More and more doctors are looking for career alternatives to overcome a variety of occupational roadblocks, including career fatigue, burnout, and limited time with patients. As the patient-to-physician gap continues to grow, these career roadblocks will become even more debilitating, leaving physicians feeling as if they have to choose between their jobs and personal lives.

According to a recent CompHealth study, one-third of physicians have contemplated leaving medicine due to the effects of the Affordable Care Act. That number is even higher among private practice physicians, 45 percent of whom say they’re more likely to quit.

But there’s an alternative solution physician can pursue that doesn’t include leaving medicine.

Locum tenens is a viable full-time career option for physicians who don’t want to compromise their personal lives for their jobs. Find out why these CompHealth physicians chose to make locum tenens a full-time career.

Enjoy Work/Life Balance
Locum tenens allows Dr. Johnny Shen to feel like a sports star. He picks when and where he wants to work and maintains a strong work/life balance. He credits locum tenens with providing him the lifestyle he has always wanted.

“I get to choose when I work, I get to find my jobs, and I get to have a week off,” Shen says.

Coming out of residency Dr. Shen was exploring alternative options for his full-time career as an attending physician. He was having a hard time identifying careers that would allow him to focus on being a physician while he was at work, but also let him have a life outside of work. When a colleague told him about locum tenens he knew he had found the career he wanted.

“You’re an independent contractor, you get to pick your days and get to travel,” Shen says. “I do locum tenens because I was made for it. I love the flexibility, it fits my personality, and I will probably do it for a very long time.”