Working in a locum can be very financially rewarding, and the salary expectations are very high. However, it is not uncommon for the salary of many locum workers to heavily fluctuate over the course of a few years, depending on how often or how little they decide to carry out locum work. This short article will discuss what kind of salary expectations you could hope to achieve as a locum.
A Great Way to Boost Your Income
Working as a locum in any part of the medical industry can be a great way to earn some extra or full-time income, especially as a locum doctor. Chances are you probably haven’t gone straight into a really high-paying job just after medical school, and you probably have the overhanging stress of having to pay back any student loans you might have incurred along the way.
Working as a locum can be a great way to earn some well-needed extra money, which could go towards many different things like buying a house, buying a car, or paying off debts.
Locum Salary: Contributing Factors
Locum doctors will quite often out-earn many permanently established doctors at an hourly rate. Pay rates do vary largely across the country, and where you work and how big the area is in terms of patients will also definitely play a role in your hourly wage.
However, your experience and what you bring to the table are likely to have the biggest impact on what your hourly wage will be. Having a sub-specialty or being happy to be on call can also affect how much you will earn as a locum doctor.
Salary Expectations Carrying Out Locum Work
According to Commonwealth Doctors, locum doctors can expect to see the below rates while operating as locums in the United Kingdom.
| Doctor Grade | Salary Expectation |
| F2+ | £30k - £75k |
| CT2+ | £40k - £85k |
| ST3+ | £50k - £100k |
If you work through a locum agency, then they will try to negotiate an appropriate salary for your skill level. However, if you choose to operate as a sole trader or a limited company, then you have the ability to negotiate your own rates, which should be relevant to both your grade and your experience.
Working as a locum through a locum agency also means that you will receive more paychecks per month in addition to being paid more per hour compared to doctors working permanently. Usually, locums working through an agency get paid weekly or biweekly.
How to Earn More as A Locum Doctor
If you aren’t already happy with the salary expectations of locum work, there are a few ways to increase how much you earn as a locum doctor. This could mean working in A&E, which normally has a high demand for locum doctors. Locum doctors working in A&E normally get paid a higher per-hour wage than locums working elsewhere. Specialising in a particular medical field can also increase how much you earn as a locum doctor.
If you are looking to switch to locum work, get in touch with us today!
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