Make your experience as a locum tenens professional a productive and rewarding one by taking some important steps and precautions when selecting a recruiting agency to find positions for you.
How to Choose a Locum Tenen Agency
Recruitment agencies serve important roles for both medical practices and health care professionals looking to fill available positions. When you’re looking for locum tenens opportunities, the first step is to find a reliable agency to help you secure temporary placements. Here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing a locum tenen agency.
Availability of Locations
Not all locum tenen agencies place physicians across the country or anywhere in the world. Look for an agency that offers placements in locations where you’ll likely be able to travel without too much difficulty. It’s just as important to know what you want in terms of temporary work and locations.
Getting to Know You
Partner with an agency that’s going to take the time to know your goals with locum tenens positions and your capabilities so that they can accurately match you with the right hospitals. On a related note, make sure they understand the requirements and certifications unique to your specialty.
Accessibility and Communication
Choose a locum tenen agency with recruiters who are easily accessible if you have any questions or issues with one of your placements. This availability should include any assistance you may need with travel arrangements or sorting out any problems with payment and necessary documents. Accessibility and communication also extend to:
• Letting you know before CVs are sent
• Addressing concerns with facility policies and practices once you have been placed
• Handling licensing and credentialing issues
• Clearly explaining compensation arrangements, including frequency of payment and specifications for overtime and call duties
Understanding Potential Work Environments
Do a little digging to see how much an agency knows about potential places where you may be working. Do they check on things like the general working environment and the overall safety and comfort of physicians and patients? Also, consider agencies that have stipulations in place to allow you to back out of contracts or agreements to work for specific periods if conditions aren’t as described.
You don’t have to settle for one agency exclusively. Be wary of any agency that asks you to agree not to look elsewhere. Most reputable agencies will allow you to maintain multiple relationships so that you’ll have as many opportunities available as possible. Also, avoid any agencies that ask you to pay; it’s the medical facilities that pay for these services.
References:
1. 5 Tips for Choosing a Locum Tenens Recruitment Agency. Available at: “https://www.locumleaders.com/news/career-tips/tips-for-choosing-a-locum-tenens-recruitment-agency/”. Accessed April 18, 2017.
2. 7 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Locum Tenens Staffing Company. Available at “http://www.comphealth.com/resources/locum-tenens/7-questions-to-ask-before-choosing-a-locum-tenens-staffing-company/”. Accessed April 18, 2017.
3. Tips on Selecting Locum Tenen Agencies. Available at: “https://www.nalto.org/tips-selecting-locum-tenens-agencies/”. Accessed April 18, 2017.