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Short-term work, long-term possibilities
The pros and cons of locum tenens work By Sonali Mehandru, MD
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe
R
esourcefulness is a skill often talked about in interventional radiology. When faced with a difficult case, we look to
our knowledge of familiar catheters, sheaths, guidewires, needles and other IR equipment to concoct a customized technical strategy to get the job done. In fact, many of us were attracted to this innovative aspect of our specialty to begin with. But what about resourcefulness outside the procedure
room? When you are faced with an unexpected challenge in life or suddenly find yourself on an uncertain career path, how can that same resourcefulness help you find a solution or reset your professional trajectory?
In 2017, I found myself facing just such an unforeseen situation in my career: In what seemed like a blink of an eye, I was having to look for a new job opportunity in an incredibly competitive IR job
market. By then I had several years of experience in the “real world” of IR and knew what I wanted and needed from a job. I wanted clinic time and the ability to practice 100% IR so I could focus on bringing new, beneficial IR procedures to my patients. But the job market I was facing had very little to offer me in that regard.
With very few options ahead of me, I turned to what I thought would be a short-term solution: locum tenens work. With no expectations, I hoped only that it would provide income while I searched for a better opportunity. Instead, I found a different kind of practice model, one that provides both opportunities and challenges, taught me about resourcefulness outside the procedure suite, and made me a better IR.
What is locum tenens? The word “locum tenens” is derived from the Latin phrase locus tenere, which means “holding the place of.” Locum tenens positions are essentially substituting: When there is a shortage of providers in a group or hospital, a locum
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