There are some great benefits to being a locum – you can meet a whole wide range of people, experience a broad spectrum of specialties and earn more per hour than you would on a permanent contract too. However, locum doctor jobs – and the lifestyle that comes with them – aren’t for everyone.
Can you deal with uncertainty?
If you need security and predictability then being a locum may not be right for you. This could be on a personal level or on a financial level – a locum lifestyle necessarily involves accepting a degree of uncertainty when it comes to factors such as how much you’re going to be paid, how much you’re going to be working and where that work will be. If your lifestyle can’t accommodate variety in these factors then this may not be the right option for you.
Are you looking for variety and a flexible schedule?
If flexibility and change appeal to you then you will love this job – you can set your own pay rates, you can choose the jobs that you accept and, to a certain extent, you can decide the hours that you work. All this while still maintaining an impressively varied CV and being able to create time in your schedule for family, friends, activities or new career goals that were obstructed by a permanent position.
Are you organised?
It’s important to be organised when you start out as a locum – and all the way through your experience. You are now responsible for everything, from making sure you can pay your bills on time, to giving HMRC all the documentation it needs to make a judgment about your annual tax liability. Then there’s the need to stay on top of CPD and to be able to manage an unpredictable income – disorganised and chaotic people need not apply.
Are you resilient?
You won’t have the familiarity of people to have lunch with, a friendly face after a tough shift or knowing the team structure around you as a locum so you need to be positive and resilient to cope without that support that many doctors become used in their regular medical jobs. You’ll be expected to hit the ground running as soon as you start a shift so you need to be able to learn how to instantly fit in and pick up the reins, no matter what your specialty.
