Ready for a fresh start? There’s nothing quite like flipping the calendar over to a new year to make a change! Here are 23 New Year’s resolutions to help you build a rewarding and exciting career as a locum tenens provider in 2023.
Maybe you’ve decided to make the leap to locums for the first time this year. Or perhaps you’ve already been living the locums lifestyle but want to revamp your approach and craft a long-term career plan. Whether you’re new to locums or a seasoned veteran, these New Year’s resolutions can help you launch the next phase of your career.
2023 New Year’s Resolutions for Locum Tenens
- Decide whether you’d like to work close to home or travel nationwide.
- Think about the environment you’d prefer – inpatient, outpatient, private practice, rural health, telemedicine, government health, etc.
- Consider what schedule best suits your lifestyle – days, nights, weekdays, weekends, short stints or longer assignments.
- Think about where you want to stay – corporate housing, hotels, Airbnb, etc. – and how you’d prefer to travel.
- Talk with your family to decide whether you’ll bring them along and consider whether you will plan to bring a pet.
- Research what it’s like to work as a locum tenens provider.
- Listen to podcasts to learn about the locums life.
- Pursue licensure in the states you want to work in or see if you are eligible through interstate licensure.
- Figure out how much you want to earn annually and work backward to determine how often you’ll need to work and how much time you can take off.
- If one of your goals is to maximize income, research hotspots in different locations, specialties and work environments that pay more.
- Build up your emergency funds – a cash reserve you can draw on if needed. A general rule for most Americans is to have savings to cover three to six months of living expenses.
- Make a plan to secure health, life and disability insurance.
- Visit the IRS website to read about being self-employed. Learn what business-related deductions you can take and what tax forms you’ll need to file during the year.
- Consult an account to decide whether you want to structure yourself as a sole proprietor, limited liability corporation, independent contractor, etc.
- Research the states you will work in and whether/how you will pay state income tax.
- Prepare and gather your CV, licenses, DEA registrations, education, work history, malpractice history, references, etc.
- Ensure your social media presence is professional – avoid posting inappropriate content and friending/following patients.
- Research several companies to find one or two locum tenens agencies or healthcare organizations you prefer.
- Introduce yourself to a locum tenens recruiter to set up a discussion a few months before you’d like to begin working.
- Be prepared to tell your recruiter all about your interests and goals. If you’ve been working locums assignments but haven’t been satisfied, tell your recruiter, ask for another recruiter or switch companies. You deserve to enjoy who you work with and love what you do!
- Get excited about making new friends, building professional networks and learning from colleagues on assignments.
- Set aside time to plan adventures during your off hours. Plan to visit parks and natural areas, check out restaurants and nightlife and get to know the communities in the places you visit.
- Carefully consider each step of your locum tenens career. Use each assignment to build upon the next. You can always just go where the locums road takes you, but imagine the possibilities if you put some thought into crafting your journey.
Happy New Year!! May 2023 bring you the freedom, flexibility, adventure and rewards you worked so hard to achieve!
Talk with a locum tenens recruiter today.
