A close friend of mine, a primary care physician (PCP) in Houston, called me a few weeks ago. His tone was upbeat—he had just resigned from his full-time hospital position. “I’m working remotely now,” he said. I burst into laughter. Is a doctor working remotely? I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Doctors are the ones who physically examine patients, diagnose in person, and run around hospitals, right?
He explained, “I’m working as a locum tenen—a part-time Telehealth physician. I’ll treat underserved communities globally while working from anywhere. Why should I be limited to serving people who already have easy access to doctors?”. Flexible hours, better pay, and the freedom to work from wherever he wanted. My IT and finance friends had been bragging about their “gig economy” perks for years, but hearing this from a doctor was surprising.
Locum tenens—Latin for “to hold the place of”—is now a multi-billion-dollar force in healthcare. In 2024 alone, the U.S. locum tenens staffing market hit $4.64 billion. By 2030, it’s expected to hit $7.08 billion, growing at a steady annual rate of 7.3% (Locum Tenens Staffing Market Size And Share Report, 2030). Each year, over 52,000 physicians take on locum tenens assignments, stepping in where hospitals and clinics need them most (State of Locum Tenens: 2024 Report | CHG Healthcare).
