If you’re thinking about working in Australia as a doctor, you may want to consider working as a Locum GP. If you like to travel and meet new people, then a locum position may be the ideal career choice for you. Working as a locum will give you the opportunity to travel to new places, meet new people whilst working in great facilities. Locum GP’s are also adequately compensated for their work.
We often receive questions regarding locum GP’s, so we’ve answered all of you’re salary related questions below. Read on to find out more about the type of salary you should expect, along with whether or not you will receive entitlements and the like.
What is a Locum GP?
As a GP you may have come across the term “locum”. “Locum tenens” is simply the full term for the phrase and is Latin for ‘pace holder’. The term locum is both a noun and a verb. A locum tenens, or locum GP, is a doctor that works in a temporary position, usually in medical facilities finding themselves short staffed for a period of time. This could be a day, a week or several months.
The facility will usually contact a staffing company and request the services of a locum, who will fill in for the specified period. It’s a win-win situation: the facility obtains a qualified GP for the time required, which gets them over a difficult staffing period, without having to pay benefits such as annual or sick leave, or payroll taxes; the locum gets some extra work (it can be on top of their usual employment) and, if they’re an overseas trained doctor, they also get to experience another part of the country, which might lead to a full-time position, on a locum tenens salary (which may be slightly higher than their usual salary, as they don’t have access to annual or sick leave).
What Should I Expect Salary Wise?
A locum GP salary might also be negotiable, so the locum tenens salary will not necessarily be set in stone. Factors determining the salary of the locum GP could include how desperate the facility is for staff, how experienced the locum GP is, or where the facility is located. In round figures, though, a locum GP salary might be up to $2,300 a day.
What Entitlements Do Locum GP’s Receive?
On top of this, the GP could be entitled to other benefits such as accommodation and travel costs. It pays to ask what other benefits they could garner (meals or hire cars). A locum GP salary might end up being much, much more than a staff member at the same facility on the payroll, sometimes up to five times more.
How Do Locum’s Get Paid?
How a locum GP salary is paid can vary: it could be paid through the facility’s payroll, however still at the locum rates; if the locum GP holds an ABN or ACN, they could be paid as a contractor. This will form part of the negotiations, not only between the locum and the recruiting agency, but the agency and the facility. As a locum GP, though, you will need to ensure whether payment is required for you to access the agency (usually it’s a free service to doctors).
It’s best to speak with the recruitment agency you are in contract with, if you have any questions. We can also provide you with the advice you need, should you require it. In the meantime, you can also browse our selection of locum GP tenens jobs in Australia for your next opportunity.