The Rewards of Locum Tenens Physician Jobs with the VA

If you are a physician who is eager to truly make a difference providing healthcare services to the people who have sacrificed to serve our country, then a VA locum tenens job could be just the opportunity you’ve been seeking. 

From flexible schedules and lighter patient loads to the ability to give top-tier care to those who have served our country, there are many reasons to take a physician job with the VA health system.

Just take it from the experience of Dr. Rajesh, an established New Orleans-based physician who has worked as a doctor with the U.S. Federal Government for 20 years, for both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the State Department, where he was assigned to provide healthcare to various embassies and diplomats all over the

Dr. Rajesh currently works on and off (part retired and part practicing) as a locum practitioner for AMN Healthcare at various VA facilities and other medical centers doing general internal medicine patient care. 

"AMN Healthcare places me as a locum and I move wherever they send me," Dr. Rajesh said.

AMN Healthcare specializes in placing physicians and advanced practitioners in locum tenens opportunities in a variety of clinical settings, including VA Medical Centers and other government facilities. The agency has long-standing relationships and contracts at many of these healthcare clinics throughout the country.   

Locums help where physicians are needed most  

Dr. Rajesh’s next VA locum tenens job assignment will take him to a community-based outpatient facility in Virginia for six weeks. “The veterans here are a little bit far from the bigger hospital so they come to this small clinic and this clinic provides primary care. I believe I will be the sole provider there taking care of veterans -- probably about 12 scheduled patients per day and a couple of walk-ins.” 

The VA provides a critical resource for veterans who may not have immediate access to care, especially those in more rural communities such as where Dr. Rajesh is heading next.  

VA locum tenens jobs also tend to have lighter patient loads, allowing providers more time to spend patients, getting to know them and their unique health care needs. Their “patient-aligned care teams (PACTs) are designed to deliver patient-centered, personalized care,” according to the Veterans Affairs website. 

Loan repayment & other financial incentives

There are other benefits to full-time VA jobs, one major incentive being the VA’s Education and Debt Reduction Program that allows physicians to choose a healthcare career providing top-notch care to America’s veterans and receive student loan repayment of up to $200,000. The VA also has a Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) where employees in certain occupations may be eligible to receive up to $10,000 per year (with a lifetime maximum of $60,000) to help repay student loans. 

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Locum tenens jobs with the VA provide competitive pay and flexibility, and for physicians who have already worked in a government setting, a locum contract job can take some of the complications out of annuities and retirement payments since locums are independent contractors that are being compensated by a third party.

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Choosing a reputable locum tenens staffing company 

Selecting a locum tenens company that is well-known and respected in the industry is one of the most important factors in a successful VA locum tenens job.  

“The experience has been great,” Dr. Rajesh said. “The AMN recruiter I talked to gave me a lot of good information in the first conversation, that they are one of the biggest and have most of the outpatient veteran's clinics with them -- so all of that information helped me and they gave me what I needed. I’ve since recommended Staff Care to other people.”  

AMN Healthcare has hundreds of locum tenens jobs across the U.S., in a variety of work settings.

Learn more about the benefits of a locum tenens lifestyle by connecting with a recruiter. Simply complete the form on the right of this page to get started. 

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Additional Locum Tenens Resources

While you continue your physician job search for the perfect position, AMN Healthcare provides great resources to keep your career moving in the right direction. Begin the application process now, and then learn more about how AMN Healthcare can help you keep your career on the move.

• EAP: Our locum tenens gain access to a valuable set of Employee Assistance Program benefits.
• Physician Jobs by Specialty: Explore physician jobs and learn about hourly salaries and the benefits of working locum tenens.
• Search All Physician Jobs: Uncover new possibilities in your physician career by exploring both short and long-term options and permanent choices. 
• Candidate Benefits: AMN Healthcare takes care of our locum tenens with a variety of amazing benefits. Check out what's in store for our locums. 
• Physician Licensing: Check out how we help move your career in amazing directions, both professionally and geographically. 
• More Physician Resources: Use the content here to learn everything you need to know about our physician recruitment process.