The gig economy and/or temporary contract work have become increasingly prevalent among healthcare professionals, including physicians. Approximately 7% of the U.S.-trained physician workforce practice medicine as locums or temporary assignments. This is only expected to grow as a new generation of young physicians become disenchanted by increasingly demanding jobs and the growing prevalence of burnout.
According to the American Medical Association, 63% of physicians experienced burnout in 2021, up from 38% the previous year. Practicing physicians in the post-pandemic era are reducing their clinical hours or closing their private practices, worsening the expected critical workforce shortage. Similar trends are playing out in other healthcare fields.