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Locum Tenens is the Future and the Future is Here

Fedna Morency, PA-C

Locum tenens work has become increasingly popular in recent years, but what exactly is locum tenens? Locum tenens is a Latin term for “in place of.” The term stems back to the mid-1800s when medical professionals would travel to take care of wounded soldiers. It was later formalized in the 1970s, when two physicians were appointed to cover the medical practices of rural physicians on temporary leave. From there, locum tenens took on a life of its own, and staffing agencies began forming in recognition of a nationwide need for different specialties. Industry bodies like the National Association of Locum Tenens Organization were later established to bring standardization and accreditation to the field.


The Growing Need for Locum Tenens Providers

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is projected to experience a shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, and this shortage is expected to be felt especially acutely in rural areas. The projected physician shortage coupled with an aging U.S. population and increasing provider burnout will result in even more demand for locum tenens work to bridge the gap. According to Grand View Research, the global locum tenens staffing market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.56% from 2024 to 2030.


The Benefits of Locum Tenens Work

Locum tenens is a great career path for several reasons:

  • Flexibility to create your own schedule. For example, you can negotiate working seven days on/seven days off, or 12-hour shifts instead of traditional eight-hour days Monday through Friday. The ability to create your own schedule, take frequent breaks between assignments, and work seasonally can help you prevent burnout and make your physician associate career more sustainable. 
  • Significantly higher compensation than a traditional healthcare provider role. You have the potential to average 2X-3X the gross compensation of a traditional W2 role working nine to ten months out of the year. 
  • The opportunity to travel across the country and experience different communities. Working in varied environments can broaden your horizons and enrich your perspective about life and culture. 
  • A balanced work-life experience, including self-care. With the time you can free up through locum tenens work, you can spend more time with family, hobbies, or travel the world at your leisure. 


How to Get Started in Locum Tenens as a PA

While some physicians are now going into locum tenens straight out of residency, I recommend that physician associates have a minimum of two years of experience before accepting a locum tenens position for a medical sub-specialty and three years of experience before a position in a surgical sub-specialty. This will allow you time to build up the professional clinical experience that will help you thrive in locum tenens work. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t start making connections with recruiters and other locum tenens PAs as a PA student or new graduate. Build your network for the future using the following tips:

  • Initiate conversations around locum tenens in forums, chat groups, and on your own social media profiles to start networking. When posting on social media, use hashtags such as #locumtenens or #travelphysicianassistant to be discovered by students and PAs interested in travel PA opportunities and recruiters who are actively recruiting. 
  • Join Facebook groups dedicated to locum tenens and travel PA/physician life, where you can ask questions, learn from others’ experiences, and connect with providers who are actively working locums assignments. 
  • Search “locum tenens physician assistant” or “locum tenens physician assistant cardiology (or desired specialty)” in a search engine.  
  • Tap into the AAPA community (community.aapa.org) and start a conversation about locums, share ideas, and build a network — a great option if you’re not drawn to traditional social media. 


Licensing and Credentialing Challenges 

There are many benefits to locum tenens work, including flexibility, shorter work hours, and higher pay. However, like everything in life, there are some challenges that come with locum tenens work too. The top two challenges are licensing and credentialing.

Credentialing is handled by the facility or hospital system you’ll be working at and can take a couple of weeks to three months. In most cases, credentialing can begin before your license is finalized.

If you have an active state license where locum tenens providers are needed, you’ll have an advantage over those without one. If you don’t, you will need to get one to practice. Once you’re confirmed for an assignment, the agency’s licensing department will typically handle the process, including covering the licensing fee on your behalf. However, if you are not yet confirmed for a locums assignment, you will be responsible for handling the licensing process and the associated costs yourself but can be reimbursed once the position is secured.

The good news is that the interstate PA licensure compact will make locum tenens work easier to access for PAs. The interstate licensure compact facilitates multistate practice for PAs, which will open doors to even more opportunities. Please keep in mind that this is still a work in progress and has not been implemented. Currently, you must still apply for a PA license in each state where you plan on practicing medicine. To stay abreast of the latest information on the PA Licensure Compact, please continue to follow www.pacompact.org.

 

Is Locum Tenens Right for You?

Now before you think about taking the leap, you must ask yourself, “Is locum tenens the right fit for me?” If you love traveling, exploring new places, haven’t started a family, or are an empty nester, this may be an ideal time to jump into the world of locum tenens.

Remember, locum tenens can be a long-term career path or something you try out for a particular season of your life. It’s not a “one size that fits all.” In fact, it can serve many purposes in your career journey, including being an option that can sustain you when you are in between jobs.

One misconception about the industry is that you must travel around the country, but that is not the case. Oftentimes, you can work locally or a few hours away from your home.

I recommend that all PAs familiarize themselves with locum tenens as this work becomes an increasingly common option used in healthcare staffing. If you’ve ever thought of transitioning to becoming a locum tenens PA, it’s doable and sustainable, so go for it.


References

Locum Tenens Staffing Market Size And Share Report, 2030.  [Report]. Locum Tenens Staffing Market Size And Share Report, 2030

Adashi, E.Y., O’Mahony, D.P. & Gruppuso, P.A. The National Physician Shortage: Disconcerting HRSA and AAMC Reports. J GEN INTERN MED (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-025-09575-7

Kealey K. A history of locum tenens: The origins of a new approach to healthcare. April 13, 2017. https://comphealth.com/resources/the-origin-of-locum-tenens

Fedna Morency, PA-C, is a full-time locum tenens Physician Associate with over 12 years of experience across just about all subspecialties of orthopedic surgery. She transitioned to locum work in 2018 and has practiced as a 1099 provider since 2021. 

 She is passionate about helping PAs discover a different path in their careers through education, speaking on financial independence and building sustainability through locum tenens work. 

 Fedna has spoken about locum tenens and salary negotiation at the national and state level, and is a frequent speaker at PA schools on salary negotiation, where she focuses on closing gender and racial based pay gaps. She is passionate about mentoring early career PAs and educating providers on locum tenens work, and capitalizing on every opportunity. 

 In her spare time, she loves to travel and see the world, and spend time with family and friends.