FAQ

• What does the term "locum tenens" mean?
"Locum Tenens" is a Latin phrase which loosely translates to mean "to hold a place". Thus, in the strictest sense, a locum tenens physician is one who temporarily fills in for another physician, be it for vacation, maternity leave, professional training, etc. The term is now often expanded to mean a provider who is filling any gap in a medical staff, whether temporarily filling in for another, filling a vacancy until a permanent hire is placed, or even assisting with seasonal coverage needs.
• Can MDA help me find a permanent position upon completion of my residency?
Yes. In addition to locum tenens, MDA is also the quality leader in permanent physician placement. MDA's Permament Division has national experience and can negotiate the best possible scenario for you and your family.
• Can I moonlight as a locum tenens physician during residency?
It is possible to moonlight and make more-than-a-little extra cash as a resident, when the right conditions exist. Does your program allow residents to moonlight? Does the hospital where you wish to work allow residents in your specialty to moonlight? Who will provide the malpractice insurance? For moonlighting opportunities through MDA, it will be necessary for you to qualify for coverage under MDA’s occurrence form professional liability insurance policy. Please contact us for more information.
• How does MDA pay contracted locum tenens physicians?
The MDA pay periods run from the 1st to the 15th and from the 16th to the 31st of each month. A locum tenens physician marks the days worked on a calendar which MDA provides and faxes the completed calendars to his/her recruiter on the 15th and the 31st of each month. Once the recruiter receives the calendar, there is a seven to ten day processing period before the physician receives a check.
• What is single-contact service and why is it important?
MDA offers single-contact service because we believe in personal accountability. Single-contact service means that if you choose to accept a locum tenens opportunity through MDA, your recruiter will be your single point of contact at MDA. Your recruiter will oversee all aspects of the opportunity, and will be personally responsible for making sure everything goes according to plan.
You will have several layers of contacts at most locum tenens companies. Oftentimes, you may have as many as 5 separate people who handle your assignments: a marketer, a recruiter, a travel agent, someone who handles your payments, and another person who handles any problems that arise while you are providing coverage. Offering single-contact service demonstrates MDA's commitment to personal integrity, and means you will never have to hear, "Oh, I can't help you with that problem. I only handle ______, let me transfer you to that department."
• If I sign-up to work with MDA as a locum tenens, will I have to go wherever you send me?
No. Freedom of choice and flexibility are the real attractions of locum tenens. MDA may present any number of opportunities to you and whether you accept any, or all of them, is completely up to you. You have total freedom to determine how often you work, where you work, and how long you work. As a locum tenens physician, you will be an independent contractor and completely free to determine the direction of your career.
• If I accept a locum tenens opportunity through MDA, will my professional liability insurance be provided?
Yes. MDA is the only national, multi-specialty locum tenens company that offers occurrence form medical liability insurance. Occurrence form is the best and rarest form of medical liability insurance because it covers the physician for all claims arising from an incident that occurs during the active period of the policy, regardless of when the claim is filed. Claims-made insurance on the other hand only covers the physician if the incident both occurred and became a claim during the active period of the policy. Since the time period for coverage under an occurrence form policy is unlimited, there is no need to buy tails. This means that physicians who accept locum tenens opportunities through MDA can sleep easy knowing they will be covered indefinitely for any incidents which may occur while they are providing coverage. This is true even if MDA were to go out of business, because the policy has already been purchased and there is no need to purchase a tail at the time the policy is terminated- as is necessary with claims-made insurance.
• Who is MDA's insurance provider?
MDA offers occurrence form professional liability insurance provided by the Medical Protective. The Medical Protective was the first insurance company to write professional liability insurance, and has continued to do so since 1899. The Medical Protective has successfully resolved over 200,000 cases and has an industry best 92% win rate at trial. The combination of their wealth of experience writing professional liability insurance, their claims professionals' high level of expertise, their strong record defending physicians against malpractice claims, and their financial strength made the Medical Protective the obvious choice to be MDA's insurance carrier.
• How long has MDA been in the industry?
Ken Shumard founded Medical Doctor Associates, Inc. as a locum tenens staffing company in Atlanta, GA, in 1987. Today our home office is in Atlanta, but we have offices in Dallas and Denver, and numerous satellite locations throughout the United States. MDA has grown to include a family of companies that can cover just about any need related to medical staffing. The services now offered by Medical Doctor Associates' family of companies include locum tenens, contract, and permanent placement staffing for physicians (provided by MDA), allied health/mid-level and rehabilitation staffing (provided by Allied Health Group, or AHG).
• How do I get licensed to work as a locum tenens in various states?
MDA provides licensure service through our in-house CVO, CREDENT. Since they are experts who do license applications full-time, CREDENT is able to obtain physician licenses in about half the time it would take for you to do the paperwork yourself.
• What are some of the advantages of locum tenens vs. permanent practice?
According to the latest research, on average there are close to 3 opportunities currently available for each locum tenens physician. Since the demand is greater than the supply, the choices available are numerous. Additionally, in some specialties locum tenens providers can make more money than they could in traditional private practice.
Physicians doing locum tenens work are able to concentrate on patient care and avoid much of the paperwork associated with traditional practice. In a time when physicians are being forced to discontinue their practice because of the high cost of insurance, recent surveys show that 81% of locum tenens physicians don't have to deal with insurance issues! Physicians working in permanent practice must also deal with office politics, overhead expenses, administrative hassles, and seniority rank.
Locum tenens offers residents the opportunity to get paid, improve their skills, experience different parts of the country, pad their CV with experience, and network with other physicians- all while searching for the right permanent opportunity. Locum tenens allows you (and your spouse) the opportunity to check out different types of practices (solo, group, managed care, etc.) and live in different geographical regions.
• Can I bring my spouse and/or children with me while fulfilling a locum tenens contract?
Yes. A good reason for choosing to work as a locum tenens before going into permanent practice is so your family can check out the community before moving. Bringing your family along while you provide coverage isn't a problem, but each opportunity has its own parameters, and it is best to speak with your recruiter to determine the best scenario for traveling with your family.
• How much control will I have over the location of my locum tenens assignments?
As much as you want. The more flexible you are about where you work, the more opportunities we can present for your consideration. However, it is not uncommon for a locum tenens doctor to restrict himself/herself to working exclusively in one state or region.
• Does MDA provide benefits to locum tenens physicians?
No. MDA is a third party who facilitates the matching of a locum tenens physician with a medical facility in need of assistance. The physicians who accept locum tenens contracts through MDA are not employees. They are independent contractors and therefore are not eligible for benefits. Conversely, being an independent contractor means you will file on a 1099 and do not have taxes withheld from your paycheck
• Am I responsible for my own travel and housing for each locum tenens contract?
No. MDA will arrange for all your travel and housing, and the costs will be paid by the facility where you will provide services. MDA has an in-house travel agency which greatly expedites the whole process and makes travel as painless as possible. Also, our single-contact service means you can call your recruiter and they will take care of it for you.
• How long do locum tenens contracts last?
Locum tenens contracts range in length from just a few days to in excess of a year. Contract lengths are as varying as the reasons why facilities need locum tenens coverage. The specialty in which you practice has a large influence on average contract length.
• Who should I contact with questions?
Aaron Paul is MDA's Premier Residency Program Coordinator and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. He may not have all the answers, but with the extensive resources of MDA he can find the answers for you.
• I am interested in locum tenens - how do I get started?
Residents should contact Aaron Paul and he will put you in contact with a recruiter. Your recruiter will take the time to get to know you so he/she can match you with opportunities that fit your personal and career goals. When your recruiter finds an opportunity they think you would like, they will contact you and give you the details. Exactly what opportunities you take is your choice alone. Once you have decided to accept a contract your recruiter will arrange for your travel, rental car and housing.