LocumLife - February 2009 - (Page 32)

DESTINATIONS La vita locum Memorable tales from the road A new start Lisa Daggett “ psychiatrists on staff, they are glad for the extra help. I have also forged a nice relationship with the staff, and we receive good support from the other medical specialties.” Dr. Early is responsible for a 40-hour work week, plus one on-call weekend each month. “In the mornings, I make rounds at the hospital, and in the afternoons, I do consults or see patients in our outpatient residential substance abuse treatment program. There is quite a bit of substance abuse here. Many of our patients have chronic pain, often related to back pain, and are struggling with opiate addiction. We often treat them with detoxification and Suboxone. We also see a fair number of patients with alcohol dependence, but very few with methamphetamine addiction or other forms of drug abuse. Photo: Terrence Early, MD When psychiatrist Terrence Early, MD, decided to relocate to the West Coast, he needed some support with his practice options. A fter more than 20 years of working, primarily in academia down South, I wanted to move to a new location and possibly start my own practice. Realizing what a huge undertaking that would be, I looked to temporary staffing agencies for help.” Dr. Early got the assistance he needed from Dallas, Texas-based Delta Locum Tenens. “I hooked up with a wonderful recruiter, who assured me that the area I was considering would meet my needs, including a demand for psychiatrists and a good school for my daughter, who was coming with me. My recruiter—who has been an invaluable resource—found a great contract for me, helped coordinate the move, and located somewhere homey for us to live. She also has made sure that I get reimbursed, in a timely manner, for my hours and monthly rent charges.” The opportunity has been so great, in fact, that more than a year later, Dr. Early is still providing services at the same facility. “I started my first locum tenens opportunity in December 2007, and have been here ever since, extending my stay on a month-to-month basis. I could not be happier with how things have worked out. The city is beautiful, and the hospital is an ideal place to practice.” A GOOD ENVIRONMENT At the small, private facility, Dr. Early is one of three psychiatrists on a 20-bed ward. “My permanent colleagues are extremely supportive and helpful. And since the high cost of living here makes it hard to keep enough “I am delighted with how things have turned out, and I credit locum tenens with getting me started.” —Terrence Early, MD obsessive-compulsive disorder and dementia. And since there is a small pediatrics unit, I consult on pediatric services every now and then.” The mix keeps things interesting for Dr. Early. “Since coming here, I have learned a lot about pain and substance abuse and its association with PTSD, including how to optimally manage these cases. There are many substance abuse treatment centers out there that have a punitive attitude toward the staff, so I consider myself lucky to practice with excellent people here, both in the inpatient unit and the rehab program. Consequently, we have seen good recovery results. “Lately, many medical facilities are besieged by under funding. Fortunately, that is not a problem here, and I have been able to provide high-quality care, which is incredibly rewarding.” A PROMISING FUTURE Today, having found both a city and a facility that he likes, Dr. Early is preparing to make things permanent. “I am happily staying put for the foreseeable future, and will most likely join the hospital staff. Additionally, I am working on my own private practice, and possibly a group practice with my new colleagues. I am delighted with how things have turned out, and I credit locum tenens with getting me started.” L L Lisa Daggett is a freelance writer based in Saugerties, New York. “The unit I am on does not accept involuntary patients,” continues Dr. Early, “so we do not see many patients with schizophrenia. We do, however, care for a lot of folks with bipolar mood disorder, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We also treat a few patients with 32 LocumLife FEBRUARY 2009 www.LocumLife.com 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

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.