Why you Should Consider Rural Locations when Working Locum Tenens
Although large cities may seem fun and glamorous, it is the remote and rural locations that tend to offer the most value. These locations allow you to explore your career and the world in a whole new way. You can net higher pay, provide care to underserved communities, and much more while working in remote locations. Still unsure? Read on to learn why you should consider remote locations when working locum tenens.
1. Ability to Provide Care to Underserved Communities
When you accept locum tenens assignments in remote and rural locations, you gain the opportunity to serve communities with limited access to adequate medical care. In many rural areas, facilities tend to have a shortage of qualified physicians or lack a certain specialist altogether. In fact, the ratio of physicians to patients is 1 to 2,500 in rural areas, and this severely impacts their ability to properly care for patients in the community.
As a result, these areas can greatly benefit from locum tenens, giving you an opportunity to give back in your professional life. As a locum tenens clinician, you can make an immediate impact in these areas by improving the quality of care and providing relief for health teams who may be stressed or overworked due to the shortage.
2. Higher Pay
With the high demand for qualified physicians in rural areas, those working locum tenens have the unique opportunity to negotiate higher salaries. What’s more, the cost of living is lower in these locations compared to larger cities. You’ll most likely pay less for transportation, housing, and amenities when working in rural facilities. This equates to significant cost savings, which can be applied to student loan debt, retirement savings, or any other major expenses.
3. Exposure to Diverse Patients and Styles of Practice
When you work in remote and rural locations, you get to serve a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds. You also get to experience different styles of practice as you provide patients with care. As a result, you will have ample chances to expand your experience with medical procedures and tactics. These varied experiences will give you an advantage as you advance in your medical career.
4. Great Work-Life Balance
As facilities in rural and remote areas have fewer patients to serve each day, you can work at a reasonable pace and spend quality time helping your patients. You can also spend less time at the facility and enjoy a great work-life balance with these rural locum tenens assignments. In many areas like these, there is breathtaking scenery, vast history, and endless opportunities for outdoor adventures. By working locum tenens in rural areas, you will have enough time on your hands to enjoy activities outside of work.
Making the Most of Your Remote Locum Tenens Assignments
Rural locations have more to offer than you can ever believe – unless you experience it for yourself. So, the next time you have a chance to take a rural locum tenens assignment, jump on the opportunity and see where it takes you. To get started, browse our job board for open positions in areas that interest you most.
