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International locum tenens assignments are a great way for physicians to experience new places, have epic adventures, and offer their expertise to underserved communities around the world. One worry that some physicians have about working international locums is how to transition back to domestic practice after — or between — international assignments.
That’s where Global Medical Staffing can help!
Go with a locum tenens company you know and trust
You already know that Global Medical is a recognized leader in international locum tenens, but you may not know they are also experts on the domestic side of locum tenens, too. And because of this, your transition between assignments can be seamless and simple.
Here are four reasons why it makes sense to work with Global Medical Staffing for both international and domestic locum tenens assignments.
1. Continuity of service
Once you have a relationship with GMS recruiters, staying with GMS for domestic assignments helps ensure the positive experience continues.
“Our people get to know you and your story, where you’re going, and what you need,” explains Anna Frachou, vice president at GMS.
GMS international and domestic recruiters share knowledge with each other to make your experience seamless. “They’re able to share the habits and the insights of what it’s like working with you,” Frachou says. “We know how you like to work, and you’re not having to rebuild that relationship and communicate your preferences repeatedly.”
Family physician Dr. Elizabeth Dayton worked with GMS for two locum tenens assignments in New Zealand. In between those international assignments, she had a family medical situation and needed to stay close to home. GMS found her a locum assignment that fit the bill.
“I have worked with the same recruiters for my assignments, and I have gotten to know them, and they are so good,” she says. “I feel like I know my GMS recruiters well, and they’re extremely helpful.”
2. Simplified credentialing and paperwork
Working with more than one locum tenens company for different assignments means starting all over again with documentation. Neurologist Dr. Sue Ming says, “You have to send your information to each of them: who you are, licensures, CVs, and letters of recommendation, things like that. That’s a lot of extra work.”
Dr. Dayton agrees. “One big advantage of working with one company is that whenever you take a new assignment, there’s a lot of credentialing, and there’s so much paperwork and hassle that goes into it. Because I work with GMS for both international and domestic assignments, that takes a lot of that off my plate,” she says. “Anytime you establish with a new company you’ve got to provide so much information, and it takes a lot of time. If you’re switching locum tenens jobs frequently, that can be cumbersome.”
3. Easy locum tenens assignment transitions
When you leave on an international assignment of several months, you may not know always what’s going to come next after your assignment is over.
“Some physicians may feel uneasy around the transition after an assignment, especially if they don’t have another job waiting for them when they get home,” says Adriann Mathis, senior director at GMS. “It helps to have an international representative who connects you to somebody you can trust on the domestic side who can put you to work right away.”
Mathis explains that GMS consultants help physicians with their career plans after their international adventure, and it’s comforting for physicians to know there is a safety net of people looking after them. “You can focus on still living your life internationally, but you’ve got somebody who is focused on what life after this will look like,” she says.
Working with GMS enables physicians to have domestic assignments lined up and ready to start when they return from their international assignment. “It can be a seamless transition,” Mathis says. “Your domestic assignment can be secured and ready to start as soon as you return home if that’s your plan.”
Dr. Ming often switches between assignments in Guam and Alaska and usually plans both assignments well in advance so there’s little to no lapse in employment. “Right now, I’m reasonably full,” she says.
4. Shared knowledge
When physicians work with GMS for both international and domestic assignments, GMS consultants can share what they know about the physician and their preferences with each other and with the privileging, housing, travel, and other teams.
“The biggest benefit for a physician is that you’re known within our company. There’s already an established relationship with the international and domestic representative,” Mathis says. “There’s that opportunity to share — the doctor likes this, or they prefer that, or they’re traveling with their family, or they’ve got pets. So, you’re not having to retell your whole story to somebody new.”
Dr. Dayton prefers to travel with her family, and GMS helped with housing and visas for her wife and daughter when she worked in New Zealand. They also helped her wife through the process of getting a work visa. Dr. Dayton says she prefers to work with GMS “because of the support and aid that they have given me. And because they’ve made doing locums easy.”
Having one agency facilitate both your domestic and international locum tenens assignments is a way to streamline communication and have smoother transitions between assignments. Your domestic and international GMS recruiters will know and share with each other your specific needs and preferences, giving you a level of security you wouldn’t have if you worked with more than one agency. That way you can just enjoy the adventure!
Interested in learning more about international and locum tenens opportunities for physicians with Global Medical Staffing? Give us a call at 855.407.6961.