From the beginning, Dr. Theodora Fynn’s path to becoming a physician was set by her father’s keen desire for her to join the medical field.
Born and raised in Ghana, Dr. Fynn fulfilled that dream, earning her medical degree from the University of Ghana Medical School and then relocating to the US in 2004 to complete her residency at Howard University in Washington, DC.
For more than a decade, she practiced as a critical care pulmonologist at Union Hospital in rural Maryland when the pandemic suddenly turned her world upside down.
“I was working in critical care at the time,” she recalled. “There were many days when I would work an 18-hour shift with patients, young and old, who were extremely sick and, in many cases, dying. Then, you’d get ready to go home and get a call that your relief had COVID and couldn’t cover. So, you would go right back to work.”
The relentless pressure in the COVID-19 units took a toll on her well-being and made her question her future in medicine. When the pandemic’s peak subsided, all three critical care specialists, including Dr. Fynn, decided to leave. While her colleagues pursued new paths—one opened a private practice, another embraced locum tenens—Dr. Fynn decided to try life outside medicine.
Exploring Outside Hospital Walls
Eager to test new career options and gain control over her work schedule, Dr. Fynn ventured into real estate investing and pursued a license to sell insurance. “I wanted to explore all of my options out there,” she explained. “I have seen so many physicians retire and return to the same work in a few months or a year. I knew that there was no way I was going to do that. Whatever I was going to do, I had to have my time set by me.”
Despite the excitement of these new pursuits, her heart still yearned for patient care. Encouraged by a former colleague, she considered locum tenens—a role that offered flexibility and the freedom to practice medicine on her terms.
“With locums, I could work 10 to 15 days a month, earn my salary and more, without being bogged down by a full-time job,” she shared. “It was an easy decision.”
Finding a Partner in Interim Physicians
Like many locum tenens providers, Dr. Fynn tested a few staffing agencies before finding her perfect match. Some initial experiences were challenging, including substandard travel accommodations and hotel rooms that didn’t satisfy her needs. But everything changed when she connected with Interim Physicians, where she was offered the support and service she had been searching for.
“One of the reasons I stayed with Interim is because of [Principal Recruiting Director] Jackie Byrd!” Dr. Fynn said. “I don’t think Jackie ever takes a day off. Anytime I’m stuck during my travels, or I miss a flight, I call Jackie. She’s always thoughtful, never angry, and always willing to help.”
Dr. Fynn now maintains a schedule that includes assignments in Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, sticking to a quota of 13 monthly shifts. “If I wanted to, I could work more—Jackie would find more shifts for me to pick up,” she said. “But this way, I never miss anything with my kids. I have one child in elementary school here and another in Ghana, who is in boarding school. I go to everything that my children are involved in. That, at the end of the day, is what’s most important to me.”
With both of her children interested in medicine, she hopes her locum lifestyle is a model for balancing a rewarding career with family life.
A Renewed Passion and Purpose
Burnout nearly drove Dr. Fynn away from medicine altogether, but locum tenens work gave her the autonomy she craved, ultimately reigniting her passion for patient care. Free from the bureaucratic obstacles of a full-time hospital setting, she now enjoys a practice rooted in compassion and flexibility, enabling her to prioritize her patients and her family.
She acknowledges that locum tenens isn’t for everyone but sees it as an ideal path for physicians seeking greater independence and the ability to travel or customize their schedules.
“I have freedom right now,” she said. “In the past two years, I’ve traveled so much. I’ve been back home to Ghana, attended my high school reunion, visited friends and family, and taken vacations without missing a single event for my kids. I don’t see myself going back to working full-time ever again.”
