Travel doctors or locum tenens doctors, typically work on short-term contracts to treat patients in different locations and earn around $226,382 a year.
On average, they have a higher pay than permanent hospital residents, but their salary can significantly vary depending on their specialty.
Bạn đang xem: What Is the Average Salary of a Travel Doctor in 2024?
What Is a Traveling Physician?
Traveling physicians work as locum tenens physicians. These physicians travel from state to state (and sometimes abroad) to practice medicine. They fill in during another physician’s absence or provide additional care when there is more of a demand for medical care than there is supply.
When physicians are away on medical, family, or maternity leave, it’s common for a traveling physician to take their place for a while.
From board-certified surgeons to hospitalists, nurse practitioners to physician assistants, medical professionals looking for a new employment opportunity can often find work as traveling physicians. No matter what your medical specialty may be, a locum tenens position can become available at any time.
The U.S. locum tenens staffing market was valued at approximately $3.51 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around $7.97 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.74% from 2024 to 2034.
In other words, it’s safe to say that various locum tenens positions will keep opening, keeping this particular occupation active for many years to come.
Related:Balancing Acts: Navigating Physician Moonlighting for Physicians in Residency & Practice
What Is the Average Annual Salary of a Travel Doctor?
According to salary.com, the average base salary for a travel doctor or a locum tenens physician is $226,382.
However, it’s worth pointing out that “traveling doctors” isn’t an official term in the United States, as these physicians can be of various specialties, with some of them working in private practice, so the salary range can vary significantly.
For example, ZipRecruiter’s results are considerably higher, paying around $308,331 to locums. This makes a bit more sense because locums often earn more since their contracts have no benefits.
For reference, here are the top 10 states in the U.S. where travel doctors earn the most:
State
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
New York
$370,114
$30,842
$7,117
$177.94
New Hampshire
$344,590
$28,715
$6,626
$165.67
Arizona
$322,810
$26,900
$6,207
$155.20
Wyoming
$322,777
$26,898
$6,207
$155.18
Tennessee
$316,729
$26,394
$6,090
$152.27
Hawaii
$316,156
$26,346
$6,079
$152.00
Massachusetts
$314,645
$26,220
$6,050
$151.27
New Jersey
$314,357
$26,196
$6,045
$151.13
Nevada
$313,647
$26,137
$6,031
$150.79
West Virginia
$311,833
$25,986
$5,996
$149.92
In comparison, here are the bottom 10:
State
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
Mississippi
$260,665
$21,722
$5,012
$125.32
Arkansas
$259,422
$21,618
$4,988
$124.72
Oklahoma
$259,017
$21,584
$4,981
$124.53
Georgia
$258,690
$21,557
$4,974
$124.37
Illinois
$255,801
$21,316
$4,919
$122.98
Michigan
$255,320
$21,276
$4,910
$122.75
Missouri
$252,535
$21,044
$4,856
$121.41
Texas
$250,033
$20,836
$4,808
$120.21
Louisiana
$242,885
$20,240
$4,670
$116.77
North Carolina
$224,427
$18,702
$4,315
$107.90
Source: ZipRecruiter (2024)
Are Traveling Physicians Satisfied With Their Career Choice?
There’s no question that physicians are experiencing more burnout and are less happy about their jobs post-COVID-19 than before it. With all the demands that the pandemic has put on the healthcare system, that’s to be expected.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 69% of all physicians reported being “happy” with their work/life status. Since the pandemic, that number has dropped to approximately 49%.
But for locum tenens physicians, those numbers vary quite a bit.
There isn’t much hard data on how many traveling physicians are satisfied with their work. Yet, we can draw some conclusions based on what makes physicians dissatisfied and how traveling physicians don’t necessarily have the same concerns.
Physicians are generally happier when they can focus on:
- Providing top-quality medical care
- Spending more of their time on patient care
- Spending less time on administrative work and navigating the bureaucracy of the healthcare system that employs them
Traveling physicians have the unique opportunity to minimize work burnout for a variety of reasons.
One reason is that they can dictate their schedules and have the flexibility to take more time off when needed.
Another reason is that temporary assignments typically require more focus on patient care and less time spent dealing with the administrative constraints of the healthcare system.
The Pros and Cons of Working Locum Tenens
With so many licensed physicians choosing to work locum tenens, you can be sure that it has its fair share of benefits and pros. But for some medical professionals, the traveling physician lifestyle can take some getting used to.
Here are the biggest pros and cons of working as a traveling physician.
PRO: Flexibility
One of the biggest perks of working locum tenens is flexibility. Therefore, you get to decide where you want to work. You can choose full-time or part-time positions. You don’t have to make a long-term commitment or sign a multi-year employment contract.
Working as a traveling physician can also be a great opportunity for a new physician who isn’t ready to settle in one place or hasn’t been able to find a full-time job.
PRO: The Opportunity to Travel
The most obvious benefit of working as a traveling physician is the opportunity to travel and live, albeit temporarily, in different places. Maybe you want to visit Nevada? New York? Virginia?
Physicians may choose locum assignments in the town where they grew up, in the city where they went to college or medical school, in their favorite vacation spot, or in a place they’ve never visited.
Locum Tenens’s work can be rewarding from a professional standpoint, as well as a personal desire to travel and explore.
PRO: The Chance to Explore Different Work Settings
Debating if you should work in an emergency room or urgent care center? Are you not sure if you’d be happier working in a small family practice or a large medical group?
Working as a traveling physician gives you the option to work in a variety of different workplace settings.
Locum assignments are available in hospitals, private practices, community clinics, and all other types of medical centers. They are also available in large metro areas, small cities, rural areas, and underserved regions.
This makes traveling positions perfect for physicians who want to try out different workplaces and/or aren’t quite sure where they want to settle down.
PRO: A Better Work/Life Balance
Compared to steady, full-time work, the flexibility that comes with locum work often allows for a better work/life balance.
Some traveling physicians choose to work back-to-back assignments. Others prefer to take time off between jobs, affording them more time to spend with family and friends or pursue hobbies and interests.
PRO: Career Independence
Locum tenens physicians are independent contractors, which allows you to enjoy career independence.
As an independent traveling physician, you can enjoy all of the benefits of a self-employed physician — including the opportunity to reduce your tax burden by deducting business expenses. You can also choose your own insurance policies and create your own schedule.
Most locum positions will require you to work a set schedule and the number of hours per week, but traveling physicians have the option to accept or refuse any job that comes their way.
If the workload or schedule doesn’t meet their needs, they have the freedom to pass on the opportunity and find one that better suits their lifestyle.
PRO: Networking Opportunities
The more you travel and work in different locations, the more physicians and administrators you can network with.
The broader your network, the easier it will be to get referrals to future physician jobs. This is helpful whether you continue to work as a traveling physician or decide at some point that you’re ready to work in one permanent location.
PRO: Higher Salary
Of all the benefits of working as a traveling physician, the most enticing one is likely the potential for a bigger salary.
Pay rates vary depending on how many years of experience you have and the demand for physicians in your specialty.
According to CHG Healthcare, traveling physicians who work full-time earn an average of $32.45 per hour more than physicians working in permanent positions.
CON: Less Stability
Some locum contracts can be as short as a few weeks, while others may require you to be away from home for several months. Some traveling physicians find it challenging to spend long periods of time away from family members and loved ones.
Locum staffing agencies can help you book travel arrangements and obtain short-term leases. However, you’ll have to get accustomed to not sleeping in your own bed every night. In the beginning, working on the road can cause some feelings of instability.
Working in different states can also make it more difficult to estimate how much you’ll owe in federal and state income taxes. It can take some time to get used to earning a fluctuating salary and paying different percentages in taxes.
CON: You’ll Need Your Own Insurance Coverage
As an independent contractor, you are responsible for paying for all your own insurance policies, including health insurance. Most physician-employees have health insurance through their employer, but traveling physicians cover the entire cost of health insurance on their own.
Besides health insurance, you’ll also need the protection of malpractice insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance — all of which you’ll have to pay for on your own.
However, there is a positive to this:
You and you alone get to choose the exact policies you want.
CON: Not All Specialties Are in Demand
While it is possible to find locum tenens work in any medical specialty, physicians in the following areas are consistently in demand:
- Family medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Emergency medicine
- Psychiatry
- Internal medicine
Why do we have a link for internal medicine here but not the other specialties?
The demand for locum tenens physicians is on the rise, particularly for physicians in these areas of medicine.
Physicians in other specialties sometimes have a more difficult time finding consistent locum assignments.
Dive in deeper by reading: The Pros and Cons of Physician Locum Tenens
What Types of Insurance Does a Traveling Physician Need?
As we mentioned earlier, traveling physicians are independent contractors, and independent contractors carry their own individual insurance policies.
Locum tenens physicians will need their own:
- Health insurance – protects against exorbitant medical bills and medical services
- Disability insurance – protects your future income if you become too ill or disabled to work
- Life insurance – protects your loved ones and helps you to establish financial independence
- Malpractice insurance – protects your assets and your medical license
Every physician, traveling or employed in a permanent position, should carry these individual insurance policies. Before you choose to work as a traveling physician, be sure you have all four insurance policies in place.
Related: Understanding Your Physician Independent Contractor Agreement
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a primary care physician or work in an in-demand specialty, physicians in most areas of medicine have the option to take locum tenens assignments whenever they want.
Just be sure to protect yourself with life, disability, and malpractice insurance.
It doesn’t matter what type of physician you are — every medical professional needs to protect their license, family, future income, and financial assets with insurance.
For more guidance on how to choose the right insurance policies, contact Physicians Thrive.
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This post was last modified on Tháng mười hai 8, 2024 3:38 chiều