Editor’s Note
Healthcare rarely stands still for long, and this edition of Locums CME reflects several areas where clinicians are being asked to adjust alongside it. Our lead examines proposed federal changes that could reduce certain requirements tied to AI tools and EHRs as healthcare systems continue expanding technology use in everyday practice. As documentation workflows evolve, providers may increasingly find themselves evaluating not only new systems but also how those systems affect patient care and clinical decision-making.
Throughout the issue, there’s a focus on understanding the details behind opportunities and experiences that can initially appear straightforward. Assignment expectations, staffing support, practice environments, and workflow structure can all shape the reality of clinical work in different ways. The more clearly locum tenens physicians and advanced practice providers understand those factors, the easier it becomes to recognize whether a role or setting aligns with their goals.
Questions around well-being, identity, and long-term fulfillment also continue to surface across the healthcare landscape. Emotional health, physician retention, practice ownership, and leadership beyond traditional patient care all point to a larger theme: meaningful career decisions often develop over time rather than through a single choice. Across changing environments and priorities, adaptability may become just as important as flexibility itself.
– The Locumpedia Editorial Team
Lead Story
Trump and Kennedy Seek to Relax Safeguards for AI Healthcare Tools
May 13, 2026 | Fierce Healthcare
AI documentation tools are becoming more common across healthcare settings as proposed federal changes could reduce some requirements tied to EHRs and related technologies. The proposal would remove user-centered design testing requirements and eliminate transparency measures intended to show clinicians how AI systems were developed, evaluated, and used. This comes as hospitals continue to increase the use of AI scribes and other tools.
Researchers continue to report a mix of benefits and limitations as adoption grows. A study published in April found physicians who used AI scribes most frequently saved more than 30 minutes of work per day after a year, while other assessments raised questions about omissions and inconsistencies that still required clinician review. A Veterans Health Administration evaluation of 11 ambient AI scribes found complete notes were generated, though the overall quality remained below human-authored documentation.
This goes beyond note-taking. Medical records help shape follow-up decisions, medication ordering, communication among care teams, and ongoing treatment plans. Locum tenens physicians and APPs often move between different EHR systems and processes, and greater use of AI-assisted documentation may become another consideration during onboarding and daily practice.
Your Locums Prescription
The Fears That Almost Kept Me from Practicing Locum Tenens
May 14, 2026 | Barton Associates
A physician shares the concerns that initially gave her pause about pursuing locum tenens practice, including credentialing, malpractice coverage, unfamiliar facilities, and schedule uncertainty. Many of her early reservations centered on questions about how assignments functioned and what moving into locum work would actually look like. Suggested first steps include learning more about the overall process, speaking with providers already accepting opportunities, and approaching the transition gradually rather than viewing it as an all-or-nothing choice.
Adjusting to new environments and changing routines often creates hesitation for clinicians considering their first locum job. Short-term assignments can help providers gain experience and answer real-world questions before making larger career decisions. Physicians and APPs evaluating locum assignments this year may find that building familiarity with the process helps reduce any doubt surrounding the transition.
Exploring Locum Tenens as a Dentist
May 18, 2026 | Cross Country Healthcare
Changes across dentistry, including administrative burdens, staffing challenges, and rising demand for flexible coverage, are contributing to greater interest in locum tenens among dentists. Coverage needs tied to provider shortages, practice growth, and underserved communities are also generating more opportunities across different settings. Locum work is presented as a way for dentists to gain more control over where, when, and how often they practice.
Interest in more accommodating work arrangements extends beyond one stage of a career. New dentists may use temporary assignments to gain experience, while mid-career and pre-retirement clinicians may see them as a way to adjust schedules and experience greater freedom. Physicians and APPs considering locum opportunities may see similar themes around work-life balance and practicing in different settings.
What Gastroenterologists Should Ask Before Accepting a Locums Assignment
May 19, 2026 | Alliance Recruiting Resources
Several considerations that can shape the day-to-day experience of a locum assignment are outlined, including procedure expectations, patient volume, call structure, and available support staff. Also emphasized is understanding the scope of procedures required and clarifying whether backup coverage is available when needed. Another recommendation is asking why a facility needs temporary coverage, as gaps can stem from factors such as growth, physician retirement, leave coverage, or recruiting challenges.
Questions about workflow and what’s anticipated can be useful beyond gastroenterology. Assignment details that appear straightforward initially may look different once schedules, staffing resources, and responsibilities are more clearly defined. Those evaluating locum opportunities may benefit from discussing operational details early to better understand the pace and structure of a locum engagement.
AI on Call
- AI-generated discharge summaries are associated with lower physician burnout and modest time savings, according to a recent study, though clinicians still need to review omissions and inaccuracies before finalizing documentation.
- Patients appear more comfortable with AI handling administrative tasks than diagnosis or billing, suggesting clinicians may see stronger adoption when technology supports workflows while keeping human oversight in place.
- Part 3 of Locumpedia’s AI Guide for Locum Providers explores how clinicians can use AI throughout an assignment lifecycle.
Wellness Retreat
Burnout or Moral Injury? Restoring the Soul of Medicine Through the Patient-Physician Relationship
May 8, 2026 | Medical Economics
“Burnout” may not fully capture what many physicians are experiencing. Prior authorization delays, throughput pressure, and billing-focused EHR use can push clinicians into situations that conflict with professional judgment and patient-first values. That distinction is important because it shifts attention away from resilience programs and toward operational and policy changes that better support trust, continuity, and clinical decision-making.
It’s a perspective that may resonate with locum clinicians who pursue temporary assignments to gain more control over variables like workflow expectations. It also reinforces the importance of evaluating assignments carefully. Factors such as scheduling structure and physician autonomy can reveal a good deal about how a facility supports clinicians and patient care in practice.
Physician Depression Doesn’t Always Look Like Depression
May 15, 2026 | KevinMD
Physician depression can remain difficult to recognize when strong performance and professional focus continue masking mental strain. An emergency medicine physician describes how emotional detachment gradually replaced his connection to work, family, and patients, even as colleagues continued seeing competence and reliability. Clinicians are often trained to compartmentalize distress, making it easier to overlook personal warning signs until the situation becomes harder to ignore.
A new assignment or cleaner schedule may reduce some pressure, but mobility alone does not resolve an internal struggle. That message may resonate with locum clinicians who view adaptability as one of their greatest strengths. It also serves as a reminder that pushing through emotional exhaustion can sometimes delay recognition that support is needed.
Hanging Up the White Coat: Planning the Emotional Side of Life After Medicine
May 18, 2026 | White Coat Investor
Retirement planning can become more complicated once identity enters the conversation. Physicians often need structure and meaningful connection long before they step away from clinical work, because free time alone rarely fills the gap left by medicine. Leaving a profession that shaped decades of routine, relationships, and self-perception can also carry substantial emotional weight.
It’s a perspective that may feel especially relevant to career locums and late-career clinicians experimenting with more flexible schedules before fully exiting practice. Temporary work can create breathing room, but it doesn’t always answer larger questions about purpose and direction. Thinking through those transitions early may help clinicians navigate the next stage with greater stability and intention.
Doctors’ Notes
Physicians in These 10 Specialties Are Less Likely to Quit
May 14, 2026 | American Medical Association
There’s useful context in the retention data, though the numbers vary sharply by specialty. In 2025, 31% of physicians reported at least a moderate likelihood of leaving their current organization within two years. Lower intent-to-leave rates appeared in nephrology at 18%, dermatology at 21%, infectious diseases at 25%, and pediatrics at 26%, while anesthesiology reached 42%, followed by gastroenterology at 35%, neurology at 33%, and critical care medicine at 33%.
Those gaps may offer insight into where staffing pressure could remain elevated even if overall physician retention improves. Higher quit risk in some areas of practice may continue creating coverage challenges and sustained demand for locum clinicians. Broad improvement across healthcare does not necessarily eliminate specialty-specific staffing strain.
Where Have All the Independent Physicians Gone?
May 15, 2026 | Becker’s ASC Review
Independent practice continues shrinking across healthcare, with only 18% of physicians still working in independently owned settings as of January 2026 and just 36% remaining under physician ownership. Since 2018, that share has dropped 49%, while hospitals and corporate entities added more than 253,000 employed clinicians over the same period. Corporate-owned physician workforces also grew 92%.
That shift carries real implications for locum providers because consolidation can influence scheduling, staffing decisions, workflow expectations, and autonomy. Larger systems may create broader coverage networks and steadier temporary demand, but they can also reduce local flexibility and decision-making freedom. As independent practice continues fading, locum work may increasingly appeal to clinicians seeking greater professional choice within a more consolidated healthcare environment.
Running for Congress as a Physician
May 19, 2026 | YouTube
Healthcare policy, physician advocacy, and public service take center stage as Dr. Nisha Mehta sits down with Dr. Tina Shah, a critical care physician, former chief clinical officer of Abridge, and congressional candidate. The conversation traces Dr. Shah’s path from organized medicine and a White House Fellowship at the Department of Veterans Affairs into broader leadership and political advocacy. It also examines how physicians helped advance prior authorization reform in New Jersey and why Dr. Shah believes clinicians should play a larger role in shaping healthcare policy.
The episode explores the realities of running for public office, including fundraising, campaign strategy, and the professional decisions involved in launching a congressional campaign. Dr. Shah discusses what she hopes to accomplish if elected and why physician voices remain important as healthcare systems continue evolving. Providers interested in leadership, advocacy, or policy work may also gain insight into how clinical experience can translate into influence beyond traditional patient care settings.
