Government Physician Jobs Are Enticing

When beginning the pursuit of a career as a physician, it is clear that
opportunities are available in a variety of work settings. It is important to consider your
personal goals and desires, and to find employment in an atmosphere that is most
comfortable for you. Finding the right fit can ensure you a lifetime of career
happiness and success.

Many physicians, who are seeking employment, begin their search with the
government. With a growing number of openings in a variety of fields and
benefits that are highly competitive, government jobs are very attractive to applicants.
Government physician jobs are available in veteran’s affairs, military medical
command and health and human services, and open positions can be found all over
the country and the world.

The United States Government currently employs over 14,000 physicians and adds
available opportunities often. Working as a physician for the government can put
you in an environment with other like-minded academics and devoted medical
professionals. With access to the latest technologies, and cutting edge
research, government physician jobs can be some of the most exciting in the world.

Government jobs are highly attractive because of the comprehensive benefit
package that goes along with the competitive salary offerings. Physicians
working for the government will often receive paid time off, sick leave, health
benefits, life insurance and inclusion in the Federal Employees Retirement System.
Additionally, the government will often provide a bonus structure, on-site childcare and
tuition reimbursement for continued education. Salaries with the government are
competitive with salaries provided by most private institutions.

Government physician jobs are focused more on medical practice, and less on
paperwork and business tasks. Without the hassle of billing and with reduced
paperwork, the physician working for the government has more time to focus on
patient care. Government physician job agencies that are employing physicians
typically schedule predictably and conservatively, which is a relief to those
who are concerned with hours spent on-call or held over.

If working for the government seems like a suitable fit for you, when seeking a
government physician job it’s important to begin your search with a reputable
resource. A simple search for government jobs will spawn a host of unnecessary
information, and businesses looking for money in exchange for job search
results. Begin your search at the top, with the government or specific government agency
in which you are interested. The Federal Government has an official website with
employment opportunity listings, as does the Department of Veterans Affairs. It
should never cost you money to locate government job listings.

Once you have located opportunities that interest you, it is important to craft
your resume carefully and consider the requirements of the positions. Many government
jobs require that a physician hold an unrestricted license, which allows them to
practice in any state, and be board certified in their specialty. You will have
to be a citizen, or obtain the proper working credentials, to be considered for
employment. In addition to a resume and qualifications, almost all government jobs require a
background security investigation, drug screening and pre-employment medical
screening.

 

Locum Tenens – What the Physician Should Know

Locum Tenens is a Latin phrase meaning, “to hold the place of”, but in the world
of medicine the word simply means “a temporary physician”. So, what is a locum
tenens company, and what do they have to offer to physician seeking temporary or
seasonal work? An LT company specializes in arranging physician personnel for
vacant clinical positions around the world. While many locum tenens physician
employment assignments last for only a few short weeks or even days, these types
of temporary coverage positions can last for months at a time. Additionally some
LT positions are even temp to perm.

If you’re considering LT work it is important to research an assignment
thoroughly before accepting it. Remember a temporary position in an exotic location may not
be the desired getaway or even the clinical experience you were hoping for.
Be your own advocate and remember the locum tenens company you’re working for
is working for the practice and not the covering physicians, so keep your best
professional interests in mind at all times.

Before entering a locum tenens employment agreement with a practice make sure
you clearly outline the terms of your agreement ensuring your travel expenses,
your malpractice insurance, and any additional or extravagant expenses are covered by
your temporary employer.

Many physicians choose locum tenens work for the freedom and variety this type
of work commonly represents. For some a simple geographical cure is just what ‘the
doctor’ ordered. Many LT positions are located in exotic or adventurous
locations. But before you grab your passport, remember you naturally may only practice
medicine where licensed. LT service providers can commonly assist you with
obtaining the proper licensing required by your state or destination of choice.

Be prepared for whatever your LT experience may throw at you, and be prepared
for a bit of an adventure, a bit of mystery, and a bit of suspense. Once you’ve
decided to give this type of employment an honest go of it, develop and maintain a
working relationship with your staff recruiter, stay in touch, and be ready to accept
your assignment.

The fact is today’s physician doesn’t desire the 24/7, married to the job,
lifestyle that physicians of yesteryear commonly entertained. Today’s physicians are
likely coming to realize the value of lost time, demanding adequate time with their
friends and families, a little extra vacation time, and even a simple personal day for
the occasional break. In order to properly facilitate these types of request, a
clinic, hospital, or office will often times turn to the services of a locum tenens
staffing company to fill weekly or monthly vacancy within their offices.

Locum Tenens employment can be a great alternative to long-term stationary
positions that often become stale and monotonous over time. Physicians wishing
to explore their profession further, and those physicians who simply require a
change of scenery from time to time can find great advantage and satisfaction with
locum tenens work. So, whatever your reason, if you’re a physician with a secret set
of wings, let locum tenens work help you take flight.

Finding Employment Using Online Search Engines

What a difference a few decades makes. Over the course of the life of the
Internet, many websites have come to life simply to help you find a job. The numbers of
web-based companies available to do just that are countless. Many offer new
employment opportunities in every imaginable industry. Thankfully, we have the
magic of Internet search engines such as Google, Ask, Bing, and Yahoo, to name a
‘Top Branded’ few, to guide us through an otherwise convoluted web of
possibilities.

You may want to begin your search for physician’s employment opportunities by
utilizing the better-known search engines like those mentioned in the latter
part of the above paragraph. The results you find with these search engines will
undoubtedly guide you on your way with your employment search. Remember to
research a few specialty services, those that cover your professional
specialization. You may find that these services better fit your needs, and properly target your
immediate employment intentions, without all the muss, fuss, and spam mail that
often comes along with joining multiple job search engines.

When seeking new employment opportunities consider these tips and tricks when
utilizing Internet job search engines as an employment-seeking tool:

Reputation – Guard your online reputation (or your electronic face) with great
pride and discretion. Never air out employment grievances in an open, public, Internet
forum. Remember, once you put your name on it and post it online, it’s forever.

Research – Do your research when seeking employment, before committing to using
one service or another. There are many websites that monitor their posters and
posting for scams, spam, and the like. On the other hand, there are many that do
not. You don’t want to find yourself buried in spam mail, when all you really wanted
was an employment opportunity as a physician.

Trending – Use your Internet resources to discover industry trends and
directions. When competing in the open job market it is important to stay current,
competitive, and relevant within your profession. Physician’s employment opportunities can be
found almost anywhere, but can be highly competitive.

Avoid Scams – Many websites begin with the best intentions, but poorly moderated
posting forums often spawn out of control. In most cases, the website likely
cannot afford to properly staff their organization. It’s for this, and other reasons,
that cause those in the online community to sift and plunder through the trash to get to
the treasure. The treasures, however, do exist and many sites are dedicated to the
proper moderation and executive direction of their businesses.

It is still important to remember that con artists will thrive in times of
economic crisis. It would be considered wise counsel to protect yourself against scams
when seeking new employment opportunities. Be weary of free posting websites and do
your research on the hospital, clinic, office, etc. to which you are applying.
Of course, you should never pay anyone for to the opportunity to work for them. You should
also never agree to contract terms with someone whom you have yet to meet, or
agree to take a position that you have yet to verify the existence of.

In closing, (ladies and) gentlemen, start your job search engines. Find an
employment community that you can trust and post your resume. Find the
physician’s employment opportunity that you’ve been waiting for, and reap the
hard earned benefits.

Locum Tenens vs Permanent

Now, that you have either finished residency or are ready for a change…which position will be better for you?  A locum tenens job or a permanent position?

I will randomly list some pros and cons of each.

Locum Tenens

*let’s you explore different types of practices before you settle on one job

*allows you to travel

*not committed to one contract

*travel and lodging provided

*no benefits (health insurance, retirement, etc)

*will need to pay tax quarterly and up to over 40% and this will not be taken out automatically

*no security/stability if you plan to settle down

*great salary

PERMANENT POSITION

*secure/stable with long contracts

*will not allow for travel to different places and proctices

*benefits and retirement included

*less salary

*will need to provide living and travel expenses

*tax taken out automatically

These are the basic differences and you will need to decide based on what you desire out of the position.   Each type of position does have it’s advantages and disadvantages.  If you are in a position to travel and try out different practices, I suggest locum tenens.  If you are ready to settle in one place, a permanent position may be right for you.  Ultimately, as long as you are happy it doesn’t matter what you choose….a locum tenens position or a permanent position.

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Locum Tenens Salary

Locum Tenens Salary

SPECIALTY INCOME  (per 8-hour day)

CRNA                                $720 to $880

Family Practice            $400 to $450

Internal Medicine       $400 to $450

Pediatrics                       $400 to $430

OB/GYN                          $600 to $800

Hospitalist                      $520 to $760

General Surgeon          $650 to $750

Orthopedic Surgeon   $800 to $900

Neurosurgeon                $1,300 to $1,400

Anesthesiologist           $1,000 to $1,500

Psychiatrist                     $500 to $600

Radiologist                      $1,200 to $1,500

Cardiologist                     $600 to $750

–From LocumTenens.com

Hope this post helped you get an idea of a locum tenens’ salary.

Don’t forget to comment below and tell your friends (email or social media) about the blog/post if you found it helpful.