Wondering whether a permanent physician or a locum doctor is the right fit for you? Learn which arrangement best aligns with your aspirations.

<p>
  You may know immediately – without question – whether being a permanent physician 
  or a locum doctor is the right fit for you. If you’re on the fence, we’re here to help. 
  Follow these three steps 
  to determine which arrangement best aligns with your aspirations.
</p>


<h2>1. Reflect on your wants and needs regarding your career as a doctor.</h2>
<p>Consider for a moment your short- and long-term career and life goals, 
  personality type, relationships, stage of life, clinical interests, personal hobbies, 
  and general preferences:
</p>

<ul>
    <li> Do you value freedom and flexibility or certainty and security and more? </li>
    <li> Are you an “adventurer,” yearning to continually explore new places, or a “nester,”
       preferring the comfort of your home and surrounding community? </li>
    <li> What is your family life like? Are you single? Do you have a spouse? What 
      about children? Aging parents? Pets? </li>
    <li> Are you just starting your career, midway through, or approaching retirement? </li>
    <li> Do you want to learn from other providers and facilities or establish yourself 
      as a local leader in your field? </li>
    <li> Would you rather meet new people frequently or build deeper relationships with 
      a small group of colleagues? </li>
    <li> Do you prefer bold, adrenaline-producing hobbies like rock climbing, 
      backpacking, or white-water rafting in your spare time, or do you enjoy calm, 
      soul-renewing hobbies like reading, painting, or gardening? </li>
    <li> Do you love to travel, or do you consider it an inconvenience? </li>
</ul>


<h2>2. Decide whether your answers align with a permanent position or a career as a 
  locum doctor.
</h2>

<p> Read the following traits of having a position as a permanent doctor. Then, read the 
  characteristics of establishing a career as a locum doctor. One should resonate 
  more with you than the other. Remember that you won’t be locked into either forever 
  if you’re unhappy. You can always make changes to suit your lifestyle, and your 
  preferences may change drastically over your lifetime.
</p>


<h3>Permanent Physicians…</h3>
  <ul>
    <li> Are considered employees </li>
    <li> Work indefinitely or until the contract ends </li>
    <li> Generally have a set schedule </li>
    <li> Work for one healthcare system, organization, or practice </li>
    <li> Have benefits like dental, medical, 401k match, etc. </li>
    <li> Enjoy a predictable, stable paycheck </li>
    <li> Have social security and taxes withdrawn from paycheck and paid to IRS by employer </li>
    <li> Can forge long-term connections with colleagues  </li>
    <li> Can guild long-term relationships with patients and community </li>
    <li> Can influence administrative decisions  </li>
    <li> Enjoy the comforts of living in one location </li>
    <li> Can deeply establish themselves in their setting and specialty </li>
    <li> Can more easily build a growing family and won’t have to travel for work </li>
    <li> Are obligated to their contract and cannot evaluate the job first to see if 
      they like it </li>
    <li> May have additional stressors due to administrative work, practice politics, etc. </li>
  </ul>

  <h3>Locum Doctors…</h3>
  <ul>
      <li> Are considered independent contractors </li>
      <li> Can choose their assignment lengths, from days to months at a time </li>
      <li> Can easily opt for different schedules – part- to full-time, day or night, 
        weekdays, or weekends 
      </li>
      <li> Get to travel, either locally or nationally </li>
      <li> Are generally paid an hourly rate  </li>
      <li> Receive limited benefits, but usually malpractice coverage, travel/lodging 
        reimbursement </li>
      <li> Enjoy flexibility, freedom, and autonomy </li>
      <li> Must pay social security and taxes directly to the IRS </li>
      <li> Are exposed to various facilities and providers, can get a wide range of 
        experience </li>
      <li> Can reach a great number of patients, even in remote or underserved areas </li>
      <li> Need to adapt to different electronic health records systems and procedures 
        quickly </li>
      <li> Enjoy traveling and seeing various parts of the country </li>
      <li> Can assess different work settings, atmospheres and specialties </li>
      <li> Can retire from full-time work but enjoy practicing part-time  </li>
      <li> Enjoy freedom from administrative burdens and practice politics </li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Get connected with an agency that offers both permanent and locum positions. </h2>
<p>When you work with an experienced recruiter at a trusted <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/from-residency-through-retirement-how-a-staffing-agency-can-enhance-your-medical-career?" target="_blank">agency</a>, 
you can learn even more about the differences between permanent and locum positions. Look for a recruiter 
  who clearly cares about your clinical interests, preferred location and schedule and 
  quality of life. Find an agency with options nationwide (if you prefer to travel) 
  or nearby (if you want to stay near home). 
</p>

<p> The best companies specializing in locum tenens and permanent physician placement 
  have decades of experience, offer various arrangements, including locums, locums to 
  perm, and permanent placement, and are highly rated within the industry. They also 
  have a team of experts skilled in recruiting, <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/interstate-medical-licensure-compact-updates-for-2024?" target="_blank">licensing</a>, 
  credentialing, travel, 
  onboarding, etc. They’ll walk you through the entire process, and if you’re working 
  locums, line up a new job for you before the current one even ends. Plus, the best 
  agencies have technology and streamlined processes designed to make life easy for you.
</p>

<p>Whether you want to work as a locum doctor or permanent physician, to find the best 
  agencies, search online, read reviews, and ask colleagues who they’ve used. 
</p>

<p> Get started with <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/locums" target="_blank">Cross 
Country Locums!</a>
</p>


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