| When asked why they chose to pursue the | | | | leave their patients without medical care if nobody else |
| professional track they did, many medical professionals | | | | in the facility can cover for them. Consider a hospital in |
| respond by saying they have a desire to serve the | | | | a rural area with just one cardiologist on staff. If he is |
| community and help people. Many medical | | | | on vacation at a time when a member of the |
| professionals fulfill this desire by obtaining full-time | | | | community suffers a heart attack, his treatment may |
| employment in a hospital setting, medical center, or | | | | be delayed while he is transported to another hospital |
| other such facility. Others, however, serve the public in | | | | with a cardiologist on staff. However, if a locum tenens |
| a more unique way by obtaining a job as a locum | | | | is tending to the cardiologist's duties while he is away, |
| tenens. | | | | that patient and others who may need the care of this |
| A locum tenens is a temporary or contract worker in | | | | specialist will receive the care they need in a timely |
| the medical industry, and he or she typically is highly | | | | manner. |
| educated and often has a specialization in a certain | | | | The important services of these medical professionals |
| area of medicine. These doctors and surgeons serve | | | | may not be widely recognized by the public, but the |
| communities around the country wherever their | | | | medical community regards such professionals highly. |
| services are needed and their licensing permits. | | | | They provide doctors and surgeons with the |
| Regular employees of medical facilities need to take | | | | opportunity to take a much needed break from their |
| time off from their jobs from time to time for | | | | stressful regular duties without putting their patients at |
| vacations, medical leaves of absence, and so forth. | | | | risk or delaying their care. |
| Yet when they are away from their jobs, they may | | | | |