The topic of locum medicine engenders plenty of discussion relating to primary care, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, etc. Rarely does such a discussion include psychiatry. Nonetheless, locum psychiatrists are as in demand as any other specialty. We tend not to think of psychiatry in the same light because of the altruistic view we have of the discipline. That may not be a good thing.
New doctors just getting their feet wet in the field of psychiatry are usually pushed into either private practice or taking a job at a prestigious institution where psychiatry is treated with awe and reverence. Might it be better for new doctors to spend a year or two working as locums before making solid career decisions? Perhaps.
A blog post written in the form of an open letter and published by Medscape in early January addresses the issue of psychiatry from the angle of a new doctor seeking advice as to whether he should go into the profession. Author Nassir Ghaemi, M.D. offers the perspective of a veteran psychiatrist who stays in the profession for very different reasons than when he entered it. It’s possible to glean three rarely spoken reasons for considering locum psychiatry from Ghaemi’s blog, though he may not have intended it that way.
Unspoken Reason #1: It’s Good Money
Dr. Ghaemi is one of those rare and refreshing voices unafraid to talk about the money side of medicine. He’s not afraid to admit that a decent number of premed students don’t embark on their medical training due to a desire to sacrifice everything in order to help people. They go into medicine for the money. An established doctor rarely has to worry about money issues, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Psychiatry is especially attractive from a financial standpoint. Going into Psychiatry locum work rather than establishing a private practice or taking a salaried position pays just as well in most cases. But there’s an advantage: locum agencies almost always pay for housing and travel expenses. That means all the income the locum earns can be used for other things. Spending the first year or two in locum psychiatry can help the new doctor make a serious dent in those student loans.
Unspoken Reason #2: ‘Try Before You Buy’
Psychiatry is, without a doubt, a medical profession. But as Ghaemi explained in his post, it is the least medical of all the medical professions. Psychiatrists spend less time practicing actual medicine and more time listening to people to help solve their problems. New psychiatrists are often surprised to discover how comparatively little medicine is involved in a typical career.
Working as a locum physician gives the new psychiatrist a good idea of how much medicine his or her chosen specialty really involves. Those who find they are happy with the practical application psychiatry can offer then move on to private practice or a salaried position. Those who would prefer positions that involve more medical care can transition out of psychiatry and into another discipline.
Unspoken Reason #3: Psychiatry without the Business
Psychiatry is one of those fields of medicine dominated by private practice. But private practice owners are also small business owners who constantly have to worry about the business side of things. The locum psychiatrist has no such concerns. He or she is able to practice without the responsibilities of running a business or the commitment that comes with being permanently employed.
There are plenty of good reasons to consider locum psychiatry over the other options. New doctors should at least consider locum work.
