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

Barbie Matroni, a consultant at Weatherby Healthcare who has spent twelve years working exclusively in the oncology and hematology space, says demand has never been higher. In this episode, she joins us to break down what the oncology locums market actually looks like: why demand has surged since 2020, how continuity of care and flexible schedules coexist, where the need is greatest, and the common questions and misconceptions she hears from physicians. She also shares what separates the oncologists who thrive in locums from those who struggle, and her advice for anyone thinking about dipping a toe in.Enjoyed this episode? Follow The Locumstory Podcast so you don't miss the next one.New to locums? Check out Locumstory's free Crash Course.Ready to talk about locums job opportunities? Learn more about Weatherby Healthcare or browse their open jobs.

Dr. Lynn Smith is a family medicine and urgent care physician whose career has taken him from a 23-year practice in rural Arizona to locum tenens assignments on the Navajo reservation, in Wisconsin, and abroad in New Zealand. Today he practices primarily through medical mission work, serving communities in Honduras, Thailand, Guatemala, Peru, and beyond with organizations like the CHG Healthcare Foundation and International Medical Relief. In this episode, Dr. Smith joins us to share the stories and lessons behind a life of global medicine: what drew him to travel and mission work, how locums helped him grow and prepared him to practice with few resources, and his advice for physicians who feel called to serve abroad.Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.Inspired by Dr. Smith's story? You can get help funding your next mission trip. Learn more about the CHG Healthcare Foundation, formerly the Making a Difference Foundation.Curious about practicing internationally like Dr. Smith did in New Zealand? Learn more about international locums opportunities.

Dr. Faullin Paletsky has spent nearly a decade as a full-time locum tenens hospitalist. A night-shift nocturnist who gravitates toward critical access hospitals and has practiced all over the country, he brings a procedural skill set most hospitalists don't like intubations, ventilator management, and central lines. In this episode, Dr. Paletsky joins us to talk about why he chose locums over a permanent job, how he picks assignments and vets locums agencies, life on the road with his wife and their two toy poodles, and his advice for physicians considering the leap.Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.New to locums? Check out our free Crash Course.Interested in locum tenens opportunities? Check out ⁠CompHealth⁠.

Board-certified nephrologist and hospitalist Dr. Amy Sprague joins us to share the wisdom of a career spanning nearly four decades. After completing her internal medicine residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu and spending some 30 years in private practice, Dr. Sprague turned to locum tenens around the start of COVID and never looked back.In this episode, Dr. Sprague reflects on the remarkable change she's witnessed in medicine and how her military roots prepared her for the adaptability locums demands. She talks about building a far-ranging career across states like Oregon, Hawaii, South Dakota, and Texas, timing assignments to visit her kids and team up with physician friends, and why she believes locums quite literally saved her. Her parting advice for physicians at any stage: know your worth, negotiate everything, and remember that "life is" — so enjoy it.Want to hear more real clinician stories? Subscribe to The Locumstory Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.Interested in locum tenens opportunities? Check out CompHealth.

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 talks about why he gravitates toward smaller community hospitals, how working with CompHealth helped him find the right assignments, and shares practical advice. He also shares about the entrepreneurial bug behind his limb salvage startup and Life of Flow, the podcast he co-hosts with Dr. Miguel Montero Baker.Hit subscribe to the Locumstory Podcast for more stories like this, and check out our free locum tenens crash course at locumstory.comInterested in locum tenens opportunities? Check out CompHealth (comphealth.com). To follow Dr. Ferrer's work, find him on LinkedIn and listen to the Life of Flow podcast.

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 compensated, and a lot more fun. So he made the leap.In this episode, Alex talks about working with Weatherby Healthcare to build a schedule that works for him, why he loves stepping into new hospitals and seeing how different trauma teams operate, and how locums let him practice at the full scope of his license. He shares honest, practical advice for PAs who are curious but nervous — from starting small to building trust on day one of a new assignment — and reflects on how the flexibility has changed his relationship with work and given him room to travel on his own terms.Interested in locum tenens opportunities? Check out Weatherby Healthcare.

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 otherwise have access to care.She breaks down the IMLC in simple terms and offers practical advice for anyone considering it. From eligibility to renewal reminders, Kaitlyn shares why so many physicians tell her they wish they’d applied sooner.Interested in applying for the IMLC? Reach out to your locums recruiter or connect with Weatherby’s team to see how quickly you can get started.

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 locum tenens and building a life that is filled with travel, languages, content creation, and creative pursuits outside of medicine.Follow Dr. Helena's journey on Instagram: @a.youngdoctors.journey

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 from South Dakota to Oregon to the remote Hawaiian island of Molokai.Dr. Hasselhof reflects on leading inpatient care during South Dakota’s first COVID wave, navigating multi‑state licensing, and managing the logistics of practicing in the U.S. while living in Germany. She also speaks on traveling with two young children, creative childcare solutions, and the deep sense of gratitude she’s experienced in rural and underserved communities.Her story focuses on adaptability, curiosity, and building a medical career that supports both professional growth and personal freedom.Interested in exploring locum tenens opportunities? Learn more with CompHealth.

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 million in compensation — but what drives him isn’t the numbers. It’s the transformation he’s witnessed when physicians finally reclaim autonomy, balance, and control over their careers.Simon shares how understanding a physician’s deeper why leads to better matches, healthier boundaries, and more fulfilling careers. He explains the difference between recruiters who simply book shifts and those who act as true lifestyle architects — helping physicians design careers that support the lives they want, not the other way around. He offers practical advice on using locums to build more freedom, avoid burnout, and create space for family, travel, or personal passions.Whether you’re new to locums, reevaluating your career, or simply curious about how to use flexibility well, Simon’s insights give a candid look at what’s possible when physicians put themselves back in the driver’s seat.Connect with Simon: [email protected] in exploring locum tenens opportunities? Visit CompHealth at comphealth.com.