Learning Locums
What you need to know about working locum tenens.
Locum tenens is Latin for “to hold the place of or substitute for.” As an advanced practitioner working in locums, you have the power to bring care to communities in need while embracing a work-life balance tailored just for you. On this page, you’ll learn how locum tenens works and the advantages it can add to your life.

What does a locum tenens assignment look like?
A Latin phrase meaning “to hold the place of another,” locum tenens refers to the growing industry of temporary healthcare staffing where health professionals contract with medical facilities and locums companies for an interim period. Working as a locums physician or advanced practitioner includes a wide range of temporary healthcare opportunities, such as filling in for those on leave, helping to start a new service line, or supporting understaffed hospitals during a busy period.
Many types of facilities now use locums staffing, including urgent care centers, community care centers, private practices, and even governmental groups. It is estimated that over 90% of healthcare facilities use locum tenens as part of their workforce management.
Each assignment varies, but most range from a few weeks to a few months. Some assignments can be indefinite or as short as a few days, though these are less common.
We typically fill roles two to three months in advance, depending upon the time it takes to obtain any necessary privileges. There are occasional positions available that don’t require privileges or have a shorter privileging turnaround.
Each facility may have its own individual requirements, but our privileging and verification team can assist you with the process. There are two general requirements:
- You must be legally eligible to work in the United States.
- You must have an active medical license in the state of the assignment.
It varies widely by facility, but is primarily affected by three factors:
- The medical specialty of the locums need.
- The response time of any state boards that may need to approve licensing.
- The response time of the physician or advanced practitioner. The best way to speed up this process is to have all your documents ready to go and respond to your recruitment team promptly.
Locums positions are available in virtually all specialties, including internal medicine, emergency medicine, psychiatry, surgery, pediatric medicine, occupational health, and more. You can even find opportunities within telehealth as a locums provider.
Working as a locum tenens professional offers many benefits beyond those of full-time roles, including better work-life balance, greater flexibility, the chance to experience new specialties or new areas of the country, and more. Learn more about the benefits of working locum tenens.
Because locums roles are contracted, they don’t offer the same features as a full-time employee role. They are short-term in nature, and like many contract roles, they do not include employment benefits. Locums also frequently means traveling to other locations. While traveling is typically seen as a benefit, if you don’t want to travel, ask about opportunities in telehealth or in your local area.