Locum Tenens Physician

Also called: Locums Doctor, Traveling Physician

Doctor who fills temporary gaps at hospitals and clinics around the country, working a few weeks or months at a time.

A day in the life

Flies into a small Montana hospital for a two-week stint covering the ER while a local doctor is on leave. A staffing agency books your housing and malpractice insurance. You learn a new computer system and team fast, then head home or on to the next assignment.

Pay over a career

Starting
$220k
Typical
$320k
High
$500k

Estimate; paid by the day or hour, varies widely by specialty.

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 11 years after high school. Medical school and residency in any specialty, plus board certification and licenses in several states.

Ways in: Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.

Majors to look at: Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry.

Outlook

Growing faster than average. Rural physician shortages keep demand high.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk for 10 years. As with other physicians, AI helps with notes; diagnosis and treatment stay human.

Start now, in high school

Classes: Biology, Chemistry, AP Calculus.

More Physicians & Surgery careers

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.