LocumLife - August 2008 - (Page 10)

RESOURCES Residency corner Job search tips from industry insiders A calling to care As her family practice residency in osteopathic medicine drew to a close, Doede Donaugh, DO, found herself drawn to the locum tenens lifestyle. Amy Sutton “ That night, she received a call from an enthusiastic recruiter at Staff Care, headquartered in Irving, Texas. After considering different matches, Dr. Donaugh chose to provide services at a hospitalaffiliated clinic in a small western town of about 6,000 residents. The facility had been searching for a permanent physician since March 2007 and was using locum tenens practitioners to cover in the interim. “That contract was with a multispecialty primary care clinic which included family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and a few other subspecialties,” explains Dr. Donaugh, who is accompanied on location by her Pomeranians, Skosh and Aiko, and best friend. “I mainly practiced at the outpatient clinic from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and provided call coverage admitting patients 2 days a week at the 40-bed hospital. The 1/7 call rotation included evening call during the week and Friday night through Monday morning when covering a weekend.” Serving a diverse population, she cared for newborns through geriatric patients. “I treated anything from colds, to diabetes, to high blood pressure and urgent care needs,” she notes. “In addition, I cared for a few patients from the local nursing home, and I admitted several patients who were suffering from such problems as chest pain, ketoacidosis, and alcoholism.” Though the facility was situated in true cowboy country, the patient demographics also included a Hispanic migrant population, which posed somewhat of a challenge for Dr. Donaugh. “Even after living in a predominately Hispanic section of the Southeast for 7 years, I only know enough Spanish to A fter talking to a first-year resident one night about locum tenens and reading LocumLife,” says Dr. Donaugh, “I began to seriously consider this practice option.” While researching her career options, Dr. Donaugh, who has a subspecialty in osteopathic manipulative medicine, felt impelled to give locum tenens a try. “Having the flexibility to take that kind of ‘no risk’ obligation along with the adventure of being able to just pick up and go to different places interested me a lot, especially since I like to travel, too.” THE CHOICE TO GO WEST In June 2007, Dr. Donaugh completed her locum tenens application online, with an expressed interest in opportunities in the West, Southeast, and Midwest. get by,” she conveys. “Fortunately, the migrant facility offered assistance from interpreters, who facilitated communications with my patients.” Entering a practice setting for the first time can be intimidating, but Dr. Donaugh says that her relationships with colleagues went a long way in smoothing her transition.“The hospital’s floor nurses, the four family practice physicians, and the internal medicinepediatric specialist were all very supportive. They realized I was new and just out of residency. If I had any questions, they were always ready to help and were very nice. It is such a laid back community. I got that kind of feeling from all of the people who were there, whether physicians, nurses, patients, or staff.” TEST DRIVING A PRACTICE SETTING Initially, her temporary contract was for 3 months, but Dr. Donaugh enjoyed the relationships so much that she extended the opportunity for another 8 months, with a 1-month break for travel in early 2008 to tour Israel with her sister and best friends and to drive across the United States. “Most facilities are pretty flexible about giving you time off. Plus, if you are in between engagements, you have the opportunity to take a break before starting another contract. You probably would not be able to do that in a permanent situation, especially during your first year of employment. Because of locum tenens, I am able to travel and www.LocumLife.com SAGE ADVICE ● Prepare and choose locum tenens opportunities by the last year of residency ● Seek guidance and teaching from more experienced medical personnel ● Immerse yourself in the cultural offerings near your locum tenens practice ● Develop experience in treating diverse patient populations ● Embrace the adventure without permanent obligations 10 LocumLife AUGUST 2008 http://www.LocumLife.com

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LocumLife - August 2008 Insights Editorial Contents From Nalto Stat! Survey Says Resources Last-Minute Luxury Residency Corner Prescribed Advice Urgent Care Career Center Advertisers' Index Opportunities Direct Destinations Passport Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - August 2008

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