Being a skilled clinician is essential, but in 2025, it’s only half the job. To reach patients, physicians need to consider how they present themselves.
Welcome to Locums CME 64, Locumpedia’s bi-weekly news roundup that helps physicians and APPs maximize their locum tenens lifestyle.
Our lead story: Pediatric surgeon Dr. Mary Arbuthnot is proving that locum tenens doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Balancing a full-time military role with part-time assignments, she uses locums to expand her skills, add case variety, and stay connected to patients beyond her home facility. From high-acuity trauma units to early-morning surgeries, her experience shows how flexible work can keep physicians sharp, fulfilled, and inspired without sacrificing stability or purpose.
Also in this edition of Locums CME: Why burnout surveys may be missing the bigger picture, what increasing AI adoption means for providers, and how locums can be a smart first step after residency. Plus, we look at the 10 states with the highest demand for healthcare workers and recap highlights from National APP Week.
How a Pediatric Surgeon Uses Locums to Stay Sharp, Balanced, and Inspired
September 11 | Hayes Locums
Think locum tenens has to be all or nothing? Think again. Dr. Mary Arbuthnot, a military pediatric surgeon, proves that part-time locums can be a game-changing supplement to a full-time role. She started taking weekend assignments to increase case variety, sharpen her skills, and stay clinically active. What began as a practical move soon became a strategic tool for growing her expertise and expanding her influence beyond the walls of her military facility.
Dr. Arbuthnot’s locum shifts often land her in high-acuity environments with NICUs, trauma units, and ECMO services. She’s jumped into life-saving surgeries at 5 a.m. and seen those same kids thriving months later. Beyond the OR, she packs her “go” bag with scrubs, chocolate, and an Operating Room playlist (featuring “Everything is Awesome”) to keep things upbeat even on long nights. Her story challenges the idea that locums is only for career-changers or retirees. For her, it’s a way to stay ready, relevant, and connected.
Her advice to surgeons is to find a locums partner who understands your goals, and don’t be afraid to build your own path. Locums offers high income, a networking engine, a skill-builder, and a reminder that you can be a surgeon and a parent. With the right support, locum tenens can be as flexible and fulfilling as you need it to be.
Your Locums Prescription
Thinking Locums After Residency? Here’s How to Make It Happen
September 17 | Global Medical Staffing
If you’re wrapping up residency or fellowship and itching for more flexibility, locum tenens might be the move. Whether you’re looking to pay off loans faster, test-drive a facility before accepting a permanent position, or take your skills abroad, locums gives you options without the long-term commitment. In a recent CareerMD webinar, Global Medical Staffing teamed up with Dr. Michael Jones to break down what early-career physicians need to know before jumping in.
Locum assignments can last a few days or several months and offer competitive pay, autonomy, and variety. However, you’ll also need to prepare for the administrative side, which involves tracking expenses, planning for taxes, and managing your own benefits as a 1099 contractor. A seasoned recruiter can help navigate licensing, credentialing, and even housing, so you’ll definitely want one. Dr. Jones, for instance, landed a dream assignment in New Zealand right out of residency, and his recruiter handled everything from flights to internet setup.
Not sure where to start? Set your goals, get your documents in order, and connect with a reputable agency early, especially if you’re considering an international assignment. With a little planning and the right support, locum tenens can be a way to take control of your career and maybe go on an adventure or two along the way.
A Locums Recruiter Answers NPs’ Most Common Questions
September 17 | LocumTenens.com
For nurse practitioners curious about locum tenens, getting started can feel a bit like entering new territory. That’s why LocumTenens.com and TravelingNP.com teamed up to answer real questions from clinicians exploring this career path. With insights from seasoned recruiter Elizabeth Prater, the Q&A pulls back the curtain on everything from licensing and pay to housing options and how to handle workplace issues on assignment.
First: You don’t need to have all your licenses in place before applying, but it helps to think ahead. Newly graduated NPs might face more hurdles, since many facilities prefer providers with experience who can hit the ground running. Being flexible, adaptable, and open to travel can give you a competitive edge. And while extended-stay hotels are common, some assignments include Airbnbs or stipends. You can even keep the hotel and airline points.
When it comes to challenges, your recruiter is your best ally. Whether you’re unsure about pay, want to leave early, or face unexpected changes to your workload, your recruiter is there to advocate for you. The bottom line is that locum tenens is about work, but it’s also about the people who support you every step of the way. With the right partner and a little preparation, the locum lifestyle is more accessible than ever.
Why Marketing for Physicians Is No Longer Optional
September 25 | Medical Economics
Physicians are trained to care for patients, not pitch themselves, but in 2025, marketing is no longer optional. In a crowded digital world, being a great doctor isn’t enough. Patients are shopping around, checking reviews, and browsing websites before booking appointments. If you’re not visible, you’re probably invisible.
Balancing authenticity and strategy is where it gets tricky. Many physicians worry that marketing feels too self-promotional or out of sync with medical professionalism. But putting your best foot forward doesn’t mean overselling. Instead, providers must clearly show their value. That starts with defining what sets you apart, then building a brand around the care you already deliver. Patient-first messaging, clear communication, and consistency across your digital footprint should be the foundation for differentiating yourself from other providers.
Marketing ethically and effectively is about trust, not hype. Differentiation comes from clarity and connection. By staying honest, transparent, and strategic, physicians can attract the right patients without compromising integrity. It takes work, but when done right, marketing can help your career thrive.
Expanding Access to Psychiatric Care Through Locum Tenens PMHNPs
September 23 | Medicus Healthcare Solutions
For many clinicians, the draw to psychiatry comes from recognizing needs that often go unnoticed in busy hospital settings. That was true for Juliette Ngwe, whose early experiences led her to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. Like many in the field, she saw how demand for mental health services far outpaced available resources, particularly in underserved communities.
Her solution was to step into locum tenens work. Taking assignments as a PMHNP gave her the chance to provide care where it was most needed, from facilities facing staffing shortages to communities with limited psychiatric access. Locum work also gave her something providers across all specialties value: flexibility. By controlling her schedule and avoiding the grind of a permanent role, she was able to keep her skills sharp while protecting against burnout.
Juliette’s story highlights the trend that mental health providers who choose locum tenens can directly influence access to care while shaping careers around their own priorities. For PMHNPs and physicians alike, locums offers not only a way to meet critical patient needs but also an opportunity to stay balanced, engaged, and adaptable in a demanding specialty.
AI On Call
AI Isn’t Set-and-Forget: Physicians Need Guardrails to Keep It on Track
September 4 | American Medical Association
Rolling out an AI tool in a healthcare setting is a win for efficiency and workloads, but it’s just the first step. As AI adoption among physicians nearly doubled from 2023 to 2024, the need for continuous oversight has become critical. The AMA’s Dr. Margaret Lozovatsky emphasizes that clinical guidelines and tech move fast, so success hinges on long-term evaluation, not one-time implementation. That means building trust, spotting bias, enhancing performance, and ensuring compliance, all while keeping patient care front and center.
To support this effort, the AMA’s Governance for Augmented Intelligence toolkit outlines eight pillars of responsible AI oversight, from creating a multidisciplinary working group to revising intake, planning, and implementation policies. The AMA favors the term “augmented intelligence” to highlight AI’s role in assisting, not replacing, health professionals. Their guidance also stresses the need to regularly audit AI performance, engage clinical champions, and ensure transparency with end-users and developers.
Monitoring needs to be strategic. For example, if an AI tool uses a mortality index and the inputs shift, that could change clinical decisions in real time. The AMA recommends five clear steps: develop a monitoring plan, assign a diverse team, track regulatory changes, execute ongoing reviews, and communicate results. The goal is to make AI an asset and keep physicians in control of the tools designed to support their decisions.
Optum’s AI Scribe Saves Time, Lifts Burden, and Boosts Patient Satisfaction
September 25 | Healthcare IT News
At Optum Health, ambient AI is giving clinicians back critical time and improving patient visits. Dr. Brett Daniel compares clinical documentation to a barber needing to transcribe every detail of a haircut conversation just to get paid. It’s exhausting, and it’s a major contributor to burnout. To change that, Optum rolled out DAX CoPilot, an AI-powered scribe integrated with Epic’s mobile app. The tool “listens” to the patient visit and drafts a clinical note that the physician can quickly review and edit, shortening documentation time without cutting corners.
After going live with thousands of clinicians, the results speak for themselves: most users save one to two hours a week, feel less mental fatigue, and report higher satisfaction. Over 90% report a decrease in cognitive burden, and more than 70% have seen an increase in patient satisfaction, thanks to more direct face time and reduced screen time. In some clinics, providers are even seeing up to three more patients per day. Clinicians also appreciate how the AI filters out chit-chat and nails the clinical details, turning them into efficient editors instead of overwhelmed scribes.
Dr. Daniel is quick to note that while ambient scribing isn’t perfect, it represents a significant leap forward and a stepping stone toward voice-activated healthcare. Challenges such as connectivity, device security, and EHR integration remain, but the long-term payoff is clear. His advice is to start using these tools now, stay involved, and don’t expect perfection from the outset.
KLAS Report Finds Commure Ambient AI Reduces Burnout and Boosts Efficiency
August 28 | HIT Consultant
A new “First Look” report from KLAS Research highlights how Commure Ambient AI is reshaping clinicians’ documentation. Unlike traditional dictation tools, this ambient scribe runs in the background during normal conversations, generating accurate notes that providers can review and edit quickly. With a strong performance score of 93 and unanimous customer willingness to repurchase, the tool has earned high marks for both usability and executive support.
Providers praised Commure’s advanced features, including multilingual conversational support in more than 60 languages, customizable templates through its AI Studio, and dedicated engineering and concierge-level support. Clinicians noted that the system helps them maintain natural patient interactions while handling the administrative burden of documentation, reducing cognitive strain, and freeing up time for direct care.
The impact extends beyond provider experience. According to customer feedback, Commure Ambient AI has not only reduced burnout but also improved billing accuracy and reimbursement by providing more complete documentation. In some cases, clinicians were able to see up to two additional patients per day. For locum providers balancing heavy workloads and adapting to new clinical environments, tools like this may play a key role in reducing burnout while improving efficiency and patient access.
Physician Wellness Retreat
New Study Shows Physician Burnout Data May Be Missing the Mark
September 17 | MM+M
A recent joint study by Atalan and Harvard reveals a glaring flaw in how healthcare systems track physician burnout: traditional surveys just aren’t cutting it. While surveys remain the go-to tool, the study found that nonrespondents are far more likely to resign unexpectedly and tend to be less productive before they go. In fact, APPs under retirement age who didn’t respond to surveys were 12 times more likely to resign than their peers who did.
Researchers took a mixed-method approach, blending survey responses with HR data and EHR activity to get a fuller picture of burnout risk. The surprising twist is that there were no major demographic differences between respondents and nonrespondents. That means health systems relying solely on surveys might completely miss early warning signs, especially among younger physicians and advanced practice providers silently struggling behind the scenes.
Co-authors Dr. Aubrey Rhodes and Harvard economist Richard Freeman argue this kind of hybrid methodology should become the new standard. Freeman points to systemic pressures, like rising administrative burdens and the growing influence of corporate healthcare, as key contributors to burnout. He also ties this unrest to a rise in unionization among residents and fellows. If health systems want to take retention seriously, this study suggests that we should stop asking who’s burned out and start tracking how they’re working.
Physician Burnout and Systemic Reform Are at a Tipping Point
September 18 | KevinMD
Physician burnout is at a breaking point. Dr. Irim Salik candidly reflects on her own past mindset and the harsh realities facing today’s clinicians, like rising workloads, stagnant pay, and minimal institutional support. With one in five doctors leaving the profession, and projections of a 125,000-physician shortage by 2034, the US healthcare system risks collapse. Despite outspending every other high-income nation, the US ranks last in outcomes, equity, and access. The emotional and financial toll is on public health as a whole.
Systemic burnout disproportionately affects women in medicine, a group shown to deliver improved patient outcomes. Between 2014 and 2019, nearly 300,000 physicians left academic medicine, and women were 25% more likely than men to do so. Salik highlights Maryland’s Total Cost of Care model as a rare success that reduces readmissions, cuts costs, and aligns payers under value-based care.
The deeper challenge, Salik argues, is restoring meaning to medicine. Amid the “great resignation,” clinicians need purpose. A mission-driven culture grounded in autonomy, ethical care, and patient connection can renew the profession. But without urgent reform, medicine risks losing both its workforce and its soul. Real change must balance provider well-being with patient outcomes, treating both as non-negotiable.
Doctor’s Notes
2025’s Top 10 States for Healthcare Worker Demand
September 17 | CompHealth
Healthcare workforce shortages continue to deepen across the US, creating new opportunities for providers willing to step in where the need is greatest. Retiring physicians, uneven provider distribution, and a growing aging population are fueling demand in both urban and rural areas. For locum tenens clinicians, knowing where the gaps are can help align assignments with the greatest impact.
In 2025, the top ten states with the highest demand for healthcare workers are: Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, and California. Each state faces unique challenges, from Wisconsin’s looming retirements and high vacancy rates to Texas’ projected shortage of over 10,000 physicians by 2032. Florida and California stand out for their large senior populations, while Georgia and Illinois continue to struggle with rural physician shortages and gaps in psychiatry and OBGYN coverage.
For locum providers, these states represent opportunities to advance their careers and provide critical access to care in underserved communities. Whether it’s leveraging loan repayment programs in North Carolina, supporting high-volume systems in New York, or filling rural gaps in Illinois and Texas, clinicians can make a meaningful difference while exploring diverse practice settings.
New H-1B Visa Fee Threatens Access to Care in Underserved Areas, Experts Warn
September 23 | MSN
A new $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, introduced by the Trump administration, is drawing sharp criticism from physician groups who say it could cripple efforts to recruit international medical graduates. These professionals make up a crucial part of the US healthcare workforce. While the policy may allow exemptions for physicians and residents, the American Medical Association warns that limiting access to these visas will result in longer wait times and greater travel distances for patients.
Hospitals and major health systems that rely heavily on H-1B sponsorship could face millions in additional labor costs. Over 76 million Americans live in federally designated primary care shortage areas, and limiting the flow of skilled international providers threatens to deepen these care gaps. For rural hospitals, the fee may make it financially impossible to fill critical roles, further straining already-thin resources.
Experts also warn the fee could undercut the US’s position as a magnet for global medical talent. With Indian physicians accounting for a significant share of the immigrant doctor population, the fee change has sparked international concern. Immigration attorneys are already advising clients to explore alternate visa routes, but fear further restrictions could be on the horizon, particularly for early-career professionals.
Locums Agencies Celebrate National APP Week
From September 21 to 27, APPs across the country were recognized for their critical role in expanding access to care. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, CRNAs, CNMs, and other APPs are increasingly vital to the healthcare workforce, especially as demand for clinicians continues to outpace supply.
Floyd Lee Locums showed their appreciation for APPs with a unique football giveaway, as qualifying providers could enter to win four tickets to the Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. LocumTenens.com posted a heartfelt message and reshared its report on the growing importance of APPs in the healthcare workforce. Medstaff reiterated its commitment to helping APPs achieve their professional and personal goals, especially through locum tenens.
Beyond agency spotlights, colleagues and clinicians nationwide shared their gratitude for the APPs they work alongside every day. For locum APPs in particular, this week highlights the essential role they play in bridging care gaps and supporting teams across the nation.
Sponsored Content
How Locum Providers Can Save More with Expanded Child and Dependent Care Credits in 2026
September 22 | The Doctor’s CPA
Starting in 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces key updates to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which could significantly reduce tax liability for locum tenens providers. Highlights include a boosted credit rate of up to 50% for lower-income earners, unchanged expense caps, and an increase in pre-tax savings through Dependent Care FSAs or DCAPs from $5,000 to $7,500. These updates are especially beneficial for providers who operate through LLCs or S-Corps and can structure their pay to maximize these advantages.
Suppose you’re self-employed or run your locums practice through an entity. In that case, you may be able to set up a DCAP to lower your taxable income and even qualify your business for the Section 45F employer-provided child care credit. This offers up to 25% of qualified child care facility costs, plus an additional 10% for referral services. Please note that any amount used pre-tax reduces the amount that can be claimed for the CDCTC, so proper planning is essential to avoid missing out on potential savings.
To get ahead, review your business structure, estimate your 2026 tax liability, and coordinate credit and pre-tax benefits strategically. Locum tenens providers who take the time to plan and document expenses can tap into substantial tax savings while supporting their families. For personalized guidance, a tax professional familiar with locum structures can help tailor a strategy that fits your income, family needs, and entity setup.
A Practical Locum Tenens Document Checklist for Physicians and APPs
October 6 | OnCall Solutions
It’s a familiar situation: You’ve locked in a locum assignment, the countdown is on, and then credentialing brings things to a halt. Missing documents are one of the top reasons clinicians get delayed at the starting gate. That’s why OnCall Solutions created a downloadable checklist that lays out exactly what you need to organize before your next assignment to avoid hiccups and hit the ground running.
Start with the basics, like your CV, training credentials, licenses, certifications, and identification. From there, make sure you have recent health records, drug screens, references from the past two years, malpractice insurance details, and any disclosure documents. Don’t forget tax forms, contract templates, and employment agreements, especially if you’re working as a 1099 contractor or through your own LLC. Every document plays a role in streamlining credentialing and shows facilities you’re ready to roll.
The most important thing to remember is to stay organized. Keep hard and digital copies in labeled folders, track expiration dates, and set calendar alerts for renewals. If you’re missing anything, use the official links in the checklist to request new copies. Clinicians who show up ready and organized are the first to onboard and the first to get booked again.
