A physician consultant at a locum tenens agency describes their typical workday, which involves splitting time between calling physicians to discuss new assignments, consulting on placements, and completing paperwork to expedite credentials. Their daily tasks vary depending on the needs of the physicians on their roster. They find it most rewarding to help physicians gain flexibility and enjoyment in their careers through locum tenens assignments, while also saving lives. Some physicians they work with have become personal friends through shared lunches, planned trips together, and close bonds of trust.

1. A Day in the Life of a
Mint Physician Consultant

2. Physician consulting is a unique job that
brings facilities and clinicians together to
create the perfect match for both parties.
Those searching for locum tenens careers in
Houston, Miami, or surrounding areas often
wonder what their locum tenens agency physician consultant does on a
day-to-day basis. Mint Physician Staffing, a premier locum tenens
agency, sat down with one of our top consultants and account
managers, Selmen Selman, as he answered some frequently asked
questions about a day in the life of a Mint physician consultant.

3. A: A family member works next door to
Mint’s office in Miami and mentioned that I
should consider working as a consultant. I
was originally interested in the financial
services industry, but after meeting with
Stuart [McKelvey], I was really sold on his
history as a businessman and the culture
of the company. My conversation with him
inspired me to research the healthcare
industry. When I learned about the growth
and potential of locum tenens careers, I
knew this would be a long-lasting industry
that I wanted to get involved in.
Q: How did you
end up in
physician
consulting?

4. A: It is a roller coaster. You have to keep
your head on a swivel, and you need to be
able to deal with high-pressure situations.
Travel arrangements can cause hiccups
for a locum tenens physician. A client can
have something happen and will need
emergency shifts covered within a three-
week time span. Murphy’s Law is real and
something you have to expect to combat.
However, that makes successful deals
that much sweeter when you’ve made all
parties involved happy.
Q: What’s a
typical workday
like? Are there
urgent, spur-of-
the-moment
positions that
need to be filled?

5. A: It always depends. Some months I’m
spending 75% of my time calling
physicians, consulting on new
assignments, while 25% of my time is
dedicated to building game plans and
scheduling physicians I currently work
with. Other months, it’s 80% paperwork to
try and expedite privileges as quickly as
possible. The time I dedicate towards
certain things on a day-to-day basis is all
dependent on what my roster of
physicians needs from me at any given
time.
Q: How do you
spend your time
each day?

6. A: I don’t have a favorite job to consult
for, but I do prefer consulting for
clients that we have a direct
relationship with. When a VMS or
MSP is involved, so many different
layers of communication can slow
down the transfer of information.
Q: Do you have a
favorite job type
to consult for
(hospital-based,
freestanding,
rural, etc.)?

7. A: First and foremost, saving lives. After that,
showing physicians that they can have a lot more
flexibility and enjoyment in the workplace if they are
open to locum tenens. It’s a great feeling when you’re
able to completely change a physician’s life from both
a family and financial perspective. Coming from a
family of doctors, I have witnessed firsthand the
workload and stress that comes with being a
physician and how physicians are sometimes taken
advantage of.
Q: What’s the
most rewarding
part of your job?

8. A: There have been a few. A lot of
physicians I work with are just a bit older
than me, so we share a similar taste in
music and pop culture, which I find pretty
cool. I also have had physicians fly into
Miami and meet me for lunch. I am
actually planning a fishing trip with a
physician I work with. It’s refreshing to see
how close you can become to the doctors
you place. At the end of the day, they
confide in you, and that is a huge
responsibility. That responsibility can lead
to friendships if handled correctly, and
who doesn’t love new friends?
Q: Tell me about
your relationships
with your
doctors. Have any
become personal
friends?