Five years post-COVID: what’s changed… and what hasn’t?
Welcome to Locums CME 54, Locumpedia’s bi-weekly news roundup that helps physicians and APPs maximize their locum tenens lifestyle.
Our lead story: It’s been five years since the pandemic reshaped how we deliver care, but for many providers, the pace hasn’t slowed long enough to reflect on what’s stuck. Fierce Healthcare asked a dozen experts to name the shifts that lasted, the fads that fizzled, and the trends now taking root. Providers gained overdue visibility and a stronger voice, but burnout still lingers, and pre-pandemic stressors haven’t exactly disappeared. Cautious optimism around tech and AI is paired with concerns about privacy, ethics, and uneven regulation.
Also in this edition of Locums CME: Healthcare staffing powerhouse Aya Healthcare announces the passing of its young founder, new physicians are leaving their first jobs faster than ever, and one doctor is using AI to bridge patient care gaps. Plus, we have quick tips for new assignments and real-world recipes for staying sharp in remote locations.
5 Years After COVID-19, the Healthcare Industry Still Isn’t the Same
April 3 | Fierce Healthcare
It’s been five years since COVID upended how we work, live, and practice medicine, and for healthcare providers, some of those changes are still unfolding. Fierce Healthcare asked a dozen experts to reflect on the trends that stuck, the ones that fizzled, and what could be coming next. The short version? Healthcare’s evolved, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
On the bright side, providers finally got more visibility and a louder voice. Mental health resources expanded. New care models like hospital-at-home and community-based staffing gained traction. But while burnout is trending down, it’s still higher than pre-pandemic levels, and experts warn it will stay that way without real investment in people and systems. Progress needs protection.
Meanwhile, tech moved fast. Telehealth went mainstream. AI scribes and chatbots hit workflows at lightning speed. But with innovation came growing pains, like privacy gaps, uneven oversight, and a very real risk of worsening disparities. If we want a better future, the fix isn’t more tech; it’s smarter, more intentional tech. Five years out, the question isn’t whether the system changed. It’s whether we’ve learned enough to change with it.
Aya Healthcare Mourns the Loss of Founder Alan Braynin, Names New CEO Amid $615M Acquisition Deal
May 5 | Staffing Industry Analysts
Aya Healthcare founder Alan Braynin has passed away following a battle with cancer, just a short while after stepping down as CEO to serve in an advisory role. In a company statement, Braynin was remembered as “a visionary leader, philanthropist and entrepreneur” whose impact on the business and healthcare worlds “improved countless lives and communities.”
Under Braylin’s leadership, Aya grew to become the US’s largest healthcare staffing firm, known for its healthcare staffing platform and technology strategy.
Emily Hazen, Aya’s former COO and longtime VP of process optimization, is stepping into the CEO role. Hazen has played a critical role in Aya’s meteoric rise, most recently helping the firm earn a spot as Staffing Industry Analysts’ ninth-fastest growing company of 2024.
This leadership transition comes during a pivotal moment for Aya. The company is in the middle of acquiring Cross Country Healthcare in a deal valued at roughly $615 million, a transaction that is slated to close in the second half of 2025.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Going Locum and Loving It
April 14 | Wapiti Medical Staffing
Thinking about taking the leap into locum tenens? You’re not alone. More physicians are exploring flexible, assignment-based work, but knowing where to start can be the hardest part. Wapiti Medical Staffing recently laid out a practical game plan to help you make a smooth transition (without pulling your hair out in the process).
First things first: make sure you’ve got the standard qualifications covered: an MD or DO, completed residency, an active state license, and board eligibility or certification. From there, get clear on what you actually want. Outline your ideal locations, schedules, and types of facilities so you can align future gigs with your lifestyle, not the other way around. Polish your CV, line up references, and prep your credentials in advance to move quickly when the right role comes along. And don’t skip the agency step: finding the right locums partner can make or break your experience when it comes to licensing, travel, and negotiating the finer details.
Locum tenens offers a front-row seat to a more flexible career, especially for newly trained docs who want real-world experience without long-term strings. Whether you’re testing out different settings, escaping hospital bureaucracy, or chasing better work-life balance, locum work allows you to choose your own path.
APPs Are Taking a Larger Role in Specialty Care
April 22 | LocumTenens.com
APPs aren’t just filling gaps; they’re running the show in more internal medicine subspecialties than ever. From cardiology to GI, NPs and PAs are taking the lead on rounding, post-op care, and chronic condition management, freeing physicians to focus on high-complexity procedures and strategy. And hospitals are catching on: smart staffing means putting APPs where they make the biggest impact.
But this shift isn’t just clinical. APPs are stepping into leadership roles, streamlining discharges, and helping drive surgical workflows. A new wave of acute-care-trained providers is teaming up with experienced mentors, creating an opportunity to rethink how teams are built and who’s leading them.
If health systems want to stay competitive, they must ditch outdated assumptions and invest in APPs as strategic leaders, not just support. That means mentorship, professional development, and roles that reflect the full scope of your training, not just the paperwork no one else wants.
How Locum Tenens Providers Can Adapt Quickly to New Assignments
April 22 | AB Staffing Solutions
Starting a new assignment? A little preparation goes a long way. AB Staffing Solutions recently released a straightforward guide on adapting to a new role, whether you’re a seasoned locum tenens professional or new to the lifestyle.
Before day one, scout your commute, scan any onboarding materials, and talk to colleagues who’ve worked at the facility. Doing a dry run or reviewing the layout in advance can help you walk in ready, not rattled. Once you’re on site, make it a point to introduce yourself, ask thoughtful questions about their protocols, and get comfortable with the team’s workflow. Even if the EMR system looks familiar, assume it’s been customized, take notes, and ask for tips early. And remember, your recruiter is still in your corner for everything from housing hiccups to on-the-ground logistics.
When the assignment wraps, don’t just clock out and move on. Take a beat to reflect: What worked? What didn’t? Document key wins for your CV and share feedback with your recruiter to dial in future matches. Staying curious, coachable, and communicative turns a good assignment into a great one and keeps your career moving in the direction you want.
Why Do New Providers Leave Their First Jobs So Soon?
April 16 | Physicians Weekly
New physicians aren’t sticking around, and who can blame them? A recent MGMA and Jackson Physician Search survey found that most physicians who’ve finished training since 2018 left their first job in under two years. The message is clear: a decent salary isn’t enough. Early-career doctors want a say in how care is delivered, how AI is used, and how their careers evolve. When those conversations don’t happen, they’re out.
The biggest deal-breakers? Weak compensation packages and opaque governance structures. On the flip side, physicians were more likely to stay put when organizations offered transparency, solid benefits, and a collaborative approach to leadership. With younger doctors more fluent in emerging tech, ignoring their voice in AI planning is a fast track to turnover.
If you’re in your first few years of practice, or advising someone who is, the AMA has tools to help, including contract resources and its Young Physicians Section. However, the takeaway for employers is just as important: listen early, evolve often, and don’t assume your newest hires will settle for outdated systems.
Physician Wellness Retreat
Burnout Isn’t Just Personal: This Doctor Proves It’s Structural
April 27 | KevinMD
When medicine stopped feeling meaningful, Dr. Alen Voskanian stepped back, reevaluated, and found a better way forward. In an interview with KevinMD, he shares how the emotional toll of caring for HIV/AIDS patients early in his career nearly pushed him out of medicine. But a shift to palliative care gave him space to reconnect with patients, rediscover his purpose, and finally feel like his work mattered again.
That clarity didn’t come from a mindfulness app or a burnout webinar; it came from recognizing that most burnout isn’t about personal weakness. It’s structural. Voskanian saw that the real problem was the broken system: inbox overload, admin chaos, and short-staffed teams. So, he leveled up, earned an MBA, stepped into leadership, and started pushing for operational changes that move the needle. Think dyad models, better workflows, and lessons borrowed from industries like aviation.
His advice to other providers? Sure, get sleep, take a walk, and breathe between cases, but don’t stop there. Get involved. Push back. Find work that reconnects you to your “why,” and fight for a system that lets you practice medicine without losing yourself in the process.
The Real Cost of Ignoring Physician Mental Health
April 22 | The White Coat Investor
Physicians and APPs are often praised for their resilience, but when that “tough it out” mindset becomes the norm, it can stop them from getting the help they need. In a candid essay for White Coat Investor, Dr. Julie Alonso calls out the hidden toll of untreated mental illness in medicine. When high-performing professionals push through depression or addiction without support, the fallout hits hard, not just emotionally, but professionally and financially.
Unchecked mental health issues can lead to missed work, medical errors, malpractice claims, or even impulsive financial decisions. And yet, many physicians avoid seeking help out of fear of stigma, losing their license, or not having time. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. More state medical boards are shifting their language to focus on impairment rather than diagnosis, opening the door to safer, more compassionate care pathways.
The message is clear: protecting your mental health is as strategic as protecting your paycheck. Small steps can make a big difference, whether it’s therapy, peer support, or getting back to basics like sleep and movement. You can’t care for others if you’re running on empty, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Field-Tested Meals for Even the Most Remote Assignments
April 25 | Wilderness Medical Staffing
When locum providers head into remote territory, food becomes more than a necessity; it’s a survival skill, a morale booster, and often, a form of connection. In a new article from Wilderness Medical Staffing, Alaska-based physicians share the hearty, hackable meals that keep them going on the job.
A few highlights include a caribou-infused Cabin Comfort Pie, a hearty halibut-and-mac meal, and a sweet bake-anywhere brownie mix. These dishes reflect both ingenuity and local flavor. Each recipe is adapted for long travel days, limited refrigeration, and staff housing kitchens, making them as useful for rural Montana as for a tiny island village off Kodiak.
This roundup doesn’t just deliver meals; it shares the lived experiences behind them. Providers trade canned goods for salmon, whip up homemade yogurt with shelf-stable supplies, and freeze full meals weeks in advance for remote assignments. Alongside easy recipes like Slow-Simmer Spicy Stew and Pack-Lite Peanut Cookies are smart packing tips and bartering advice straight from the field. Whether meal-prepping 30 dinners or negotiating for fresh moose meat, these stories show that feeding yourself well on assignment is just part of the adventure.
Doctor’s Notes
A Passionate PA Makes the Case for Going Rural
April 24 | Medscape
Sydney Kasner spent nearly a decade witnessing what broken access looks like in small-town medicine before she decided enough was enough. As an X-ray tech in a small Oregon town, she watched patients lose access to care each time a provider left. Tired of watching the cycle repeat, she decided to change the story. Kasner launched the Rural Medicine Panel for PA and Pre-PA Students, drawing over 200 attendees and sparking conversations about the challenges and the huge rewards of practicing in underserved communities.
Her message lands with conviction: rural medicine isn’t a fallback, it’s a career with purpose. From tighter patient relationships to more diverse clinical work (plus a few financial perks like loan repayment), rural practice can be meaningful and sustainable. Currently, fewer than 7% of PAs work in rural areas, but providers from underserved or rural backgrounds are far more likely to fill that gap. By bringing rural care into the spotlight early, Kasner is helping future PAs reframe what it means to make a difference, one zip code at a time.
How Physicians Are Using AI To Close Patient Care Gaps
April 24 | Healthcare IT News
Dr. Bernard Schayes was spending too much time chasing overdue screenings and not enough time with patients. In his New York City practice, gaps in preventive care weren’t just frustrating; they were dragging down outcomes and burning out his team. So, he turned to AI. The result? A care coordination tool that flags at-risk patients, automates outreach, and cuts the paperwork grind without cutting corners.
Now, Schayes records visits in real time with a patient-visible mic, and the AI generates accurate notes and codes. Say goodbye to hours lost to documentation. His team can text, email, or call patients to close gaps faster, and predictive analytics help catch trends early, whether it’s elevated A1Cs or heart risk in an EKG. Schayes says the shift has improved efficiency and completely changed how he practices. And for providers staring down inbox fatigue and value-based care targets, this might be where medicine is headed next.
An APP’s Guide To Doing Locums as a Sustainable Career
April 25 | MPLT Healthcare
For many APPs, career satisfaction starts with one decision: take back your time. Locum tenens lets you do exactly that. You can choose when and where you work, take time off between assignments, and skip the burnout that often comes with rigid full-time roles. Whether traveling, recharging, or spending time with family, locum flexibility makes room for real balance.
It doesn’t hurt that the pay is strong, either. Many locum gigs come with travel and housing covered, and assignments in high-need areas often come with even higher rates. If you’re working on student loans, saving for a big life move, or just want more financial breathing room, this path makes it doable without locking you into a long-term contract.
And then there’s the clinical side. Locum work keeps things interesting. You can rotate through rural facilities, hospital systems, or specialty practices and walk away with sharper skills, plus a few surprises about where you want to take your career next. For APPs who want freedom, variety, and long-term satisfaction, locum tenens is more than just a backup plan.
More NPs Are Branching Out From Traditional Career Paths
April 22 | Comp Health & Talented Ladies Club
If you’re a nurse practitioner looking for your next move, the good news is: you’ve got options. From family practice to subspecialty care, telehealth to military service, NPs are stepping into more roles than ever. According to the AANP, nearly 70% of NPs go into family medicine, but there’s a growing demand in acute care, psych, women’s health, and hospital-based roles like cardiology and GI. Wherever patients need care, NPs are showing up and stepping up.
What’s more, today’s NP careers go far beyond clinical work. Locum tenens offers unmatched flexibility, giving providers control over their schedule and location. Many use it to travel, take career breaks, or supplement their full-time income. Others are carving out paths in healthcare leadership, education, consulting, and even political advocacy. From bartering policy with lawmakers to building NP programs abroad, they are shaping the system, not just working in it.
Whether you’re new to the field or ready to shake things up, now’s the time to rethink what an NP career can look like. These roles pay the bills and offer purpose, autonomy, and room to grow. And if you’re burned out, boxed in, or just curious, exploring something like locum tenens could be the smartest step you’ve ever taken.
Sponsored Content
The Difference Between Occurrence and Claims-Made Malpractice Insurance
April 15 | Cancer Carepoint
Malpractice insurance isn’t optional, especially for oncology providers working locum tenens gigs. With frequent job changes and long-term patient care, coverage gaps are more likely than not if you don’t know what you’re signing up for. The two main policy types, occurrence and claims-made, work very differently, and it pays to know how they work.
Occurrence policies have your back even after you leave the job; no tail coverage needed. They’re harder to find and more expensive upfront, but they offer real peace of mind. Claims-made coverage, on the other hand, only protects you while the policy is active. If something surfaces after you leave, you’re on the hook unless you’ve paid extra for tail coverage, which covers you for a set time after your initial plan ends. That’s a big deal in oncology, where complications can appear months or years later.
For locums, it gets even trickier. If you’re under a group policy with shared limits, your individual protection might be thinner than you think. Some staffing groups, including Cancer CarePoint, now offer individual occurrence-based policies designed for locum roles, which can save you from financial whiplash down the road. Bottom line? Understand your coverage, match it to your career style, and never assume “standard” means safe.
What Can Internal Medicine Providers Expect To Earn in 2025?
April 30 | OnCall Solutions
Thinking about your next move in internal medicine? Whether you’re an MD, NP, or PA, the 2025 salary data shows one thing loud and clear: flexibility pays. Contract roles like locum tenens, telehealth, and moonlighting continue to offer higher rates than traditional positions, especially in high-demand regions or underserved communities. Internal medicine physicians working locum earn around 30% more than their permanently employed peers, while specialists in fields like endocrinology, rheumatology, and GI can command locum rates of $250–$330 per hour.
One of the most important takeaways is that location still matters. Physicians in Alaska earn as much as $402K annually, thanks to persistent provider shortages, and rural areas across the South and Midwest are shelling out serious signing bonuses to attract contractors. APPs also see substantial compensation in states like Virginia, California, and New York, with nurse practitioners and physician assistants topping $140K annually in several markets. But even with years of experience, many internists still face modest salary bumps, making locum shifts or telehealth a smart way to boost income without waiting for an annual raise that barely moves the needle.
This guide reinforces what many internal medicine providers already know: how you work matters as much as where or what you practice. If long-term contracts aren’t aligning with your lifestyle or financial goals, it may be time to explore flexible, high-earning options like locum tenens. The opportunities are out there; you just need the right strategy to make the most of them.
