Read time: 2 minutes
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: locum tenens is not for everyone.
The contractor lifestyle definitely is not for the faint of heart. It takes a certain personality to deal with the ups and downs of locum contract work.
So let’s specifically flesh out who should and shouldn’t do this.
The traits we want:
- incentive driven
- willing to question assumptions and the status quo
- able to work and excel in new environments
- comfortable going it alone
- willing to try new things
If I had to design the personality that would be the least suited towards this way of going about making a career in medicine, it would be easy.
I’d just take the traits of most physicians (but this can apply to nurses and PA’s as well):
- low in risk taking
- head-down, driven
- long-term goal oriented
- ego-centric
- concerned with appearances
- unlikely to question the status quo
- care about their patients
They don’t look bad at all, but these traits are ideal if you are looking to create a terrific career-physician.
Someone who will grind it out day-in and day-out, help patients, do the extra work, and go the extra mile.
All they need in return is the white coat, the title, and maybe an office.
They are happy to play the part in their personal lives as well by spending ~40% of their income on a mortgage and leasing a black Range Rover Sport (*to be discussed soon).
The traits you have to have
Locum contract work is unique to the standard physician’s personality traits above.
Contractors have to feel comfortable with the uncertainty present in their line of work.
It has to be worth it to them to forgo the legal protections of full-time employment and the benefits.
Alice, from Newsletter #019, is an example of a physician anesthesiologist who probably doesn’t have the stomach for the locum contract life.
But you have to be honest with yourself because not everyone has the personality required to strike out on their own and feel like you are on the riskier path than your colleagues.
Whereas employed friends can be rigid and stuck-in-their-ways, you must be willing to be flexible.
You must question the status quo, otherwise you wouldn’t leave the secure confines of employment for the uncertain contract life.
So the next time you hear a colleague say, “Can you believe these locum/travel/contractor rates? I should do that/You should do that!”… think long and hard about who you are and what you want before making the jump.
Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help:
1) Let’s talk through what choosing your own path through medicine looks like. Over the phone, confidential, free:
https://calendly.com/tonyvullo/20min
2) Free Guides and Resources to Help You Reclaim Your Time and Autonomy:
