Locums what?! A Latin lesson...

  Tim is completing an extra year of training in hand surgery this year, Bailey is a professional fetch coach at the neighborhood dog park, and Rica is the family dishwasher.  I am doing locums work.  Locums what?!  Yeah, I had to 'Google' it too.  Basically, a locum tenens is a person who fills in for another, most commonly used to describe physicians and clergymen.  Synonyms include backup man, relief, fill-in, substitute.  Thats right, I am a temp surgeon.

  I know it doesn't sound like the greatest idea at first glance.  I often don't know where the OR is, I haven't a clue about the computer system for completing medical records, and I get lost going to the doctor's lounge.  I operate on people that I don't know and will unlikely ever see again.  Yet somehow, it works.
  Most of my jobs are short-term (3-7 days) and only include call coverage.  If someone comes into the ER or their primary care doctor's office and needs a general surgeon, they call me.  At some hospitals, I cover their trauma call too so I take care of car accidents and other (often alcohol related) mishaps.  Some hospitals are busier than others, but for the most part, these are smaller communities where the hospital administrators are just trying to give their full-time doctors a break from call. 
  It works perfectly for me because I have complete freedom over my schedule.  I worked solid in August and September.  I took a weekend in October when I was 36 weeks prego, right before I was too fat to fly.  Now, I have unlimited time off after the arrival of Luke until we decide that it is reasonable to go back.  I can work where I want, when I want, and for as long as I want.  The companies that place temp surgeons cover travel, hotels and rental cars, as well as malpractice.  Locum docs often get medical licenses in multiple states (I have Colorado, Utah, and Idaho) so we have the opportunity to choose from more locations.  

  How does it work now with Luke?  We are not sure, but our trial will be in Colorado next month.  I will fly out to Denver with the mini-man, get our rental car, and meet G'ma Kammerer at the hotel.  We will pray for a quiet weekend (I cover 7am Friday until 7am Monday), but if I have to go in for a consultation or a surgery, she will take care of Luke.  It will be a nice way to ease back into work slowly--if it goes smoothly, we may do a couple trips per month.  If we need more time as a family, we don't take on any new contracts for a while longer. Win-win situation and Luke gets to rack up the frequent flyer miles...