LocumLife - March 2009 - (Page 28) RESOURCES Dynamics Professional transitions “As I set forth upon temporary engagements, I not only worked myself out of a funk, but also found myself unexpectedly eager to continue in this itinerant practice.” Turning to locum tenens at retirement I had just turned 65 when unexpectedly and unceremoniously, I found myself out of work. Not yet ready to retire but searching for a new direction in my career, I embraced the locum tenens lifestyle and have never looked back. Lawrence H. Climo, MD n step with so many of my generation, I had been trained as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and then morphed into a psychopharmacologist. I eventually gave up my academic teaching appointment to focus on clinical work. Later, I closed my part-time private office to become medical director of a struggling community clinic. During those 15 years, my focus remained on patient care while I maintained a full clinic caseload. Needless to say, I was shocked when I received a 2-week notice after 18 years of service. In retrospect, I should not have been surprised. I knew that the clinic 28 LocumLife MARCH 2009 I was in financial trouble. Moreover, other full-time psychiatrists were gradually leaving and being replaced by part-time nurse practitioners. I knew it had to do with the bottom line. I had just hoped it was someone else’s bottom line, not that of my clinic. CHANGE IN PLANS So what do you do when the élan of caregiving has all but been eroded away from years of battering by marketplace realities? For me, three things were certain: After over 35 years of service, I was suddenly feeling burned out; I was not ready to retire; and I needed to get away. Thus, it was at this juncture that I ventured into locum tenens. To my surprise, and totally against the grain of lifelong professional instincts, I embraced this practice alternative. As I set forth upon temporary engagements, filling in at facilities in need of psychiatric coverage, I had much to think about (and much to try not to think about). It was during this initial adjustment period that I seemed to have not only worked myself out of a funk, but also found myself unexpectedly eager to continue in this itinerant practice. In the fall of 2003, I took my first foray into locum tenens with Staff www.LocumLife.com http://www.LocumLife.com
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.