Dr. Bill Munchak is a Southern California orthopedic specialist who had been working at his own practice for the better part of 30 years. He's enjoyed a long and successful career which has been more than fulfilling and financially rewarding. So on the one hand he's looking forward to retirement as his golden years are quickly approaching. On the other hand, he's not ready to completely give up practicing medicine just yet. How he transitions from full practice into full retirement is something he'd been thinking about for a while.
After quite a bit of research involving both staffing agencies and his fellow doctors, Dr. Munchak finally settled on a good method of transition that would give him just what he was looking for. He would still be able to continue working as an orthopedist, yet without the responsibilities of maintaining his own practice. In addition, he could be flexible in the amount of work he took on while gradually opening up his schedule for more hobbies and time with his family
So what was his choice? Locum tenens work. Locum tenens jobs utilize doctors who work on a temporary basis to fill in for regular staff doctors who are out on vacation or extended leaves of absence. It's a win-win for both the institution and the locum tenens physician in every sense of the word. The institution can maintain a full staff and the physician can accept or decline work based on his own preferences.
The Benefits of Flexibility
What Dr. Munchak loves most about his new career path is the flexibility it offers him. In the fall he and his wife plan an extended visit to the upper Midwest so they can spend time with their children and grandchildren. With his own practice, he could certainly schedule time off, but it would mean a work overload in the weeks preceding and following his vacation. As a temporary employee for all intents and purposes, he has just scheduled with his staffing agency that he'll be off those three weeks. They will accommodate him by simply offering him assignments whose dates don't interfere.
Location is another part of the flexibility that many doctors don't think of. For example, the weather in Southern California can be a bit hot during the summer months. If it just so happens that a Northern California hospital needs an orthopedic specialist in late July or early August, Dr. Munchak can take the assignment and escape the heat for a few weeks. While he's there, he'll also be able to spend his off-time getting to know that portion of the state a little bit better. What a life!
Winding Down
For Dr. Munchak and his wife, winding down to eventual full retirement is a positive step. Dr. Munchak works a full schedule right now, but as the months progress into years he will take less and less work. The goal is for him to be working on a very limited basis five years from now and fully retired in six to seven. He figures that after some years of working as a locum tenens physician he'll finally be able to leave his working days behind and enjoy his retirement. If things don't work out, and he decides he can't bring himself to fully retire, he can always continue working on a temporary basis.
After quite a bit of research involving both staffing agencies and his fellow doctors, Dr. Munchak finally settled on a good method of transition that would give him just what he was looking for. He would still be able to continue working as an orthopedist, yet without the responsibilities of maintaining his own practice. In addition, he could be flexible in the amount of work he took on while gradually opening up his schedule for more hobbies and time with his family
So what was his choice? Locum tenens work. Locum tenens jobs utilize doctors who work on a temporary basis to fill in for regular staff doctors who are out on vacation or extended leaves of absence. It's a win-win for both the institution and the locum tenens physician in every sense of the word. The institution can maintain a full staff and the physician can accept or decline work based on his own preferences.
The Benefits of Flexibility
What Dr. Munchak loves most about his new career path is the flexibility it offers him. In the fall he and his wife plan an extended visit to the upper Midwest so they can spend time with their children and grandchildren. With his own practice, he could certainly schedule time off, but it would mean a work overload in the weeks preceding and following his vacation. As a temporary employee for all intents and purposes, he has just scheduled with his staffing agency that he'll be off those three weeks. They will accommodate him by simply offering him assignments whose dates don't interfere.
Location is another part of the flexibility that many doctors don't think of. For example, the weather in Southern California can be a bit hot during the summer months. If it just so happens that a Northern California hospital needs an orthopedic specialist in late July or early August, Dr. Munchak can take the assignment and escape the heat for a few weeks. While he's there, he'll also be able to spend his off-time getting to know that portion of the state a little bit better. What a life!
Winding Down
For Dr. Munchak and his wife, winding down to eventual full retirement is a positive step. Dr. Munchak works a full schedule right now, but as the months progress into years he will take less and less work. The goal is for him to be working on a very limited basis five years from now and fully retired in six to seven. He figures that after some years of working as a locum tenens physician he'll finally be able to leave his working days behind and enjoy his retirement. If things don't work out, and he decides he can't bring himself to fully retire, he can always continue working on a temporary basis.
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