At the end of this workshop, the learner will hopefully be able to: • Better understand how to prepare during the gap between finishing board exams and starting locum practice. • Better understand how to approach getting locum work • Better understand how to improve the organization of their early professional life during locum stints

1. Locums 101
by Sam Gharbi
MD, CM, FRCPC

2. Disclosure
• Faculty: Sam Gharbi
• Relationships with commercial interests:
• Virtual Ward Medicine Inc.- Co-Founder & Co-
Director

3. Objectives
At the end of this workshop, the learner will hopefully be
able to:
• Better understand how to prepare during the gap
between finishing board exams and starting locum
practice.
• Better understand how to approach getting locum work
• Better understand how to improve the organization of
their early professional life during locum stints

4. So you passed your
board exams…
now what?

5. Before you start….
1. Register with BC College
2. Register/Update CMPA Membership
3. Register with Doctors of BC
4. Talk to an Accountant
5. Learn Basics of Billing
6. Consider getting your own EHR
7. Prepare your CV

6. Before you start….
1. Register with BC College
• Need a license in order to practice
• Need an MSP (billing) number
• https://www.cpsbc.ca/

7. Before you start….
2. Register/Update CMPA Membership
• Call them or look them up online
• https://www.cmpa-acpm.ca/home

8. Before you start….
3. Register with Doctors of BC
• www.doctorsofbc.ca
• Benefits include:
• RRSP Matching
• CMPA reimbursement
• Discounts
• & Much More…

9. Before you start….
4. Get an Accountant
• Preferably one with experience with Physicians
• Issues to discuss:
• Incorporate vs Not
• Student loans & LOC debt repayment
• Learn about write offs & expenses
• & Much More…

10. Before you start…
5. Learn about Billing
• Learn the basics of billing
• Find a billing clerk vs DIY
• If DIY, find a standalone billing application or
have it done through your EHR

11. Before you start….
6. Consider getting an EHR
• Paper vs Electronic documentation
• Pros & Cons…
• Many EHR options…

12. Before you start….
7. Prepare your CV
• You may need to send this out to potential
employers for locum work
• Some sites, especially for inpatient work, will also
require letters of reference and a few other
documents in order to obtain hospital privileges

15. What kind of work do you
want?
• Inpatient vs Outpatient
• Urban vs Community vs Rural
• Part-time vs Full-time
• Academic vs Non-Academic

16. How do you find locum work?
• Word of Mouth
• Send out e-mails
• Conferences/Networking
• Online resources ie. locums.ca, healthmatchbc.org
• Groups ie. Vancouver Division of Family Practice
https://www.divisionsbc.ca/vancouver

17. What to ask when offered a
stint as a locum?
• Responsibilities
• Hours/Call
• Pay
• Billing vs Salaried
• If outpatient billing, what is the split?
• Stipends? MOCAP?
• Travel/Accommodation covered?

18. So you got a locum job.
Now What?

19. On the job…
Make a good impression

20. If you don’t know the answer…
Contrary to popular belief, it’s ok not to know
everything. During a locum stint, you can always:
• Look it up (ie. uptodate.com)
• Ask a colleague
• Phone an expert (ie. RACE line)
• Consult a specialist at your centre

21. Organizational Tips
Your life is about to get more complicated as staff, here are some
tips to get organized:
• Create a single work email, or consolidate all email addresses
into 1. Set up push notifications on your smart phone.
• e-Calendar synced among all devices & with your email
• Electronic To Do List (ie. Wunderlist app)
• Scan your receipts or use an App (ie. CamScanner or Scanbot)
• Online accounting tools (ie. Quickbooks, Quicken)

22. Work-Life Balance
More important than working and money are your
health and your loved ones. Keep a healthy balance
and do not lose focus of the things that truly matter in
life.

23. Asking for help…
Being a young staff can be challenging. There is a
lot to learn, and you can sometimes feel alone and
overwhelmed. Do not hesitate to reach out and ask
for help if you are struggling.