Locum Tenens in Neuro?

[J-J]

I am will be finishing a fellowship in 2009 so I started the daunting job search. But I find myself not being able to stick to a geographical area or a type of practice (solo vs private group vs employed), despite going on a couple interviews. So I started thinking about Locum tenens. Does anyone have experience in this in Neurology?

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[BrainBuff]

Neurology is one of the most available medical specialties through Locum Tenens. Most of the opportunities will be at least a month. You will also have others that run 3 months, 6 months... or "until filled".

Settings vary from smaller rural towns to private practices in major cities. VA Hospitals are a frequent opportunity as well. Some opportunities are looking to cover inpatient services in hospitals, others a whole practice where a neurologist is going on vacation.

You will usually make about $ 700 daily, plus they will pay you an hourly rate for time "on call" "holding a pager" or "per patient consulted in hospital" after your regular day. In addition you will have living expenses paid (apartment/hotel plus car plus travel to get there )

Not a bad deal at all, if you want to get to know the country. I think for semi retirement would be great to work the months that one wants and take half of the year off or whatever...

Anyway, the good news is that they are always recruiting neuro for locum !!

 

[Phantom Spike]

To those neurologists who've actually done locums work, is the $700/day quoted above the typical rate? Can you negotiate for a higher rate? Does it vary if it's primarily inpatient or outpatient? I would assume it varies by locums agency. Which ones have better compensation reputations?

 

[USIMGgrad]

To those neurologists who've actually done locums work, is the $700/day quoted above the typical rate? Can you negotiate for a higher rate? Does it vary if it's primarily inpatient or outpatient? I would assume it varies by locums agency. Which ones have better compensation reputations?

$700/day is too little. I have signed a 1 month gig with delta locums. I am getting $1025/24 hours to just carry the pager and $150 per hour of work, if I get called. The hospital pays for all other expenses, including airfare, hotel, car rental, licensing, hospital privileges, malpractice etc... Delta also gauranteed 2 hours of work but they assured me that I will have at least 6-8 hours of work per day. So if you calculate it all out it comes to $2000 per day which equals $60,000 for the month. If you work on weekends or holidays the hourly rate is more. This gig is in the midwest.

Other places may offer less, depending on geographic location I assume.

 

[ohioguyo]

USIMGgrad, that seems shockingly high if most general neurologists make about 170-200k per year.. did you complete an in-demand fellowship? Which subspecialties see the most demand or best reimbursement per hour in LT work?

 

[USIMGgrad]

USIMGgrad, that seems shockingly high if most general neurologists make about 170-200k per year.. did you complete an in-demand fellowship? Which subspecialties see the most demand or best reimbursement per hour in LT work?

I did a sleep fellowship but this gig is general neuro only. Actually, from what my colleagues are telling me, most places are offering around $220K to start for general neuro. I think the going rate of 170 to 200K is a few years old.

If you do EMG's and EEG's, you can get the best rates in LT, since they are in high demand all over the country. Not too many people know how to interpret them. Sleep is good too but I have not come across it in LT. Hope this helps.

 

[medsRus]

I did a sleep fellowship but this gig is general neuro only. Actually, from what my colleagues are telling me, most places are offering around $220K to start for general neuro. I think the going rate of 170 to 200K is a few years old.

If you do EMG's and EEG's, you can get the best rates in LT, since they are in high demand all over the country. Not too many people know how to interpret them. Sleep is good too but I have not come across it in LT. Hope this helps.

I'm so glad to see this. $220/yr is decent money for neuro. Everyone is telling me why enter this field -- it peanuts for a living. I think I can live very comfortably with that much!

 

[Phantom Spike]

$700/day is too little. I have signed a 1 month gig with delta locums. I am getting $1025/24 hours to just carry the pager and $150 per hour of work, if I get called.

This does seem like exceptionally good compensation, which I assume is because of geographic location. I don't actually know many people who have done neurology locums, but have spoken to a few recently, and from what I hear the usual going rate is around $800-900/day, with overtime kicking in after 8 hours, and about $50/night for the pager; I've been told you can negotiate higher, but not much.

Also, I get the impression that Delta tends to be more generous than most. Did you also speak to other agencies and find this to be true?

 

[Elfy]

Yes, but can one assume a steady income via LT the way a full-time job would provide? I mean, it seems like it's a lucrative bridge gig and also a good one for retirees, and it's great that some days are $2,000 days, but can one assume one will work 30 days a month in LT to reach the $60,000 figure quoted above?

Plus, if you're just out of residency and trying to start a family (or having small children) you're not likely to be able to travel that much for LT, are you?

 

[USIMGgrad]

This does seem like exceptionally good compensation, which I assume is because of geographic location. I don't actually know many people who have done neurology locums, but have spoken to a few recently, and from what I hear the usual going rate is around $800-900/day, with overtime kicking in after 8 hours, and about $50/night for the pager; I've been told you can negotiate higher, but not much.

Also, I get the impression that Delta tends to be more generous than most. Did you also speak to other agencies and find this to be true?

I did not speak to other agencies.

 

[Phantom Spike]

Yes, but can one assume a steady income via LT the way a full-time job would provide? I mean, it seems like it's a lucrative bridge gig and also a good one for retirees, and it's great that some days are $2,000 days, but can one assume one will work 30 days a month in LT to reach the $60,000 figure quoted above?

I guess it depends on how flexible you are, especially in terms of geography. Most locums sites seem to advertise jobs all over the country throughout the year, but very few are in the same state or general part of the country. But certainly, I wouldn't think planning on doing locums long-term would provide a whole lot of job security, since most hospitals would probably be eager to fill positions and avoid needing locums in the first place. I don't know anyone who is just out of residency or even in the middle of their career contemplating locums full-time, probably for the family-related issues you mention.

 

[Nonphysiologic]

Bump. Any one else do locums as a full time job? I've recently been intrigued by this concept. I don't mind traveling and I am not 100% sure what kind of setting I'd want to work in


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[Postictal Raiden]

Bump. Any one else do locums as a full time job? I've recently been intrigued by this concept. I don't mind traveling and I am not 100% sure what kind of setting I'd want to work in


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I remember reading few posts by @neurochica on this topic. I believe she does 100% locum.