Why Locum Tenens Is No Longer a Career Detour, It's a Career Strategy
The traditional arc of a physician's career — residency, fellowship, permanent position, repeat — is being rewritten. Not by policy. Not by hospital administrators. But by physicians themselves.
Today, 41% of physicians report having worked locum tenens at some point in their careers, compared to just 20% in 2016. That is not a trend. That is a structural shift in how physicians think about their professional lives.
If you have been considering locums, whether as a supplement to your current role, a bridge between positions, or a long-term career model, the data, the market, and the medicine are all pointing in the same direction.
The Market Is Moving in Your Favor
The U.S. locum tenens market reached $9.6 billion in 2025. The AAMC projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, and NCHWA estimates the shortfall could exceed 96,000 FTE physicians as early as 2026. That gap does not close overnight. It creates sustained demand for qualified physicians willing to step in — on their own terms.
Locum tenens is the only segment of temporary healthcare staffing that has grown every year since 2021. Eighty percent of organizations plan to maintain or increase their use of locums. For physicians, this translates to leverage: more assignment options, stronger negotiating positions, and the ability to practice in ways that align with your clinical goals and personal life.
Physician Jobs
Burnout Is Real and Locums Is an Evidence-Based Response
According to the 2025 Physician's Foundation Wellbeing Survey, 55% of physicians report debilitating stress and 54% report burnout. Physicians remain 82% more likely to burn out than other professionals.
Mid-career physicians report a 48% improvement in well-being after starting locum tenens assignments. Among physicians working locums, 97% cite freedom and flexibility as the most rewarding aspect, and 86% appreciate the reduced bureaucracy and paperwork.
Locums does not remove the medicine. It removes the friction around the medicine.
Who Is Actually Working Locums?
An estimated 56,000 physicians now work locum tenens. Sixty percent work locums alongside a permanent or part-time role. Forty percent use it as their primary career model. Nearly half cite income supplementation as their primary motivation.
Early-career physicians use locums to explore practice environments before committing. Mid-career physicians use it to reclaim balance during the years of greatest professional pressure. Late-career physicians use it as a bridge to retirement — staying engaged in patient care without having to bear the administrative overhead.
Locums does not compete with a physician's career. It extends it.
Specialties in Highest Demand
High-demand specialties for locum tenens in 2026 include anesthesiology, psychiatry, primary care, emergency medicine, and surgical subspecialties. Physician shortages are projected to worsen through 2037, with particularly steep deficits in family medicine, vascular surgery, and thoracic surgery.
Facilities in high-acuity environments — emergency departments, inpatient units, and behavioral health settings — are turning to locum tenens most aggressively. If your specialty appears on that list, you are in high demand.
What the Logistics Actually Look Like
A strong locums agency handles licensing, credentialing, malpractice coverage, housing, and travel on your behalf. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact — now active in 42 states plus Washington, D.C., and Guam — allows qualified physicians to obtain licenses in participating states in an average of 19 days.
AMN Healthcare covers or reimburses state licensing fees for providers on assignment. Travel, including flights and rental cars, and lodging are paid by the agency, along with medical malpractice insurance. Your recruiter manages contracts, privileging, and pay, so you can focus on patient care.
The Financial Case
Locum tenens pay often varies by location and specialty, and holding licenses in multiple states allows you to pursue assignments in higher-compensation regions. Business expenses related to your work may be tax-deductible, however, you should always consult a tax professional familiar with physician taxes to maximize these benefits.
Almost 30% of physicians cite appealing compensation as their primary motivation to work locums, while 29% cite schedule control. For many, it is both.
The Bottom Line
Close to half of physicians who have worked locum tenens found it more satisfying than a permanent position. Only 12% found it less satisfying. The demand is real. The infrastructure is in place. The only remaining question is whether you are ready to practice medicine on your own terms.
AMN Healthcare's physician recruitment team is ready to help you find assignments aligned with your specialty, your goals, and your life. Browse open positions, connect with a specialty-focused recruiter, or explore our credentialing and licensing resources to get started today.
