Advancing Your Academic Profile as a Locum Doctor

The locum lifestyle is often associated with flexibility, freedom, and clinical diversity but it can also offer the perfect foundation for academic growth.

Many doctors assume that working as a locum means stepping away from research, teaching, and publishing. However, with careful planning and the right mindset, locum work can actually create space for academic advancement that’s often harder to find in permanent posts.

Whether you’re interested in publishing a paper, presenting at a conference, or building your academic portfolio for future consultant or research positions, balancing research with locum work is entirely achievable.

Seeing Research Through a Locum Lens

Locum roles expose doctors to a wide variety of healthcare settings, patient populations, and treatment approaches. Each assignment offers a chance to observe trends, gaps, or innovative practices, all potential foundations for research and publication.

For example:

• Working across multiple hospitals may reveal regional variations in patient care.
• Exposure to different electronic record systems can highlight process efficiency or data management challenges.
• Locum GP work could inspire audits on prescribing patterns or patient follow-up outcomes.

Recording these insights systematically allows you to identify potential research questions worth exploring. Even small observational studies or audits can lead to valuable publications when properly structured and ethically approved.

Collaborating Without a Permanent Base

One of the most common misconceptions is that research requires a permanent institutional appointment. In reality, many locum doctors successfully collaborate with academic supervisors, hospital research departments, and professional bodies.

Here are a few strategies:

• Reach out to research-active consultants during locum placements. Express interest in joining audits or ongoing studies.
• Partner with university departments as an independent contributor. Irish and UK medical schools often welcome locum practitioners for clinical input.
• Use online platforms like ResearchGate or PubMed Commons to connect with co-authors and find open research calls.
• Maintain a professional email signature that includes your GMC or IMC registration number and latest institutional affiliation to establish credibility when networking.

You don’t need to be tied to one hospital to contribute meaningfully, collaboration can be entirely virtual.

Turning Clinical Audits into Published Work

Audits are an ideal entry point into academic publishing for locum doctors. Many hospitals require regular audits for compliance, and locums often contribute to or even lead these projects.

To increase publication potential:

• Design audits that compare multiple sites or systems, a unique advantage of locum work.
• Follow standard audit structure (introduction, methodology, results, re-audit cycle).
• Submit findings to local hospital journals, Irish Medical Journal, or NHS Trust newsletters.
• Seek mentorship from consultants who have published before, they can guide submission and peer review processes.

Remember, even small-scale quality improvement studies or case series can enhance your CV when written with academic rigour.

Presenting Your Work: Conferences & Poster Opportunities

Presenting your findings is one of the best ways to build your academic profile. Locum flexibility means you can attend events without needing extensive annual leave approval.

Look out for:

• Royal College conferences (RCSI, RCP, RCGP)
• Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) meetings
• Specialty-specific symposiums (e.g., psychiatry, emergency medicine, anaesthetics)

Many conferences welcome poster presentations or short oral sessions. Presenting your work helps establish professional connections and strengthens your reputation as a clinician-researcher.

Building an Academic Portfolio as a Locum

An academic portfolio is increasingly valued in medical recruitment and revalidation. Locums can compile theirs by tracking:

• Publications (peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed)
• Presentations and posters
• Teaching sessions delivered during placements
• Continuous professional development (CPD) certificates
• Feedback and reflection on academic projects

Regularly updating this portfolio in digital form (e.g., e-portfolio, LinkedIn, or personal website) ensures you’re ready when new opportunities or specialist roles arise.

Managing Time Between Shifts and Submissions

Balancing research with locum assignments requires planning. Some practical tips include:

• Use lighter rota periods or short-term breaks for writing and analysis.
• Set small, consistent goals e.g., writing 300 words a day or reviewing one paper a week.
• Leverage online tools such as Zotero for reference management or Notion for tracking projects.
• Communicate availability clearly with collaborators to manage expectations during busy clinical periods.

Locum work allows you to carve out quiet periods ideal for deep focus, a luxury not always available in full-time posts.

Final Thoughts: A Career Beyond the Clinic

Being a locum doctor doesn’t mean choosing clinical flexibility over academic ambition. In fact, the freedom and variety of locum practice can enhance your research perspective and give you the time to write, publish, and present meaningfully.

By embracing collaboration, taking initiative in audits, and making the most of conference opportunities, locum doctors can craft a strong academic profile, one that demonstrates both clinical versatility and intellectual curiosity.

The key is balance: letting your locum schedule work for your research goals, not against them.

Get in touch with our dedicated team as we nurture a community in which locums can flourish and extend exceptional care to their patients. For more information on any of our roles contact a member of our Locum Express team on +353 (0)21 4297901 or email us at info@locumexpress.ie. You can also register online here.