For Trevor Marler, going into medicine was never a question; it’s been in his DNA since day one.
“I always knew I wanted to help people,” he said. “I have a niece with Down syndrome who had heart surgery, and after that, I just knew I wanted to go into healthcare.”
While Trevor initially set out to become a physician, a transformative experience shadowing an exceptional physician assistant steered him in a new direction.
“She was phenomenal,” he said. “After doing lots of shadowing, I decided the PA route was the best decision for me. I haven’t looked back.”
Why Locum Tenens
The idea of working locums had been on Trevor’s radar since college. For him, it wasn’t about escaping full-time work but expanding his reach. He felt that locum tenens offered him the chance to work in a variety of settings and roles that wouldn’t be available otherwise.
“I just wanted to use my skills in different areas,” he said. “Medicine can look very different depending on where you are.” While working in a fully-equipped urban center teaches valuable skills, rural and underserved areas offer a different set of challenges. Trevor was seeking those challenges to round out his skill set and make him a more complete caregiver.
After a year and a half in a full-time role in New Orleans, Trevor took the plunge and accepted his first locum tenens physician assistant assignment in Southern Louisiana. Six months in, he’s confident he made the right choice.
“I have felt very well prepared and well supported,” he said. “Honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better setup.”
A Different View of Patient Care
Practicing in a new setting has given Trevor a fresh perspective on patient care, one that’s focused even more on patient education and involvement.
“To me, patient education is all about making sure patients are aware of what’s going on and understand every part of the process. They deserve to have a voice in their healthcare, and that’s very important to me.”
The team in Louisiana has also made an impression. “The nursing staff here is terrific,” he said. “Everyone is super helpful and kind.”
Why Interim Physicians
Since starting with Interim Physicians, Trevor has referred nearly a dozen colleagues to us through our generous provider referral program, which pays the referrer $2,250 per MD/DO and $1,125 per APP after every 10 shifts the provider’s colleague or friend works. So far, the experience has been seamless:
“The process is so easy, and the communication has been amazing,” he said. “Joey [Bradshaw] is great. No matter what time or day, I can count on him to get things done.”
Finding Purpose Again
Locum work has reignited Trevor’s sense of purpose and allowed him to view healthcare from a new perspective. “It’s made life more rewarding,” he said. “Not that I lost my purpose, but a change is always nice. It’s given me the boost I needed to feel motivated again.”
The financial upside hasn’t hurt either. “It’s been a big help in paying off my student loans,” he said with a grin.
Advice for New Locums
For anyone on the fence about trying locum tenens, Trevor keeps it simple:
“If you’re comfortable, then I don’t think you’re learning,” he said. “You’ve got to push yourself to grow, and that means stepping out of your comfort zone. So just go for it.”