Nearly a decade into his radiology career, Dr. Michael Klodnicki still loved the work. What he wanted was more say over when and where he did it.
After five years in private practice, he transitioned to remote radiology work. He welcomed the change, but also wanted opportunities to work in person.
Locum tenens gave him a way to combine the two.
“I have a really good situation where I have a flexible remote job, so I can choose my schedule when I work from home. I can also choose my locum assignments.”
Locum Tenens Let Him Build His Perfect Schedule
Dr. Klodnicki credits his years in private practice with helping him understand both what he valued in radiology and what he wanted to change.
“Working in a traditional practice helped me learn my strengths and weaknesses, understand what I was looking for in a job, and prepare for the challenges and benefits of being an independent contractor.”
For him, the biggest issue was having too few opportunities to step away from work.
“I’m a big skier, which requires traveling a bit since I’m based in Texas. With my private practice, I couldn’t take as much time off as I wanted.”
Building a Hybrid Career That Fits His Life
Locum tenens became the answer. It allowed Dr. Klodnicki to complement his remote radiology work without giving up his newfound flexibility.
“I loved that I was able to pick my assignments. With such high radiology demand, I have options over when, where, and how much I work.”
Locums also brought back something he had missed: the challenge of walking into a new facility, learning its systems, and becoming part of the team.
“Each place has a different electronic medical record or PACS system, and it can be a lot to take in all at once. But at this point in my career, I’m experienced enough to feel comfortable with anything and adapt quickly. It keeps things exciting.”
Travel has been one of the trade-offs. In practice, though, he found enough opportunities nearby to make it manageable.
“I’ve only considered locum assignments in Texas within about a five-hour radius of home.”
His Advice for Radiologists Considering Locum Tenens
Asked what he would tell radiologists considering locum tenens, Dr. Klodnicki had a quick answer.
“Call me.”
On a more serious note, he believes his private practice experience gave him a strong foundation for locum work.
“I feel like I did things the right way. My experience in private practice taught me a lot and gave me the confidence to step into new situations and still feel like I could contribute to the team.”
He acknowledged that walking into new facilities and learning unique workflows can feel intimidating at first. His advice to radiologists is to research compensation, understand market rates, and be realistic about the workload they’re willing to take on
“If they’re advertising or expecting a work volume that you know you’re not comfortable with, don’t just agree to it. Try to find a position that’s tailored to your abilities and interests.”
Using Locums To Make Room for Life Outside of Work
Dr. Klodnicki started practicing locum tenens to gain more control over his time while still enjoying the challenge of on-site radiology work.
That arrangement has also made more room for the activities he enjoys outside of medicine, including skiing in the winter, hiking, and annual cycling trips through Europe.
As he put it, “I can curate my schedule depending on how much vacation I want to take and how much I want to work. As long as it stays like this, I haven’t found an option that’s better than what I currently have.”