Locum work is a great way to gain exposure to different hospital environments and patients, allowing you to access new career opportunities and understand your specialism through a broader lens. Short-term assignments, in particular, are excellent avenues for diversifying your experience, in addition to providing flexibility and greater work/life balance. But how do you know if short-term locum work is right for you?
In the latest episode of our Triple0 Talks podcast, we spoke with Paediatric Registrar and Medical locum, Dr Thomas Ding. A locally trained doctor, Tom studied at Otago Medical School and is currently undertaking postgraduate training in Paediatrics while taking on regular short-term locum assignments in various hospitals across New Zealand.
During his conversation with Mike Adam, our Managing Director, Dr Ding talked about his experience as a locum, how it has benefitted his career development and advice for doctors considering going locum. Plus, he shared his thoughts on the impact of COVID-19 on doctors throughout the country.
The key topics covered in the discussion include:
- Life as a locum doctor in New Zealand during COVID-19 – 0:54
- How locuming has provided him with the opportunity to learn about how different hospitals and units work – 4:30
- Whether the New Zealand health system is prepared for a second wave – 6:46
- How COVID-19 has changed his approach to locuming – 8:12
- The advantages of short-term locum assignments – 9:30
- His favourite thing about working as a locum – 11:34
- Tips for people considering short-term locum work – 13:14
Listen to the full discussion below, and if you’d like more advice on locuming, we have a number of resources available, including steps to securing the best locum assignments, a guide to thriving on your first day of a locum placement, how to manage the risks of locum work and tips on locum etiquette.
If you have any questions or would like to find out about the locum assignments we have available across New Zealand, get in touch with us.
Triple0 Talks is our podcast series that discusses important issues facing doctors today. Each episode highlights a specific theme and provides a real-world perspective from those who experience life as a doctor first-hand.
