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June 1, 2023

Locum Tenens Family Medicine Salary

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Dr. Shefiu Lanre Shittu

President of Daily Care Solutions

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It’s all about family. Between 2018 and 2030, the demand for family physicians will rise by 13%. However, the supply of family physicians will only increase by 6%. 

The low supply and high demand mean that healthcare facilities will need more locum tenens doctors than ever before. To make a difference in people’s lives while traveling and running your own schedule, you should become a locum tenens family medicine doctor. 

Yet you should understand how much locum tenens doctors make. Here is your guide on the locum tenens family medicine salary. 

Estimates for Family Medicine Physicians

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, family physicians make a mean annual wage of $224,460 and a mean hourly wage of $107.91. Family medicine is less lucrative than emergency medicine, gastroenterology, and other forms of medicine.

Remember that these statistics are just averages; you may make more or less. Several factors can impact how much money you make. 

Related: Locum Tenens Physician Salary Guide

Industry

A significant factor is the industry you work in. Doctors who work in community food and housing services earn $292,540 a year or $140.64 an hour. However, this industry is tiny, employing only 50 family medicine physicians. Physician offices and hospitals use more family doctors, giving them an annual salary of $225,000. 

Locum tenens family medicine doctors earn an average of $215,955 a year or $104 an hour. Most locum tenens doctors earn between $158,000 and $238,500 a year. 

Do you want to get started with a career as a locum tenens family medicine doctor? Set up an appointment with a locum tenens recruiting professional at Daily Care Solutions now.

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Job Location

The top-paying state for a family medicine physician is South Carolina; doctors there make an annual wage of $309,270 and an hourly wage of $148.69. More than 1,500 family medicine physicians work there, making it an excellent place to get a new job or maintain an old one. 

Alaska is the second-highest paying state, with family medicine doctors making $297,870 a year or $143.21 an hour. However, its remote location can make it hard for doctors to earn a living. Doctors in Wyoming earn only $2,300 less per year than Alaskan doctors while being closer to where most people live. 

Morristown, Tennessee is the best metropolitan area for family medicine physicians; doctors there earn $484,560 a year or $232.96 a month, more than twice the national average. Other high-paying metropolitan areas include Odessa, Texas, and St. Joseph, Missouri, where doctors earn more than $350,000 annually. 

If you prefer to work in a rural area, try to find a job in Southwest Missouri. Family medicine doctors there earn $404,670 a year or $194.55 an hour. Fifty family medicine physicians work in the Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area, but you can find locum tenens work at hospitals and clinics. 

Locum tenens doctors tend to earn more in cities. Locum tenens family medicine doctors in Green River, Wyoming, make an annual salary of $277,130 or $133.24 an hour. Physicians in Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Los Angeles earn more than $240,000 a year.

Related: The Top High-Paying States for Doctors

Subspecialties

As a locum tenens doctor, you can pursue subspecialties, helping specific patients or treating particular problems. Each subspecialty pays a different salary. 

An adolescent medicine physician treats adolescents going through puberty. Adolescent medicine physicians earn a base pay of $232,044 yearly, with an additional $25,479 in bonuses annually. A geriatric physician treats older people, earning an average annual base pay of $237,434 with an additional $28,752 in bonuses. 

Sleep medicine physicians treat sleep disorders like insomnia. Their base pay is $252,912 yearly, with additional bonuses of $87,528, creating a total annual salary of $340,440. 

Though subspecialties pay more, you must enroll in classes and have continuing education to pursue a subspecialty like sleep medicine. It may take longer for you to earn money at first. Talk to career advisors about subspecialties and weigh the pros and cons. Pursuing one may help you obtain jobs as a locum tenens doctor, as you will have unique skills that your competitors don’t have. 

Salary Increases

The salary for family physicians increased by 5% between 2018 and 2019. Demand for family physicians increases as people have more children, grow older, and encounter more health problems. As long as demand remains high, salaries will increase. 

Locum tenens doctors should expect to make more in the future. However, how much you can expect your locum tenens salary to increase is unclear. You must find places where locum tenens doctors are in high demand to get the highest pay. 

Do you want to qualify for high-paying jobs, bonuses, and salary increases? Join our team of providers at Daily Care Solutions and start building your locum tenens career today.

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Trends Affecting Family Medicine Doctors

Only 53% of family medicine doctors say they are fairly compensated, and nearly three-quarters say they spend over 10 hours a week on paperwork and administrative duties like healthcare reimbursement. As a locum tenens doctor, you must assert yourself and fight for a fair salary. Look for jobs with the highest locum tenens family medicine salary and avoid positions that require you to complete a lot of paperwork. 

More than 60% of physicians reported feeling burnout in 2021. Many factors contribute to burnout, including time spent on miscellaneous tasks like checking emails. Locum tenens doctors may experience less burnout because hospitals hire them to perform the most important tasks during high-demand moments. However, you should monitor yourself for signs of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion and low self-esteem.

Some locum tenens doctors work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Consider pursuing per diem or at-will jobs on weekends. Apply to multiple jobs simultaneously to pay your bills, develop your resume, and connect with healthcare professionals.

Related: Top Networking Strategies for Healthcare Providers

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Dr. Shefiu Lanre Shittu

President of Daily Care Solutions

Internal Medicine physician with over 10 years of experience in medical staffing solution. Completed medical education and residency in Columbia University. Provided expert oversight to private groups and hospitals. Contracted services organization and Take charge of establishing three hospitalist programs from inception to completion. Develop the scope of practice and negotiate contracts with other departments and specialties. Perform a wide range of tasks including contract negotiations, revenue cycle and human resource management, process improvement, and introduction of interdisciplinary rounding. Drove key efforts toward the reduction of cost of running programs by approximately 15-20%. Identified staffing needs while creating unique staffing plans for programs.

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