While growing up in Pakistan, Dr. Qaisar's interest in medicine grew after watching his sister's journey to becoming a physician and witnessing other members of his family battle autoimmune diseases. Discovering Locums on the Road to Specialization Initially, he was unfamiliar with the rheumatology specialty, but the journey to his calling became more apparent as he learned about American medicine.
He first began as a medical assistant in New Jersey. As he continued his path to becoming a doctor, the educational process made him aware of how rheumatologists play a critical role in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disease, including the systemic autoimmune conditions he witnessed among family members in Pakistan. Eventually, he was matched for a fellowship in rheumatology and completed it in 2021. While studying for the board, he took on his first locum tenens assignment, spending three months in Maine during the fall season in Acadia National Park.
"I enjoyed the flexibility of locum tenens, being able to take off unlike permanent (positions). So that is the beauty of locums: you can be as flexible as you want. If you want to work, you work. If you don't want to work, you don't have to, so I traveled a lot," says Dr. Qaisar.
Reasons Why More Providers Than Ever Are Choosing to Practice Locum Tenens Dr. Qaisar highly praises the advantages of practicing locums: "It's good money. It's a good lifestyle. You can go on vacation whenever you want." This included returning to Pakistan to visit family. He also uses locum work to improve and expand his skill set, which comes from seeing a diverse group of new patients. Today, he has a family and recently purchased his first home. While it's a little more challenging with kids in school, the locum life outweighs minor concerns when considering the big picture of personal health tied to burnout, which many physicians battle in their careers today. "There is no burnout with locum tenens, unlike a permanent position where you must always be at work," he continued. That flexibility allows him to travel and offset the mental stress of being overworked as an employed physician. A similar statement was made by Dr. Qaisar and almost every provider we interviewed for locum tenens week.
What You Should Expect from Your Locum Tenens Agency
Dr. Qaisar also commented on his experiences with various locum tenens staffing firms and what's important to look for when choosing a partner. This included the respect deserved by providers from agencies, managing logistical aspects of the assignment specific to each client and/or facility, the need for consistent communication, a smooth reimbursement protocol, and the importance of a tremendous credentialing team. All this allows a locum tenens provider to focus only on what they do best: the job itself.
Thank you for reading. Please check out our other blog posts, which feature highlights from all our provider interviews for National Locum Tenens Week 2024.
About VeloSource: VeloSource is a leading healthcare staffing and recruitment agency specializing in Locum Tenens services. By providing a vast network of highly qualified physicians, CRNAs, Physician Assistants, and Nurse Practitioners, VeloSource connects exceptional medical talent with healthcare facilities across the United States ensuring quality patient care and optimal workforce solutions.
(Posted by Mike Gianas, Senior Director of Marketing, VeloSource)
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