Everything You Thought You'd Get From Medicine. Now You Can.
You went into medicine for autonomy, impact, and a career that fit your life. This guide breaks down what it actually looks like to take that back.
You earned more than this
You spent more than a decade in training. Your career should reflect that, with meaningful work, strong clinical support, and a schedule that fits your life. This guide is for physicians weighing locum tenens and independent practice as a way back to the medicine they trained for, and an honest look at what that path offers compared to the traditional W-2 role.
Control
You choose when, where, and who you work with. Value that never shows up on a pay stub.
Compensation
Physician rates in many specialties meet or exceed traditional salaries, often for fewer hours worked.
Retirement
Operating as a business opens retirement vehicles with contribution limits that dwarf what W-2 employees are allowed.
What's inside the guide
- Why the traditional W-2 role was never built around your goals as a clinician
- What locum tenens looks like done right: a physician-led evaluation, a clinical briefing, and terms you choose
- The financial picture most physicians never fully see, across control, compensation, and retirement
- The question of continuity, and how physician teams keep you at the same facilities for months or years
- A clear, honest look at whether this path is right for you
Common Questions
For many physicians, yes. It can mean stronger compensation, more control over your schedule, and clinical autonomy an employed role rarely offers. The difference is who you work with. At Preferred Solutions a practicing physician evaluates every placement, and our team stays involved throughout.
Often, once you account for the full picture. As an independent contractor you are running your own practice, and physician rates in many specialties meet or exceed traditional salaries, frequently for fewer hours worked.
Yes. We schedule months in advance and build physician teams around each facility, so most physicians return to the same hospitals for months or years. Continuity is a priority of the model, not an accident of it.