A recent article in Locum Life magazine offers good advice for first-time or long-time locum tenens physicians who feel the tug of family responsibilities when they travel.  One great idea from the article is to hold a family meeting before your assignment to discuss why your career involves trips away from home. 

Locum Leaders CMO Bob Harrington, MD adds, “it’s best to let your family know where you’re working, your contact information, hours that you’re working, and good and bad times to get in touch with you.” And take particular care to explain to younger children why you need to leave home. “I think it needs to be portrayed in a positive light,” he advises.

Work-life choices are also highlighted in a job satisfaction survey I recently came across on MomMD.com. The survey found a strong correlation between hours worked and a desire to leave the practice of medicine.  Women who worked more than 50 hours a week as an attending physician were almost twice as likely to want leave medicine as those who worked less than 50 hours a week.

If you seek a better balance, locum tenens jobs offer a viable alternative to full-time employment. Many locum assignments don’t require travel and can provide consistent part-time income for parents who want to adjust their schedules.

Enhance your education.   Your skills are what keep you marketable as a physician job seeker and locum tenens.  If you can get most or all of your CME out of the way for the year at a single conference, then that’s a pretty good use of your time.  You might even learn a thing or two.

Catch up on health care reform.   Most of the major medical conferences have sessions on health care reform.  These are great opportunities to dig into the specifics of the recently passed federal healthcare legislation and learn more about what organized medicine is doing to protect your interests.

Network with hiring managers.  The exhibit halls at medical conferences are typically filled with recruiters of all types.  Those representing agencies, like ours, as well as direct hiring managers from hospitals and clinics are on hand to learn more about you.  It’s a great way to get your name out in a short amount of time, and to meet recruiters face-to-face to discuss your ideal work scenario.

Take a breather.  An interesting or new locale is always a good reason to take in a medical conference.  Use the event as an excuse to squeeze in a little sightseeing or some well deserved down time.  The old adage about “all work and no play” is true for doctors, too. Even a brief break from patient care can reinvigorate you and perhaps provide a new perspective on physician life.

Take a write-off.  As a locum tenens, your conference expenses may be tax deductable (check with your tax professional). 

Can you think of other reasons?   If so, perhaps we’ll see you soon at an upcoming conference.

Update your CV. Are you current with recent work experiences, address and other contact information? What about the addition of new skills, licenses, publications or certifications? If you haven’t checked out your CV in a while, chances are it’s time for a quick review and revision.

Refresh your References. You’ll need three to five strong references for almost any job, but keep a longer list ready just in case some of your contacts are unreachable. Make sure your references include previous supervisors (not just peers), and don’t hesitate to ask for a new reference at the end of a positive locum assignment. If you’re listing someone you haven’t spoken with in a while, now is a great time to reach out and renew that relationship. Remind the individual that you are still listing them as a professional reference, and consider asking them to write a newly dated reference letter.

Acquire New Licenses. Want to work in sunny Florida? Then you better have a Florida license (unless you plan to work at a federal facility). If you have your eye on locum work in a new locale, now is the time to become licensed in your states of choice. Remember that licensure in some states can take three months or longer, so don’t delay. It’s also a good time to check on certifications (like ACLS) to be sure you are up to date and, if not, renew as applicable.

Organize your Locum Life. Working as a locum tenens requires some organization. Some tips: Keep a log of assignments and facilities to which you’ve been submitted. Keep a folder of expenses and pay information for tax purposes. Maintain electronic files of references and other common locum tenens paperwork, and transfer copies to a flash drive so you have them on the road for easy access.

Talk to Your Recruiter. The best way to book consistent locum work that meets your goals is to partner with a recruiter who knows your interests, pay expectations, skills and availability. Even if you have worked with a recruiter or firm in the recent past, a periodic check-in is a good idea. Have your personal circumstances changed? Do you have more or less availability than you have had in the past? Are there new locations you seek to work in? All of this information will help you and your recruiter build a plan to keep you happily employed throughout the year.

The HealthCare Blog > Tech.  Long focused on “big” healthcare system issues, this granddaddy of healthcare blogs also devotes a lot of space to technology and its practical use.  Featuring guest posts from leading edge thinkers, EMRs and social media are popular current topics. http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/tech/

Medgadget.  A self-described “independent journal of the latest medical gadgets, technologies and discoveries.”   Medgadget covers leading edge medical technology—often big ticket devices—but rounds its coverage nicely with reviews of everything from medical iPhone apps to health-related video games.  http://www.medgadget.com

Mobile Health Computing by Dr. Joseph Kim.  Voluminous, short daily posts on mobile computer solutions for the physician office.  Video clips and vendor news updates on PC tablets and a separate blog dedicated to smartphones.  http://www.mobilehealthcomputing.com/

Neil Versel’s Healthcare IT blog.  Neil covers healthcare IT as a journalist for several online and print outlets and shares news and observations on industry trends on his personal blog.   http://clinicalit.blogspot.com/

EfficientMD.  Subtitled “lifehacks for healthcare,” this blog from a practicing nephrologist offers practical, quick tips aimed at increasing physician productivity.  Posts vary from efficiency tips for doctors on call to the benefits of electronic stethoscopes.  http://efficientmd.blogspot.com/

It can be a little daunting and you may feel, well, a little out of place.  

Fortunately, no matter how long or short your assignment, the hospital where you are working is invested in your success.  So most will do what they can to orient you and integrate you into their team as quickly as possible.

At some hospitals, you’ll participate in a formal orientation program.  These programs are helpful, but can vary from location to location in terms of quality and duration.  On some assignments, your orientation will be comprehensive, while on others, it may be brief and somewhat informal–so be prepared for all of these possibilities.

One approach to hit the ground running is to be pro-active in your information gathering.  Try using a self-orientation checklist to ensure that you know everything you need to know to be successful in your locum tenens assignment.  Our Chief Medical Officer recommends the list below as a starting point for hospitalists.  If you’re in a different specialty or work outside of a hospital, you can modify this list accordingly.

A final tip:  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It shows interest on your part and a commitment to quality patient care.

Orientation to the Hospital
 Program Office
 ICU
 ED
 Physicians Lounge
 On-Call Room
 Medical/ Surgical Units

Orientation to the Medical Records
 CPOE  Brief version(if appropriate)
 Review of normal patient chart
 Standardized Orders – access and use
 How to retrieve old records
 MAR/Pharmacy records access
 Patient Documentation

Billing System Orientation
 Online orientation for electronic system, if available
 Paper based system explanation/workflow

Medical Director Briefing
 Job specific requirements:
      Pre-op clinic
      Code coverage
      Procedures
      “Special” admissions for hospitalist program
      Rapid Response Team
 Key medical staff relationships
 Case management interface, if appropriate
 Patient Handoff Process

Luckily, there are many resources that help explain the basics of locum tenens work, including this recent article featured on the career center at the NEJM.  In the article, author Bonnie Darves addresses common myths surrounding locum tenens.  See for yourself whether you agree or disagree with these statements:

Myth:  Locum opportunities are scarce or limited to undesirable locations. 

Reality:  Assignments are available in most parts of the country–in rural, suburban, and urban locales, and in varied types of practice environments, notes Darves.

Myth: The locum lifestyle suits most physician personality types.

Reality:  According to Darves, locums practice may be “a poor fit for physicians who either require a great deal of direction or desire a consistent work structure.” Conversely, she writes that being personable and prepared to fit in are key attributes for locum tenens success.

Myth:  Locum tenens attracts doctors with spotty work histories or competency issues.

Reality: “This is far from the truth,” says the author. “Physicians who work locums must have a good practice record and documentable skills and are as thoroughly vetted by hiring agencies as their counterparts seeking permanent positions. In addition, surveys show that hiring facilities routinely rate locums’ skills as very good.”

Myth: Locum tenens doctors won’t be accepted by full-time colleagues at the hiring facility.

Reality:  This might have been an issue three decades ago, says Darves, but that rarely happens now. “For the most part, colleagues are often so desperate for help or so concerned about the impact of short staffing on patient care that they welcome locums physicians wholeheartedly. Ideally, the physician contemplating a several-month assignment will have had either on-site or extensive phone discussions with prospective physician colleagues.”

At Locum Leaders, we can help you separate myth from reality and find a suitable match for your career and lifestyle goals.  Contact us today to assist you in your job search.

RadarGolf.  If your tee shots find the trees more often than the fairway, then RadarGolf may be for you.  Using tiny sensors inside USGA-conforming golf balls, the RadarGolf system comes with a handheld receiver tuned to listen for an audio signal from the ball. The signal gets louder as you hone in on your wayward ball.  $179.99 at intheholegolf.com.

Callaway idTECH Rangefinder.  Forget hard-to-find yardage markers.  This precision scope has a measurement range of up to 550 yards (+/- one yard accuracy) and incline/decline technology, which adjusts yardage for up or down slopes. An external LCD view shows the range, angle and compensation yardage needed for your shot. $429.95 at CallawayGolf.com.

Adams Idea Tech a4OS Hybrids.  If you haven’t put a hybrid (or two) in your golf bag yet, then start with the brand billed as the “#1 hybrid on tour.”  The Idea Tech a40S (available in Men’s and Women’s) promises more forgiveness, higher ball flights and extra distance.  $119.95 at Edwin Watts Golf.

Evolve epoch golf tees.  This is truly a ‘green tee.’ Manufactured from biocomposite material that is 100% biodegradable, the Epoch is less likely to break compared to wooden tees. This performance golf tee has small posts that span the width of a golf ball dimple, lowering friction at impact, while increasing ball speed and control.  50 pk $5.95 at Intheholegolf.com

• Curriculum Vitae – (Month and Year format throughout with time gap explanations)
• References (a minimum of three opinions), in the provider’s specialty area (preferred) who can attest to the provider’s clinical skills, rapport with patients and co-workers and professional past. References should be able to attest that they have worked with the provider within the last two years.
• Medical School Diploma or Nursing and CRNA Program Diploma
• Internship, Residency and Fellowship Certificates or CRNA Certificate
• Verification of Board Certification or Board Eligibility Letter
• Verification of All State Medical Licenses
• ECFMG Certificate, if applicable
• Verification of DEA
• Verification of State Controlled Substance Permits
• Current CMEs, if available
• BLS, BCLS, ACLS, ATLS, PALS, if available
• Previous Certificate of Insurance, if available
• Case Logs, if available
• Copies of immunization records and TB screening records (PPD and Chest X-Ray, if applicable)
• Medicaid, Medicare, NPI and CAQH number, if available
• Explanation of any malpractice claim regardless of whether the claim was dismissed, settled out of court, pending, or judgment

It’s a good idea to have all of this documentation together in one place to speed access.  Some locum jobs are urgent opportunities, so your ability to provide this information quickly can impact whether or not you are a viable candidate for a role. 

Having scans of this information for electronic transmission can offer more convenience and time savings.  Locum Leaders offers a secure, password-protected area where you can upload and maintain your documentation.  To assist you, our internal credentialing team works closely with you and the client healthcare facility.

As a physician, you may enjoy a high-paying career, which is attractive to lenders.  Still, it’s important to know that your income level is irrelevant to your credit score. 

Why Your Score is Important
As explained in this overview from MSNBC finance writer Herb Weisbaum, your credit score “is a three digit number that summarizes the real-time information on your credit report. It ranks you with other consumers according to your risk, on a scale of 300 to 850, where higher scores mean less risk of future defaults.”

All lenders use credit information differently, but consumers with the highest credit scores may get preferred access to the most favorable lending rates.  On the other end of the spectrum, consumers with low credit scores can be denied credit or forced to accept higher rates. 

Adding it Up
To stay on top of your score and ensure that it remains high, it helps to know what factors go into the calculation. According to SmartMoney.com, these are the five major factors that impact a credit score:

Do you pay your bills on time?   This is the single most important factor, which accounts for 35% of your credit score. 

How much do you owe relative to your total credit limit?  This is also a major factor, representing 30% of your score. A recommended benchmark here is to keep your balances from surpassing 30% of your total credit line.

How long have you been borrowing?  A longer credit history is preferred.  As a result, older borrowers generally score higher in this category, which represents 15% of your total credit score.

Is your credit still expanding?   Said another way, are you applying for credit with alarming frequency?  Lenders are wary of borrowers who apply for too much credit in a short time frame.  (10% of your score)

Do you have credit diversity?  In addition to credit cards, do you have a mortgage, a car loan, etc?  Successfully managing different types of credit is a positive in the eyes of credit rating agencies. (10% of your score)

To fully understand your credit score, you need to know what your current score is (it changes).  You can access this information online at several popular websites, the best known of which is www.freecreditreport.com

If you fly to your locum tenens assignments, you obviously have to take luggage with you, but you don’t have to check it!  A single, tightly-packed bag that fits into the overhead compartment is all you need to avoid unnecessary fees. 

To help you pack smart and travel light, we turned to the web and found helpful advice from a couple of personal packing gurus, Doug Dymant and Susan Foster.  Among their tips:

Start with a personal packing list.  A packing list serves a couple of purposes, says Dymant, who writes at www.onebag.com. First, it helps you remember what to bring.  More importantly though, he says, the list acts as “a sort of contract you make with yourself, an agreement that if it’s not on your list, it shouldn’t be in your bag.”

Try bundle wrapping your clothes. This unusual packing technique is best explained in greater depth by Dymant on his website.  It purports to have a couple of benefits.  First, he says, it reduces wrinkling.  Bundling also takes up less space in your bag as compared to traditional folding and stacking of individual garments. 

Plan your wardrobe.  Let go of the idea of wearing a different outfit each day, writes Foster on her website, SmartPacking.com. Instead, she says, pack interchangeable pieces based on one basic color and plan to wear each piece more than once.  Two pairs of dark slacks plus one jacket plus four shirts/blouses should get you through a week on the road.

Choose thin items over thick. A turtleneck plus a cardigan sweater is warmer, more versatile, and packs smaller than a sweatshirt or bulky sweater, writes Foster.

Both authors also stress that you check ahead of time to ensure that you know your airline’s requirements for checked and carry-on luggage sizes and weights.