Working as a full-time physician while doing locum tenens on the side can take thoughtful planning. And with the proper structure in place, it offers flexibility, renewed purpose, and significant financial benefits.
Welcome to Locums CME 67, Locumpedia’s bi-weekly news roundup that helps physicians and APPs maximize their locum tenens lifestyle.
Our lead story: Full-time physicians and APPs who set clear boundaries and proactively plan to practice locum tenens on the side can ensure a manageable and rewarding experience. Many clinicians find that new environments, diverse teams, and strong financial incentives offer a renewed sense of purpose, whether they’re paying down medical school debt or saving for retirement.
Also in this edition of Locums CME: How locums can expand your clinical experience, what providers really think about their work, and why outdated tech could be jeopardizing patient care. Plus, we share five things clinicians say they want from AI tools and explore why rural doctor pay is out of step with productivity.
A Physician’s Guide to Managing Locum Tenens Work and a Full-Time Career
November 17 | LocumTenens.com
Balancing a full-time schedule with locum tenens work takes preparation, but for many clinicians, it’s a way to rekindle the sense of purpose that drew them to medicine. One emergency physician shared that locums had rekindled his love of medicine, offering new settings, diverse teams, and a clearer understanding of how different communities deliver care.
Making both roles work requires honest planning and firm boundaries. Coordinating closely with full-time schedulers, protecting travel days, and knowing your monthly limit helps prevent burnout. For Dr. Delnegro, 160 to 170 hours a month is ideal, while anything over 180 leads to fatigue. The variety of assignments has sharpened his clinical instincts, improved communication across health systems, and provided the clinical variety that can be harder to find in a single permanent role.
What keeps him committed is flexibility. Locums lets clinicians pick up extra shifts to meet financial goals or step back when they need rest. His advice is to talk to people who’ve done it, understand your bandwidth, and choose assignments aligned with your goals. The dual-career path takes intention, but it can be deeply rewarding.
Your Locums Prescription
How Locum Providers Measure Success in Rural Communities
November 20 | Hayes Locums
Rural communities continue to face severe physician shortages, and locums play a critical role in helping small hospitals maintain continuity of care and keep their doors open. In towns with only one or two clinicians, a single absence can halt essential services and force patients to travel hours for care. When locums arrive, patients who’ve been waiting for months finally get appointments, and long-stalled specialty services resume. Providers often describe these moments as the objective measure of success, such as the relief on a patient’s face or the gratitude of someone who hasn’t seen a specialist in years.
Working in rural facilities also sharpens clinical skills and reminds providers why they chose medicine. With fewer resources, many rediscover the value of hands-on exams and thoughtful decision-making. Several doctors shared stories of catching life-threatening conditions simply by listening carefully and adapting to their environment.
For many, rural assignments are among the most fulfilling experiences of their careers. Patients are appreciative, staff feel supported, and communities gain access to care they’d otherwise go without.
Why Locum Tenens Can Expand Clinical Experience
November 18 | Medicus Healthcare Solutions
Locum tenens offers clinicians a chance to broaden their skills by working in a variety of clinical environments, from large urban hospitals to small rural facilities. Each assignment introduces new EHR systems, workflows, and care team models, helping providers build adaptability and confidence while gaining a clearer picture of how different communities deliver care. That flexibility also allows them to take on cases they may not encounter in a permanent role.
Many locums find that teaching and mentorship naturally become part of the experience. Working alongside residents and trainees sharpens their own skills and exposes them to new perspectives. CRNA Courtney shared that mentoring students on challenging cases has made her a stronger clinician and improved the anesthesia care she provides.
One of the most significant benefits is the exposure to diverse patient populations. Each assignment brings a new mix of ages, conditions, and community health needs. For providers looking to grow, locum tenens offers a rewarding path to long-term professional development.
What Physicians Really Think About Their Work and How Locums Can Improve Job Satisfaction
November 18 | Weatherby Healthcare
Physicians today spend about 45 hours a week on shift and another 15 on administrative tasks. This workload leaves them with less time for patients and growing concerns about their financial stability. Nearly two-thirds of clinicians reported feeling more financially stressed than a year ago, with economic pressure cited as a key contributor to burnout.
For many, locum tenens is becoming a practical solution. Survey respondents ranked excessive documentation as their top workplace frustration, and locums often see that burden drop significantly. Urologist Dr. Robert Biggers says locums allows him to focus on patient care, avoid administrative headaches, and earn more in fewer hours.
Autonomy remains physicians’ top priority, and locum work offers a way to reclaim it. As pediatric rehabilitation specialist Dr. Maurice Sholas notes, locums lets him practice medicine while creating space for the rest of his life.
AI On Call
5 AI Developments Providers Should Be Watching
November 19 | Becker’s Physician Leadership
AI continues to accelerate across healthcare, and several new developments show just how quickly it’s reshaping clinical work. The American Medical Association recently urged lawmakers to strengthen physician oversight, data protections, and clinician education as AI becomes more embedded in practice. At the same time, Mayo Clinic launched Platform Insights, a program designed to give health systems a more straightforward, more affordable path to adopting AI responsibly.
The AMA also introduced its Center for Digital Health and AI to ensure clinicians have a voice throughout the lifecycle of emerging tools, like policy design and multi-sector collaboration. Meanwhile, Microsoft is betting big on what it calls “medical superintelligence,” forming a dedicated team to transform care delivery in the coming years.
But rapid progress comes with workforce implications. AI has become one of the most frequently cited reasons for US job cuts in 2025, contributing to more than 48,000 layoffs, with 31,000 in October alone. As AI gains traction, understanding both its promise and its risks will be essential for physicians navigating the next era of clinical practice.
Clinicians Say Outdated Tech Is Jeopardizing Care
November 21 | Healthcare IT News
A new Presidio survey of more than 1,000 clinicians found that outdated technology is directly affecting patient care. Ninety-eight percent of respondents reported delays or errors tied to inefficient systems, with many resorting to unsanctioned apps just to get through their day. Poor system integration makes it difficult to access timely data, adding frustration and increasing compliance risks.
Despite strong enthusiasm for AI, adoption still lags. While nearly all believe AI could streamline routine tasks, fewer than half say their organizations are deploying these tools. Presidio’s Cabul Mehta attributes the gap to legacy systems, slow decision-making, and weak governance, leaving AI stuck in pilot mode.
Work-life tension is also rising, with nearly one-quarter of clinicians reporting safety risks at least once per shift. Although most believe real-time data would improve care coordination and outcomes, only 35% use it at scale. Mehta says automating documentation, scheduling, and billing could quickly reduce stress and free providers to focus on patient care.
Physician Wellness Retreat
Reclaiming Provider Agency in a Broken System
November 14 | KevinMD
Many clinicians feel the system is tightening around them, prioritizing financial targets over patient care. Dr. Christie Mulholland describes reaching her limit, realizing she was spending more time navigating corporate structures than practicing meaningful medicine. Her experience echoes broader data: between 2019 and 2023, more than 127,000 physicians left private practice for corporate employment, often facing shrinking autonomy and a lack of purpose.
Mulholland argues that the old model of “just be a good doctor, and the system will let you practice well” no longer holds. Yet she sees multiple ways clinicians can reclaim agency. Some stay in traditional roles but set firmer boundaries; others pursue alternatives like direct primary care, advocacy work, or locum tenens to reduce institutional constraints. Still others make thoughtful transitions out of medicine.
The through line is clarifying values, understanding real constraints, and taking action that aligns with both. In a broken system, Mulholland says the most important choice is deciding how you’ll engage.
The Impact of Physician Burnout on Patient Care and How Locums Can Help
November 10 | ProLocums
Burnout has become a defining threat to both care providers and patients, with more than half of US doctors reporting symptoms like emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in 2025. Many are working 60-plus hours a week, while shrinking reimbursements, tighter budgets, and fewer staffed hospital beds deepen the strain. Physicians themselves are publicly acknowledging the breaking point, noting that the pace of 30 or more daily visits simply isn’t sustainable.
The ripple effects include longer wait times, rising medical errors, and reduced access as clinics shut their doors. Burned-out clinicians are twice as likely to make mistakes, and specialist wait times now average 26 days nationwide. In many communities, patients are driving hours for care or skipping it altogether.
Locum tenens offers a practical release valve. Temporary physicians help stabilize schedules, shorten waits, and give permanent staff breathing room between assignments. Facilities report reduced strain on staff, and studies show that locum doctors deliver care comparable to that of permanent providers. By easing workloads and restoring flexibility, locums help protect both well-being and patient safety.
Half of Physician Residents and Fellows Report Burnout Symptoms
November 13 | American Medical Association
A new nationwide survey shows that 50% of residents and fellows reported burnout symptoms in 2023. That’s an improvement from 60% in 2012, but still higher than rates among practicing physicians and other US workers their age. The study highlights both progress and persistent gaps in trainee well-being. While residents were less likely than other workers to report moderate or severe depression, they were also less satisfied with work-life integration.
Workload remains a major factor. Residents and fellows reported working an average of 60 hours per week, which is 10 more than practicing physicians and 20 more than similarly aged workers in other fields. Nearly one-third logged more than 70 hours weekly. Once researchers adjusted for work hours, differences in stress and depression between trainees and other groups narrowed significantly.
Still, high depersonalization scores and low satisfaction with work-life balance indicate ongoing gaps in trainee well-being. The AMA says structural improvements beyond resilience training are essential to create training environments where future providers can thrive.
Doctor’s Notes
Rural Physician Compensation Remains Out of Step with Productivity
November 14 | Medical Economics
A new Stroudwater Associates report shows that many rural hospitals are still relying on outdated, incentive-free compensation models that don’t reflect provider workload or current CMS benchmarks. Nearly half of the surveyed hospitals continue to use straight-salary contracts. However, analysts say this widens the gap between what rural facilities need (greater access, productivity, and quality) and what they actually reward. Confusion around fee schedules is widespread as well: none of the 197 participating organizations reported using the current CMS schedule, and most could not identify which year they relied on.
Pay trends varied widely across roles. Primary care compensation is tightening, APP pay remains inconsistent, and anesthesia professionals continue to see steep increases due to severe workforce shortages. Meanwhile, patient-facing expectations are unclear at many facilities, with 42% having no defined requirement.
Federal scrutiny of fair market value is rising, and Stroudwater warns that misaligned pay practices put rural hospitals at financial and compliance risk. The report calls for updated wRVU methods, transparent expectations, and incentive models that balance productivity and quality to ensure long-term sustainability.
Being a First-Time Mom and a New Attending Surgeon: It Can Be Done
November 24 | The White Coat Investor
A surgeon once told Dr. Ersilia Anghel she’d have to choose between motherhood and a surgical career. Fifteen years later, she’s proved him wrong. In her first year as a plastic surgeon and new mom, she’s built a life that balances both, thanks to planning, a supportive partner, and a family-friendly practice. She argues there’s no perfect time to have a baby, but starting during training may come with more built-in support and fewer career setbacks than many expect.
Her approach focuses on building a foundation by choosing a partner who understands the unpredictability of medicine, finding a job that values family time, securing childcare early, and creating systems that protect her well-being. She also stresses the importance of backup plans for sick days, setting boundaries to preserve family time, and leaning on a support network.
Dr. Anghel emphasizes that every path looks different, but with clarity and intentionality, surgeons don’t have to choose between being great clinicians and great parents.
Sponsored Content
2025 Year-End Bonus Tax Planning for W-2 and 1099 Physicians
November 21 | The Doctor’s CPA
A year-end bonus is always welcome, but for clinicians, especially high earners and locum tenens 1099 contractors, it can trigger an unexpected tax bill if not planned for. Because bonuses increase adjusted gross income, they can limit eligibility for certain deductions and credits and may put you into a higher bracket. W-2 physicians typically have taxes withheld at a flat 22% rate on bonuses, which is often less than their actual marginal rate, while 1099 clinicians must treat bonus income as self-employment earnings.
The good news is that providers have several ways to reduce their tax burden before December 31. Strategies include maximizing retirement contributions, contributing to an HSA, accelerating deductible expenses, or deferring income into the following year. Locums may also adjust scheduling or billing to spread earnings across tax years.
For S-corp locums, bonuses always count as wages. Still, they can help meet the IRS “reasonable salary” requirement while allowing the rest of the income to be taken as lower-taxed distributions. A year-end check-in with a CPA ensures withholding, retirement contributions, and estimated payments are on track so that a well-earned bonus doesn’t derail a carefully planned tax year.
Occurrence vs. Claims-Made Malpractice Insurance: What Oncologists Need to Know
April 15 | Cancer CarePoint
For oncologists, understanding malpractice insurance isn’t optional. The biggest source of confusion is the difference between occurrence and claims-made policies, and choosing the wrong type can leave providers exposed long after an assignment ends. Occurrence coverage protects you for any incident that happened while the policy was active, even if the claim is filed years later. It doesn’t require tail coverage, but it’s harder to find and comes with higher upfront premiums.
Claims-made coverage only protects you if the incident and the claim occur while the policy is active, which means you’ll need tail coverage when you change jobs or finish a contract. This can be expensive, and shared limits through a staffing agency may reduce individual protection. For oncology professionals managing long-term care and delayed complications, that risk can leave providers exposed to gaps in protection.
Locum oncologists often benefit from occurrence coverage when available, but many rely on claims-made policies paired with tail protection or nose coverage. The right fit depends on your career stage, stability, and how often you change roles, making it essential to review each contract carefully and consult a licensed insurance expert before committing.
