LocumLife - February 2009 - (Page 12)

Opening the door lifestyle as a full-time career with no intentions of settling down in one location. “The last category,” she continues, “is made up of those who use locum tenens contracts as a means to filter out the ideal permanent position. They want to take their time in determining whether a specific practice or geographic location is the best fit for them without making a long-term commitment first.” This particular use of locum tenens opportuni“Any temporary ties appears to be popular engagement provides with younger individuals exposure to future who are wrapping up their training programs or who possibilities as well as are still relatively early in would say the ability to scope their careers. “Ione-fourth approximately out unique patient of all our locum tenens-toplacements populations, office permanent are finishingare people who up synergies, and their formal training, or who geographical regions.” have very recently completed it,” notes Ms. Knippenberg. —Annette Knippenberg, CTS, CPC “About three-fourths of our placements are individuals who have been practicing for a while, but who are looking for a change.” Those practitioners transitioning from the role of student to that of full-fledged physicians face many critical decisions, including determining the type of practice to develop and where to geographically plant their roots. “Many new physicians would like to have a position prearranged to completing their residencies or fellowships, so they know where they are going next,” says Ms. Knippenberg. “However, that last year of their educational program is pretty tough without the added stress of conducting interviews and making major life decisions based on somewhat limited information. Onsite interviews make for a good evaluation in the hypothetical, but you do not know if a given practice will be ideal for you until you have logged in numerous shifts.” By taking locum tenens opportunities during the early period of your career, you can sample practices, settings, and locales, which can alleviate some of the stress associated with the unknown. Plus, these various experiences can aid you in refining your professional goals. While you have determined your medical specialty, you most likely spent the majority of your training in an acute care teaching facility. That said, how do you know if that is the environment in which you wish to devote your career? Could you be equally satisfied in an outpatient medical center, or even part of a multi-specialty private group practice? “You can narrow down your preferences by agreeing to locum tenens contracts in a variety of situations. Take advantage of the chance to immerse yourself in different environments,” states Ms. Knippenberg, who notes that the advice holds true for veteran physicians in search of different experiences as well as those relatively new to medicine. “Even if you are in mid-career, looking to advance while holding down a full-time job, you may be able to schedule a weekend or a week’s vacation to try out locum tenens practice. Any temporary engagement provides exposure to future possibilities as well as the ability to scope out unique patient populations, office synergies, and geographical regions.” WILLING TO EXPLORE Eugene Pantangco, MD, could not agree more. “When I finished my fellowship in 2004,” he says, “my wife, Ruth, and I were not sure where we wanted to settle down, but we knew we were tired of cold winters.” The gastroenterologist spent the next year agreeing to locum tenens opportunities in the Southwest and on the West Coast. “I have seen many doctors get out of training and go straight into a practice without ever really developing a personal style of medicine,” he asserts. “They miss out on additional learning. Training does not stop at residency or fellowship. This is why I believe locum tenens is a valuable tool for young physicians.” It was during one of these contracts that Dr. Pantangco, who holds three state licenses, seized www.LocumLife.com The beneﬁts of taking a “test drive” Evaluate practice settings, patient demographics, and colleagues in real-time Gather impressions without making a long-term commitment Assess locations without the cost and stress of relocating Allow potential employers the opportunity to appraise potential candidates Determine professional goals and preferences 12 LocumLife FEBRUARY 2009 http://www.LocumLife.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of LocumLife - February 2009

LocumLife - February 2009 Editorial Insights Contents From Nalto Stat! Money Matters Resources Last-Minute Luxury Opening the Door Med Ec-cerpts Winning the Battle Career Center Advertisers' Index Opportunities Direct Residency Corner Destinations Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - February 2009

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