The Perks of Locum Work Post Foundation Years

So, you’ve completed Foundation Year 2 (FY2), but now what? First, congratulations on reaching this landmark moment in your medical career!

You’ve spent years in education, taken more exams than you would care to remember, worked painfully long hours, and finally completed your rigorous Foundation Years training.

Completing FY2 marks the end of two years of on the job training for doctors in the UK. It’s a significant milestone and presents a crossroads for those still undecided about their next career more.

After years of hard work, many newly qualified doctors face a dilemma. Do you take some time off, or start to pursue your chosen career path right away?

It’s can be a complex decision to make, but there is a way of having the best of both worlds. If you're unsure about your career path, read on to learn about locum work and its advantages for you.

What does locum work involve?

As a healthcare worker or medical practitioner, you’re likely to be familiar with the term locum work. In fact, you’ve probably worked shifts with people who are covering as a locum! The term locum, or to give its full name, locum tenens, translates from Latin as, place holder. It’s a term largely associated with the medical and healthcare profession.

It involves working a shift to cover the duties of a regular employee. If you work in healthcare, you can fill in for others who are sick, on vacation, or on maternity leave. This applies to doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals.

Locum work is usually on a short-term basis, ranging anywhere from one shift to several months, covering a particular role. As a locum, you could work in a private practice, specialist clinics, hospitals or even healthcare agencies.

Top tip: To succeed in locum work, be flexible, learn new systems and adapt quickly to changes in clinical practice. You need to pick things up quickly and easily change to suit the environment you’re working in.

Flexibility and autonomy

After years of learning and training, becoming a locum offers you a life of flexibility and freedom—sound appealing?

A significant advantage of locum work is you’re free of the restrictions associated with permanent roles. You can choose when to work and have time for vacations, adventures, and a better work-life balance.

But it’s not just your social life that benefits from locum work.

You can choose when and where you work from a choice of locations across the UK. As a locum, you can choose your work pattern, including day or night shifts. Ultimately, you have full control over your schedule.

If there’s a setting you like working in, you can work more shifts there. Likewise, if you don’t like a certain work environment, you can simply say no to those locum opportunities.

Top tip: Stay organised, keep a record of your locum assignments, ensure you maintain your professional documents (licences, certificates, insurance etc). Discover some of the various apps and online tools to assist with organising your schedule, document reminders, and expenses.

Financial rewards

One of the major benefits of locum work after completing FY2 is the ability to earn a higher income. You can boost your income, while also potentially claiming other financial incentives, like travel reimbursement or accommodation allowance.

As a locum, you're self-employed, so you can get tax benefits not available to permanent employees. You have the freedom to negotiate your pay rate and decline work if it doesn't meet your salary requirements.

Top tip: Before becoming a locum, research and think about the advantages and disadvantages of using an umbrella group or being PAYE. Ask colleagues for their experience but choose wisely based on your own circumstances and future goals.

Building your professional network

As someone new to industry, being a locum helps you connect with others in the medical and healthcare field. You can gain valuable insights, professional opinions, and even hear about potential job opportunities.

Keeping a professional network helps you share knowledge. As a locum, it helps you stay updated on medical advancements, clinical techniques, and best practices. Your professional network is like a support system. It helps with career advice, learning, and socialising.

Networking is a two-way street; always be willing to give back or pay it forward.

Remember, the beauty of locum work is you get to work in various settings and departments. The person you worked temporary shifts with could end up being the hiring manager for your dream job!

Top tip: Make sure you keep your LinkedIn profile updated with any new experience or skills you gain. Connect with those you have worked with as a locum and don’t be afraid to reach out to them. Asking LinkedIn connections for career advice or recommendations helps build your reputation and strengthen professional relationships.

Conclusion

There are many benefits to locum work, especially when you’re just starting out in your professional medical or healthcare career. It helps expand your professional connections, allows for higher income, offers diverse work, independence, and more flexibility than a regular job.

It can be a rewarding way to spend your first year of work after completing FY2. Whatever you decide to do, becoming a locum depends on individual preferences, circumstances, and career goals, but it’s an option certainly worth contemplating.