The Locumstory Podcast | Locum Tenens Insights from Real-Life Physicians, PAs, and NPs

Board-certified vascular surgeon Dr. Lucas Ferrer joins the Locumstory Podcast to share how locum tenens became the bridge out of academia and into a career built on his own terms. After finishing his fellowship at Baylor in 2018, Dr. Ferrer felt the pull of a new challenge and locums gave him a way to keep his hands in open surgery while building something of his own. In this episode, Dr. Ferrer...

Physician assistant Alex Oliver joins the Locumstory Podcast to share how he traded a permanent role at a Boston academic hospital for the freedom of full-time locum tenens. A former firefighter and paramedic, Alex found his way into trauma and general surgery as a PA. After easing into locums part-time around his full-time job in late 2024, he discovered the work was more fulfilling, better compe...

Today’s episode features Kaitlyn Kruczynski, a senior locum tenens consultant who joins us to share how the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) is reshaping the way physicians work. With nearly eight years of experience supporting general, trauma, and vascular surgeons, Kaitlyn explains how the compact helps physicians reduce burnout, gain flexibility, and reach communities that may not ot...

Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Helena shares her inspiring journey in emergency medicine, from Budapest to the U.S., and her unique insights as an international medical graduate. She offers practical insight into navigating medical school abroad, matching into EM, managing residency challenges, and recognizing the early signs of burnout. Dr. Helena also discusses choosing flexibility through loc...

Family medicine physician Dr. Viktoria Hasselhof joins us to share how she built a flexible, adventure‑driven career that spans two continents and a wide range of clinical environments. After completing medical school in Germany and finishing residency in Ohio during the height of COVID‑19, she stepped directly into locum tenens work, embracing a path that allowed her to practice in communities fr...

With more than a decade of experience placing physicians and shaping the next generation of recruiters, Simon Parsons joins us to share his perspective on the realities of locums, from red flags to avoid to the traits of recruiters who genuinely advocate for clinicians. Over 12 years as a physician rep on the general surgery team, Simon placed more than 240 physicians and helped them earn over $40...

Physician assistant and travel content creator Robert Vagueiro — known online as The Traveling PA — joins us to share how he’s built a career that blends surgery, adventure, and intentional work‑life balance. Robert discovered his passion for the operating room during clinical rotations and has since built a diverse surgical career spanning general surgery, bariatrics, vascular, urology, and now c...

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. J. Mark Pool joins us to share how he rebuilt his career after stepping away from a long‑time W‑2 role and discovering locum tenens in 2023. After more than a decade of Q2 call, building service lines, and carrying a demanding surgical workload, Dr. Pool found himself burned out, navigating administrative conflict, and unsure of what came next. A three‑month sabbatical —...

Dermatologist Dr. Leah Cardwell joins us to share how she reshaped her career in 2025 by transitioning into locum tenens work while pursuing a year‑long hair transplant fellowship. Dr. Cardwell realized she wanted more flexibility to deepen her expertise in hair loss and surgical restoration — and locums became the key that made it possible. Dr. Cardwell walks through how she balances her fellowsh...

Family medicine physician Dr. Steven Gordon joins us this episode to reflect on a remarkable career spanning private practice, the Indian Health Service, and more than a decade of locum tenens work across rural and remote communities. Known for his long‑running blog Walkabout Doc and his thoughtful writing on Doximity Op‑Med, Dr. Gordon has spent years documenting the realities of modern medicine...

CPA and certified financial planner Ben Nanney joins the us to break down the financial essentials every locum tenens physician should understand. Through his firm, Locums Tax PLLC, Ben works exclusively with 1099 physicians, helping them navigate taxes, business ownership, and long‑term planning with clarity and confidence. In this episode, Ben shares how he found his way into financial services,...

Internal medicine physician, academic hospitalist, and financial coach Dr. Brittne Halford shares how she built a career rooted in purpose, representation, and financial empowerment. After completing residency, Dr. Halford paid off her six‑figure student loan debt in under three years — a milestone that sparked her passion for helping others transform their financial lives. Alongside her academic...

Neonatal nurse practitioner Thomas Cotto joins us to share his unexpected path into healthcare, his 15‑year career in the NICU, and what ultimately led him to transition into locum tenens work. After a decade in project management, Thomas made the leap into nursing, quickly discovering a passion for neonatal care. Thomas reflects on his years in a high‑volume Level III NICU, the mentors and experi...

Emergency medicine physician, entrepreneur, and disaster‑medicine–trained leader Dr. Moiz Qureshi joins us to share how he built a career that blends clinical practice, administrative leadership, and startup innovation. After years in academic and executive roles, Dr. Qureshi transitioned into full‑time locum tenens to gain the flexibility he needed to pursue his entrepreneurial goals. In this epi...

Pediatric anesthesiologist Dr. Leonardo Gendzel joins the Locumstory Podcast to share his path from medical school in Brazil to training at Yale and building a successful career across top U.S. children’s hospitals. After years in academic and leadership roles, Dr. Gendzel recently made the leap into full‑time locum tenens — and he’s reflects on what inspired the change. Dr. Gendzel also breaks do...

In this episode, we sit down with Kristin Burton, MPAS, PA-C—a pulmonary and critical care physician assistant and founder of Millionaires in Medicine . Kristin shares her incredible journey from paying off over $160,000 in student loans in just 16 months to reaching millionaire status by age 31. She explains how financial literacy transformed her life and why it’s essential for medical profession...

Dr. Jillian Merica, an emergency medicine physician, shares her story of transitioning from a middle school science teacher to a career in medicine and how locum tenens work gave her the flexibility to thrive. She explains her unconventional path, her first locums assignment in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the lessons she learned balancing family life with a demanding clinical career. From cultura...

Board-certified family medicine physician, Dr. Eberechi Ekechukwu, joins us to share her journey from rural primary care to full-time emergency medicine through locum tenens work. Dr. Ekechukwu turned to locums as a flexible way to support her family, explore new places, and reclaim control over her schedule. Dr. Ekechukwu opens up about the challenges of switching specialties, the learning curve...

Physician Assistant Meg Walker has embraced the locum tenens lifestyle to gain flexibility, financial freedom, and adventure in her career. Meg shares her journey from working in underserved clinics and oncology to discovering locums as a way to balance work and life while exploring new places. She dives into the realities of credentialing, choosing assignments, and comparing W-2 versus 1099 emplo...

Gastroenterologist Dr. Alex Sarkisian has built a fulfilling career through locum tenens work, all while sharing his journey and insights on social media. From early misconceptions about locums to building a multi-facility schedule that balances clinical variety and family life, Dr. Sarkisian offers a candid look at what it means to practice medicine on your own terms. He discusses how locums has...

Dr. Mark Komorowski, a board-certified plastic surgeon who has successfully blended private practice with locum tenens work shares his experiences in locum tenens. With over 30 years of experience in solo practice, Dr. Komorowski shares how locums gave him a fresh perspective, renewed energy, and the flexibility to continue doing what he loves—without the administrative burden. From trauma centers...

Today we are joined by Dr. Lisa Kennedy, a seasoned family medicine physician whose career has spanned private practice, domestic locum tenens work, and international medical service. After more than 30 years in private practice, Dr. Kennedy transitioned into locums to rediscover her passion for medicine—and to finally fulfill her dream of living abroad. From community health centers in Appalachia...

Join us in today’s episode as we explore the inspiring journey of Dr. Helen Rhodes, a board-certified OBGYN, author, and advocate for physician empowerment.  With a career spanning academic medicine, private practice, and locum tenens work, Dr. Rhodes shares how she navigated multiple pivots in her professional life—including returning to OB after a decade-long hiatus—and found renewed purpose thr...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. John Oglesby, a board-certified OB-GYN whose career spans decades of clinical excellence, leadership, and global service. From his early days in Utah to humanitarian missions across the globe, Dr. Oglesby shares how his journey led him to embrace locum tenens work full-time. A father of ten and passionate advocate for sustainable medicine, Dr. Oglesby discusse...

In the second half of our two-part panel discussion, we continue the conversation with experienced locum tenens physicians Dr. Black, Dr. Harlan, Dr. Napier, and Dr. Valdez. This episode dives deeper into the tools, relationships, and real-life scenarios that shape their work—from the MyCompHealth portal, to navigating unexpected hospital challenges and optimizing travel for better work-life balan...