions but one more thing,, u guys say to avoid private recruiters so should i just simply call all in house receutiers in areas i wanna work in?

Thanks guys. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Only reason I am asking is cuz residency doesnt really prepare you for looking for a temporary job I just wanna go
About it the right way.

why would you have to move? that' s the whole point of locums...you can have a home base and every other week you go to work where ever you want (or make you the most money)...its not like you live a vagabond life with no home, traveling from hotel to hotel...

i would think an established group isn't going to want to employ someone knowing that they are going to stay only a year .

your situation was exactly the place i was during my 3rd year...knew that I would have 2 years off from going into fellowship (family health reasons and with in fellowship interviewing seasons) and locums was perfect...had 2 long term assignments (each ~ 1 year) with some moonlighting in between...

a few cons are that you are an independent contractor so you have to take care of your own health insurance and taxes, but practically everything is tax deductible...coming out of residency you can keep your COBRA insurance.

there are some larger companies like Cogent and Sound Physicians that have a position called traveling hospitalist where you are employed by the locums company and can get benefits...they will usually still pay for your housing and expenses, but you do longer term assignments.

 

[jondoe123]

Thanks for the response,

I will probably apply to some regular jobs and see what they say since I have nothing to lose but I think locum tenens sounds more inticing to me at this time, especially if I can find a place that will give a longer assignement.

So obviously im signed off on lines but i feel like that they take up so much time. Will
I be really limiting myself if i only look for places where i dont do lines?

What would you say is the best resource outthere to search for a longer locum tenen job? I see that that there are certain websites like medopps and practice links for jobs but not sure if theres somewhere else I should look.

Last thing , When do u guys think I should meet a new accountant? Should i do it in the spring before I start working (never really had an official go to tax guy before) ?

Thx!!

 

[tartesos]

Thanks for the response,

I will probably apply to some regular jobs and see what they say since I have nothing to lose but I think locum tenens sounds more inticing to me at this time, especially if I can find a place that will give a longer assignement.

So obviously im signed off on lines but i feel like that they take up so much time. Will
I be really limiting myself if i only look for places where i dont do lines?

What would you say is the best resource outthere to search for a longer locum tenen job? I see that that there are certain websites like medopps and practice links for jobs but not sure if theres somewhere else I should look.

Last thing , When do u guys think I should meet a new accountant? Should i do it in the spring before I start working (never really had an official go to tax guy before) ?

Thx!!

Unless you are very tax savvy and cautious with money I advise you to go to an accountant if you do locums because that is 1099( independent contractor) and you take care of your taxes, he can give you an estimate of your payments ( quarterly payments hurt less than a lump sum in the end in some cases ) and tell you how to maximize your deductions.

A lot of Locums job don't have procedures involved( they take a lot of time away from rounding) so it will not hurt you much. Icu rounding may be a deal breaker in some cases.
There are many good sites, I don't know if I can post them here, pm me and I'll give them to you.

Good luck! And remember not to spend it all!

 

[jondoe123]

So with our current training we usually dont put consultants on board if we usually know the cause of elevated trop/aki/etc. we usually just trend and see how things go and if needed later well add them. Lots of private docs i see though will just pan consult off the bat to have disposition and i guess maybe protext themselves.

If my hospitalist work is temporary should i just be super cautious and consult like all the time if i have even a fraction of doubt on issue?

Also any experience with how readily available consultants are in smaller more rural towns?i know in major city consultants (attendings at least) never complain about consults.

Thnkss!!!

 

[rokshana]

Thanks for the response,

I will probably apply to some regular jobs and see what they say since I have nothing to lose but I think locum tenens sounds more inticing to me at this time, especially if I can find a place that will give a longer assignement.

So obviously im signed off on lines but i feel like that they take up so much time. Will
I be really limiting myself if i only look for places where i dont do lines?

What would you say is the best resource outthere to search for a longer locum tenen job? I see that that there are certain websites like medopps and practice links for jobs but not sure if theres somewhere else I should look.

Last thing , When do u guys think I should meet a new accountant? Should i do it in the spring before I start working (never really had an official go to tax guy before) ?

Thx!!

you should be having locums companies calling constantly...just talk to one of them and let them know exactly what you are looking for...if they have something, then they will let you know...if you want lines, they will have places that want that..you don't want to do lines, then they will have places that want that...you want a major city? harder, but there are some (they of course pay a lot less)...you want middle of no where? there are a LOT of those...

starting out as a fresh hospitalist, i wouldn't do nocturnist right off the bat...there is less help around since usually you are the only hospitalist in house and its nice to have someone else around that you can bounce ideas of of or get advise...

otherwise google medical locums and i'm sure all sorts of things will pop up...

as for consult or not consult...it will depend on the culture of the hospital.

 

[jondoe123]

I never really thought about not doing nocturnist but i guess maybe best to avoid since i may be lost with something dumb like emr stuff or how to put a order in and no one will be around for me to ask help.

I found a few resources now for locums so thanks! Is it too early now to be looking at jobs? cuz lots of listings are hirning this minute.

from what ive been told most places that have malpractice should have tail coverage. If not do i just move on?
Thxxxxxxx

 

[rokshana]

I never really thought about not doing nocturnist but i guess maybe best to avoid since i may be lost with something dumb like emr stuff or how to put a order in and no one will be around for me to ask help.

I found a few resources now for locums so thanks! Is it too early now to be looking at jobs? cuz lots of listings are hirning this minute.

from what ive been told most places that have malpractice should have tail coverage. If not do i just move on?
Thxxxxxxx

OR you might have 20 admissions in a 12 hour period and be a "bit" overwhelmed...

it can take up to 3-4 months to get credentialed and if you need a license in a picky state, it can take 3-4 months to get a license...and you generally can't credential until you are at least licensed.

if there is no tail coverage, you should run away.

 

[jondoe123]

Hey guys,

So if the credentialling process takes 3 months usually, does that mean if I take a 3 month position somewhere I would have start looking on to the next venture before I even start my first place?
Whats the shortest case scenario usually if you find a place you want to work and wanna accept the position asAp??
My only concern now is if im working next year and I need to find a new place that it could take more than a month to start up again.

 

[gutonc]

Hey guys,

So if the credentialling process takes 3 months usually, does that mean if I take a 3 month position somewhere I would have start looking on to the next venture before I even start my first place?
Whats the shortest case scenario usually if you find a place you want to work and wanna accept the position asAp??
My only concern now is if im working next year and I need to find a new place that it could take more than a month to start up again.

If you work for a locums company they will deal with that for you.

As for timing. I'm credentialed at 8 different hospitals in 4 different hospital systems in one city. The shortest one too 2 weeks, the longest (ironically the hospital where I trained for 6 years and had already been credentialed to moonlight for 4 years) took almost 5 months.

 

[tartesos]

Hey guys,

So if the credentialling process takes 3 months usually, does that mean if I take a 3 month position somewhere I would have start looking on to the next venture before I even start my first place?
Whats the shortest case scenario usually if you find a place you want to work and wanna accept the position asAp??
My only concern now is if im working next year and I need to find a new place that it could take more than a month to start up again.

As long as you are licensed in that state ( that is more unpredictable) privileges can be expedited for a job if they need you. And there are places that can do emergency privileges in about 1 week.

Your Locums company as guton c mentioned will help you with credentialing, you only fill your life story for them once when you sign up and then they help transcribe it for any other opportunities in the future, even medical licensing boards.

 

[jondoe123]

Sounds good. Yea i plan to most likely do work in same state as my lisence. Hardest thing will
Be picking a locum company but sounds like all major ones are bout same and they handle
Everything which is great.

They can pay for boardsss???? Plz explain. Do i just save my receipt when i pay to sign up?

Btw do u get some type if mini orientation before i start in a new hospital system/get list of people u can refer pts to outpt/etc?

Thanks for replies. This has been real helpful.

 

[gutonc]

They can pay for boardsss???? Plz explain. Do i just save my receipt when i pay to sign up?

No, tartesos meant they will help with the application for a new license in a different state.

Btw do u get some type if mini orientation before i start in a new hospital system/get list of people u can refer pts to outpt/etc?.

Yes. The extent and content will vary from site to site.

 

[jondoe123]

Got it.

Got one more question. What if a place doesnt distrubute admissions evenely; they say that if u discharged 10 people then ull probably get most of patients whereas if another doc discharged 2 they get less. But i guess if ur paid bonus for more encounters, should that even matter? This is more for hospitalist job in general.

Thankss.

 

[gutonc]

Got it.

Got one more question. What if a place doesnt distrubute admissions evenely; they say that if u discharged 10 people then ull probably get most of patients whereas if another doc discharged 2 they get less. But i guess if ur paid bonus for more encounters, should that even matter? This is more for hospitalist job in general.

Thankss.

Dear god I hope you're spell checking your CV and cover letters better than your SDN posts.

 

[tartesos]

Got it.

Got one more question. What if a place doesnt distrubute admissions evenely; they say that if u discharged 10 people then ull probably get most of patients whereas if another doc discharged 2 they get less. But i guess if ur paid bonus for more encounters, should that even matter? This is more for hospitalist job in general.

Thankss




That shouldn't be a problem. For most Locums jobs there's no bonus structure or anything of the sort, perhaps extra x money for any encounters above x number ( 25 in a place I work but it never happens.)

Just get there ready to take in and don't complain. That's why they pay you so well. And make sure you dot your i's, it will be the first time working under your own license and that's scary at first.

Good luck!

 

[BamaUAMED]

Have you had any luck booking locum jobs?

Hi everyone,

I am applying for fellowship next year(non competetive specialty so no issues regarding getting in, at least i hope so) but I am Taking a year off to work because I want to experience whAt its like being a hospitalist and frankly feel like I need a little break before more training. My question is not regarding if i should take time off, thats something i want to do and will do.

so here is my question: after doing my due dilligence reading these forums Is it best to just look for locum tenens work over next year knowing Im almost 100% certain i dont plan to work more than that or should I apply broadly and look for an established group. Based on what ive read here its always best to be upfront with interviews regarding my long term plans, so will this decrease my chance at joining an established group? Problem with locums is i would need to move away from a major city i live in now.

I know a lot of questions but one more thing,, u guys say to avoid private recruiters so should i just simply call all in house receutiers in areas i wanna work in?

Thanks guys. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Only reason I am asking is cuz residency doesnt really prepare you for looking for a temporary job I just wanna go
About it the right way.