Quick Facts

Locum Tenens in the United States

Locum tenens jobs in the United States

Locum tenens assignments are available all across the U.S.

Domestic assignments with Global Medical Staffing (GMS) are available in all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska.

  • Rural and underserved locations

  • Large, high-acuity hospitals in major metropolitan areas

  • Near your home base

We have jobs in just about any environment you can imagine. Chase the good weather, have that bucket-list ski trip, or take a well-deserved swim in the ocean.

View Open Locums Jobs

Assignment types in the U.S.

Whether you’re looking to work locums full time or want part-time hours on the side, GMS will work with you to find an assignment that suits your needs.

  • Full time: What does full time look like to you? We can consolidate full-time hours into a couple of weeks a month or spread them out with days off in between. This could mean just one location or a combination of assignments, depending on your preference and availability.

  • Part time: Whether you’re looking to pick up extra hours on the weekend or plan a working vacation with your family, we can find assignments to suit your schedule.

  • Call only: Many physicians take call-only assignments to give busy local physicians some relief. Although there’s not a set schedule, you’ll be required to stay within 20 minutes of the facility.

Assignment settings in the U.S.

Domestic locum tenens assignments are available in a variety of settings. After knowing your preferences, specialty, and schedule, we’ll be able to find the assignment that fits your lifestyle. GMS staffs in the following settings:

  • Hospitals

  • Clinics

  • Urgent care clinics

  • Telehealth

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What Global Medical Staffing includes

Licensing

We take care of licensing for you. A couple of things to know:

  • We’ll guide you through the entire licensing process, prefill your application as much as possible, help you with all the necessary paperwork, and submit it on your behalf

  • The more licenses you have, the more assignment options and locations you'll have to choose from. If you’re licensed in one of the participating states in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, or IMLC, we’ll be able to expedite the licensing process.

Credentialing

GMS will assist you with all hospital credentialing and privileging and help with your application, prefilling it where we can.

Malpractice

GMS provides claims-made malpractice insurance set up as a group policy, which includes tail coverage after your assignment.

Housing and travel

We take care of licensing for you. A couple of things to know:

  • GMS covers housing for each physician working locum tenens with us. We work hard to ensure your home away from home is comfortable and move-in ready. We also offer 24/7 support if any issues arise.

  • We cover all travel expenses for your assignment. If you prefer to drive, we’ll pay you the current government mileage reimbursement rates. And if your assignment requires a trip across the Pacific, we arrange and pay for all your travel expenses.

  • Want to bring your family with you on assignment? We can help with that. While we don’t cover the cost of your family members’ travel, we’ll work with you to secure comfortable housing to fit your needs.

Physician compensation rates

  • Pay differs from specialty to specialty and by location.

  • Some harder-to-fill locations will have higher compensation due to high need and a smaller pool of locums physicians interested in working in those locations.

Check out Locumstory’s locum tenens compensation trends for pay ranges in additional specialties.

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How and when you’ll get paid

  • Locums physicians working for GMS are paid weekly by electronic deposit.

  • Locums physicians are considered independent contractors and receive a 1099. This means you’ll be responsible for managing and paying your own taxes. You’ll also need to secure health insurance and cover other benefits typically offered by a full-time employer, like 401(k) and life insurance coverage.

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Reasons physicians choose to work locum tenens jobs in the U.S.

Schedule flexibility

You can dictate where, when, and how often you work. Your recruiter at GMS will work closely with you to find the perfect assignment that fits your desired schedule.

I started to get burned out, so I looked into locums. My passions are my family and practicing medicine. Locums allowed me to simultaneously do what I love and spend quality time with family.

- Dr. Ronald Stiller, critical care medicine hospitalist

Purpose

Know that you are helping in underserved communities. Many physicians thrive in rural, underserved settings, treasuring the opportunity to give back to those most in need.

The idea of being able to utilize my skill set in areas of greatest need is gratifying, and locums allows me the time to give back.

- Dr. Michael McGrath, psychiatrist

Adventure

You get to see parts of the country you may never have thought of going to. A lot of physicians take locums assignments as a working vacation to places they’ve always wanted to visit — and some even bring their families.

Why vacation when you can live where you vacation and make money? It’s a unique opportunity to come here as a locums and explore places that are on people’s bucket list.

- Dr. Janine Lester, neurologist

Skill set and growth

Work in different locations, see how other facilities run, learn how other doctors in your specialty practice, and find new ways of practicing medicine.

I’ve spent time in three different medical situations and ways of practicing medicine. I think it makes you a better doctor, and you get a broader range of experience that you might not get if you stick in the same place.

- Dr. Samantha Conroy, family practitioner/OB

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Domestic vs. international locum tenens

While international assignments can be the adventure of a lifetime, some physicians have obligations that may make working long-term, internationall locum tenens a challenge. For those doctors, choosing domestic locum tenens has many benefits.

  • Pick a shorter assignment to see if locums is right for you without a long-term commitment.

  • Make extra cash taking domestic locum tenens assignments — even while working a full-time job.

  • Choose from a variety of assignments in a larger pool of specialties, leaving you a broader range of locums jobs options.

  • Take advantage of a licensing and credentialing process that is much simpler, meaning there’ll be a quicker turnaround between assignments and you’ll get to work faster. You won’t have to get a visa to work your assignment.

United States opportunities

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