Info on locums?

[Guest dddd]

I've heard about the possibility of only doing locums as a family doc, but I don't know much else. ie is there as much or as little work as you want, pros and cons, $ to be made, etc? Any info would be great.

[Guest DrSahsi]

A lot of family physicians start off after residency by doing various locums full time. There's often plenty of work around, especially given the shortage of family docs, but it's unpredictable. It gives one a lot of freedom to sort out practice styles, business practices, geography, and so on... some time to think, while still making money, but not being tied down to one's own practice right away.

 

After a while, though, you start craving a little stability. I don't know many people who have done full time locums for more than a couple of years, tops. But that's my limited sample size talking.

 

- Rupinder

[Guest dddd]

What lengths are they in general? I mean, are you filling in for a month here and a month there, or do a lot of physicians need coverage for a full year or so?

 

Is the income generally similar to having your own practice?

[Guest UWOMED2005]

My much-more-limited-than-Dr.-Sahsi's understanding is that locums work by giving you all your billings, but then charging (usually) 40% for overhead as this is the average overhead for a family physician these days. But if you're efficient and have a good buisiness sense, you can bring that 40% figure down quite a bit. So that's one of the biggest draws to running your own practice: reduced overhead and greater income.

 

As for locum position length. . . I think it varies widely and considering the great need for locums, almost anything can be agreed upon between physician and locum.