Why did you want to locum?
I had been working in medical imaging at the same hospital site for 8 years and I was looking for a change. I had heard that locum radiographer and sonographer wages in Australia were really good and that I could be paid to travel to new exciting locations, it just sounded too good to be true.
Can you tell us a little about your host site?
I did a locum sonographer stint in a medium sized rural town hospital. The department was well set up with modern equipment and computer systems that were simple and easy to learn quickly. The staff were really welcoming and helped me settle into the department, they made me feel like part of the medical imaging team straight away. The town was beautiful with lots of things to do an explore in my spare time. I was put up in great accommodation which was right on the water and walking distance to everything in town.
Why did you choose to locum through Radiology Relief?
I found Radiology Relief on google and liked that they were a smaller agency. I also contacted some of the larger well known agencies at the same time but they took longer to get back to me and their responses were very generic. Every time I contacted Radiology Relief I got a prompt, personal response. I felt like Radiology Relief were a great fit for me and their communication was always excellent. After discussing the locum radiographer and locum sonographer wages I also found that Radiology Relief were offering better pay than their competitors. One of the great things about Radiology Relief is you are only contracted for the period of your locum, I’m free to pick and choose when and where I want to locum and I can work elsewhere in between locum stints.
Will you do locum work again?
Absolutely! After my first locum experience I can't imagine working in the same department for the rest of my career. I'm already working on a list of other locations around Australia I would like to go.
Were the locum wages as good as everyone says?
Without giving exact numbers yes! I was earning nearly 60% more for Monday to Friday hours as a locum sonographer than I would working a "normal" sonographer job. The wages Radiology Relief Paid me were still considerably more than I would make doing casual work.
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