Locum Lore

Overheard at VISTA

jhong — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The following is one of the funniest email exchanges we have had with a physician working locum tenens with us.

Hi Melanie,

I have kind of an odd request. Do you remember when you sent me the recertification packet? Well it came with a bright green pen that had VISTA's logo on it. I wanted to let you know it was the best pen I've ever used. It fit just right in my hand and I think it actually made my handwriting neater. Sadly, it just ran out of ink. I almost cried. Now every pen I use is just uncomfortable and a pathetic substitute for my dearly departed VISTA pen. My handwriting has also suffered greatly. Is there any way you could find it in your heart to send a few more pens my way? I would greatly appreciate it. The nurses would too, so they can read my orders better, which would benefit the patient too. And in a roundabout way, even VISTA would benefit (better handwriting = fewer medical errors =happier patients = less chance of malpractice lawsuits = lower premiums). You can also think of it as an advertising investment because I'll be sure to sing VISTA's praises to all my colleagues while I'm using it. It'll be a WIN-WIN situation! Let me know if you can help me out. Thanks!
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Hi James,

I am still laughing my head off! With a request like this, how can I say no? The pens are on their way!

Have a great weekend!

Melanie
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Melanie! Oh glorious day! I received the package today and it made me sooooo happy. Woo hoo! Now I have my beloved pen back AND I got a new t-shirt and hat to boot! Thank you thank you thank you! Here's a picture of me with all my new goodies. Enjoy!

James

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Getting what you want, in locums and in life

kabby — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0700

2007 was a big year for me, in many ways. Tossed in among the momentous and the mundane was my decision to train for the Wisconsin Ironman, which was in September. In retrospect, there couldn’t have been a more perfect way to stay focused on what it really takes to get what you want and need out of life. So I offer some 20/20 hindsight as you contemplate a small career transition, a professional 360, or the launch of a bold new personal venture—be it into locum tenens or beyond.

On goals: You have to have the “big one” clearly in mind. But to get there you have to break it down into a series of smaller goals. You don’t bike a Century (100 miles) until you’ve competed in your share of 20-milers. In locum tenens, that could mean trying out a temporary assignment during a vacation or leave, without cutting ties to your practice completely. Or committing to a shorter temporary medical assignment to start, knowing that if you speak up early enough, you can almost always extend your stay.

On support: No one does this alone. For an endurance athlete it takes family, coaches, books, videos, bike mechanics, riding buddies, and at least one dog who won’t let you sleep in on long-run days. The good news here is that locum tenens is all about support—from the team that finds and screens opportunities, to the people who match your skills and interests with those openings, to the travel agents who get you there, to the associates who call to collect your timesheets so you get paid accurately. All it takes is great two-way communication and responsiveness.

On organization: Imagine how easy it is to NOT jump into a cold mountain reservoir for a training swim. Interestingly though, I found that it wasn’t a lack of motivation that most often derailed my training plans, but poor planning. Not enough time, competing commitments, personal distractions. Just like throwing an Ironman into the life mix, locum tenens is a little more complicated than working in the same medical practice year in and year out. It’s important to have a plan and to be very organized. Prioritize and attack the highest priority areas first. Get that locum tenens application filled out, bite the bullet and collect the documents, build a relationship with a locums team—so you can take the “plunge” when the time is right.

On flexibility: Things happen. Sometimes you crash. It’s important not to get so tied up in your original plan that you can’t change strategies. The first year I qualified to run the Boston Marathon I injured myself overtraining. I had to step back and reframe my entire plan—what I saw myself achieving and how I would define success. That’s probably the lesson that helped me most in training for the Ironman. And oh, what a tie there is to locums work! I have been recruiting locum tenens doctors for more than 20 years, and so often the first phone call is, “I only want to go to warm places and I’ll only stay two weeks.” Can I tell you how many of these physicians later sent me email from places like La Grande, Oregon and Athens, Wisconsin raving about the place and the people?

On fun: No goal is worth achieving if it’s not fun. I even heard this from the professional Ironman athletes who ran training camps leading up to the race. It’s their job to do this crazy stuff and the best ones earn some good money, but they never lose sight of the fun. Locums can be a little stressful—with travel and unfamiliar housing and orientations to new facilities and protocols. But it can be the positive stress that makes you remember why you went into medicine in the first place. It’s FUN. Colleagues and patients truly appreciate you. You get to learn from and teach people from all across the country, even the world if you choose international locums. And there is almost always someone willing to help you find the best Thai food or a take-your-breath-away trail to run around the lake.

On celebration: Everything clicked on the day of the Ironman. I was stronger than I expected in the 2.4-mile swim, so I got off to a great start on the 112-mile bike. I knew the bike would be my most challenging leg of the race, so the little boost was appreciated. The miles flew by and my energy just kept building. As crazy as it sounds, I was euphoric by the start of the 26.2-mile run. I finished in 15 hours, 4 minutes, placing 37th in my category. I knew everyone at VISTA was tracking my progress online, and some even managed to catch the web video of me crossing the finish line. To me, every stroke, pedal, and stride was a celebration. It will stay with me forever. Here’s hoping that locum tenens is a great option for you, and that you join us and have this kind of delirious pleasure to look back on after a long and satisfying run of it.

IVUmed Traveling Resident Scholar—apply now for 2008

kabby — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0700

IVUmed, formerly International Volunteers in Urology, is a wonderful organization I am honored to support and serve and a member of the board. IVUmed sends medical teams around the world to teach local providers and provide care to patients with a variety of urological problems, including vesico vaginal fistula, hypospadias, and lymphatic filariasis. Our credo is, “Teach One, Reach Many.”

The IVUmed Traveling Resident Scholar Program gives residents the opportunity to experience urology in a developing world setting. American residents travel with board-certified urologists to partner hospitals abroad to exchange ideas with their hosts and perform procedures such as open stone surgery, benign prostate surgery, hypospadias repair and incontinence procedures.

Residents PGY-3 and above are eligible for the program. If you are interested, please submit the necessary application materials to the IVUmed Program Manager. The application deadline for travel between July 2008 and June 2009 is February 1, 2008. You can find the application and more details at www.IVUmed.com.
2007-2008 Resident Scholar Sites include Mongolia, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Haiti, Nigeria, and Kenya.

"Dr. Terry Cloth calling about local tennis"

theruskolff — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:00:00 -0700

It’s true, in the early days some people thought doctors who worked as locum tenens might be snake-oil salesmen. They questioned our ability to get and hold good jobs and refused to introduce us to their sisters. They said, “What? You’re Dr. Terry Cloth and you’re calling about local tennis?!”

Over the past 30 years I have had the great pleasure of watching the evolution of this unique way to do the work we love. It has become what many of you will agree is the purest form of practice available to physicians today.

Here’s a quick look at how it happened: Shortly after I completed med school in 1976, I joined a group called the Health Systems Research Institute, a non-profit formed by the University of Utah, the Intermountain Regional Medical Program, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Our goal was to develop innovative solutions to rural healthcare challenges. I lead a team that managed 22 clinics and five hospitals in nine western states and had the privilege of serving as team leader for Yellowstone National Park Medical Services.

Yeah, it sounds great, but back then—as now—keeping physicians in these rural practices was really difficult. And the ones we did recruit were at risk of quick burnout because they were on call almost all the time and never felt they could get away from their practices. We realized that we needed a “circuit rider” to provide coverage and give these docs a break with the peace of mind that their patients would be well cared for and their practices managed responsibly. Why not? Episcopalian priests had been doing it for centuries. We realized we were on to something, and went on to establish the first commercial locum tenens company in 1979.

The changes in US demographics, in generational attitudes toward work and careers, in technology, in healthcare worker supply and demand have made the landscape for locum tenens even more inviting and important. The wave has moved well beyond primary care, and physicians in just about every medical specialty are in demand for temporary assignments. International opportunities are opening up in every country with a comparable medical education system. And the work ranges from weekend call to a year or longer, with every option in between. The stigma is gone, replaced by respect from colleagues, appreciation for the much-needed help, and maybe a little envy for the freedom and flexibility locum tenens affords.

On the brink? Take the plunge. You will emerge from your experience with a better understanding of your strengths and priorities, a clear view of your value, and a stronger ability to negotiate for what really matters in the subsequent stages of your career.

Search our current positions available, or contact an experience recruiter to discuss your plans and priorities.