| Locum tenens, which literally translates to mean | | | | include: |
| "place-holder" in Latin, is a term used to refer to | | | | - Anesthesiology |
| temporary employment. Although it can be used to | | | | - Cardiology |
| describe the temporary employment that someone | | | | - Critical Care Medicine |
| undertakes within any field, it is most commonly used | | | | - Dermatology |
| to refer to temporary employment held by physicians. | | | | - Emergency Medicine |
| In some cases, a locum tenens position is opened up | | | | - Endocrinology |
| while the medical facility searches for a permanent | | | | - Family Practice |
| person to fill that position. When this occurs, a person | | | | - Gastroenterology |
| who takes on a locum tenens position may be offered | | | | - Hospitalists |
| a permanent position after the contract for the | | | | - Infectious Disease |
| temporary position has been filled. The physician is | | | | - Peditritics |
| under no obligation to accept this invitation, however, | | | | - Psychiatry |
| as he or she may wish to continue exploring other | | | | - Surgery |
| medical fields or may simply wish to travel. Similarly, the | | | | - And many more |
| medical facility is under no obligation to extend an offer | | | | With so many different specialty areas available for |
| for permanent employment to a physician who has | | | | locum tenens employment, it is possible for a physician |
| completed a temporary contract. | | | | to explore a variety of different areas before signing a |
| Locum tenens physicians may travel to any state, | | | | long term contract. This way, he or she can have a |
| though they must obtain the proper licensure needed | | | | better understanding of the area of medicine that he |
| for the state where they will be moving. In addition, | | | | or she would like to pursue further. As such, hiring |
| they can select from a wide variety of different | | | | locum tenens physicians is truly a win-win situation for |
| specialty areas. Some areas physicians may pursue | | | | everyone who is involved. |