👋🏼 Welcome
I’m a hospitalist, and I’ve spent years doing locums in a bunch of different systems and states. Along the way, I kept hearing the same questions from other physicians: What’s a fair pay rate? How do taxes work as a freelancer? How painful is credentialing? Is this sustainable?
I couldn’t find one place that answered those questions clearly for doctors in the real world, so I built it. Welcome to The Locums Doc.
This is a practical newsletter: contracts, money, travel/logistics, and how to do locums without burning out.
Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Locums
Lower your expectations for the first gig. Your first goal is to learn the process and keep up the momentum afterwards.
Credentialing is usually the bottleneck. A ‘great’ gig isn’t so great if start date keeps moving. Make sure you’re keeping your paperwork up to date.
Rates are negotiable (if you’re flexible). Recruiters often will be more willing to pay higher if you are flexible on dates and help them with hard-to-staff facilities.
Systems beats accounting. You may not need a CPA on day one but you will need a system to track business expenses.
Sustainability in locums is about recovery, not toughness. Make sure you’re protecting your off time.
The Practical Win: The Business Account
🚀One thing to do today: Open a dedicated business checking account
Even if you’re a sole proprietor, keeping business expenses (licenses, meal costs, etc.) out of your personal account will save you dozens of hours (and potential headaches) during tax season.
💰Bonus win: Use a high-yield travel rewards card to pay those expenses. Pay the bill, get reimbursed by the locums agency, and keep the points for your next vacation.
What’s Coming Next
Over the next few issues, I’ll cover:
How to think about rates
Credentialing: how to expedite on your end
Travel/housing systems
How to avoid burnout
Contract clauses and why they matter
What is the #1 thing stopping you from taking a locums gig (or more of them)? Reply and let me know and I’ll cover it in a future issue