Locum Excellence: Most Comprehensive Locuming Guide For 2024

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Embarking on a journey as a locum pharmacist offers a unique set of opportunities and challenges. To help you navigate this exciting career path with Pharmacy SOS, we present a step-by-step guide to ensure your success. From deciding if locuming is right for you to mastering the intricacies of the process, this guide covers it all. Let’s dive into each crucial step to unlock the full potential of your locum career:

STEP 1: Decide

The realm of pharmacy careers presents a perpetual dilemma for professionals: the choice between the steadfast assurance of a permanent role and the adventurous autonomy of a locum pharmacist career. As pharmacists navigate this crossroad, the discourse surrounding Permanent vs. Locum Pharmacy Careers continues to evolve.  The first step to success is to decide to become a locum pharmacist, have a permanent role with a single employer, or somewhere in between.  To help you decide, we have written these blogs for you:

Step 2 – Register

Whether you want to stay up to date with current job trends, looking for permanent roles or want to start locuming, you can create a log in with pharmacy SOS here “Pharmacist Panel”.

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Step 3 – Credentials

Once you have logged in, click on the credentials link to fill in your details such as registration number and banking details.

Step 4 – Telegram

While we use a number of different mediums, Telegram (download from Google Play or Apple Store, or directly from here) is our choice when it comes to notifications of new openings because of the speed we can get information out to you.  Everything on the websites job portal is reflected on the Telegram channel relevant to the state you choose to join, so you can focus on the jobs more relevant to your location.  Here are our Telegram channels.

Step 5 – Save Our details

Make sure you book mark our website for quick access and save our phone number to be able to contact us quickly if you see something you find interesting.  

Step 7 – Excelling

We have written a number of blog posts highlighting some important information to help you excel in your locuming career (or any career… really).  Here is a short list we recommend reading:

Step 8 – Contact

Once you see a job that is of interest to you, contact us immediately – jobs go fast!

Step 9 – Time Sheet and Pay Day

Submit a time sheet at the completion of your shift here “etimesheet”.  We pay fortnightly, and Superannuation is paid monthly (soon to be with every pay!).  You can check out more information on our Superannuation payments here and our Pay Run Schedule here.  You can also read about how to read your pay slip here “How to ready your Pharmacy SOS Pay Slip.”

Step 10 – Updating Credentials

Keep your details up to date with Pharmacy SOS. 

More information on this blog post. 

Step 11 – Cancellations

Undesirable, but sometimes unavoidable and necessary!  If you need to cancel a shift, notify us directly and immediately so we can arrange a replacement. Here are some pointers on cancellations:

We strongly urge you to avoid excuses in the “Part 2” blog :).

Step 12 – Notifications

Notify us of any shifts in pharmacies we have introduced you to.  The practice of locum pharmacists getting booked directly without notifying the recruitment agency that placed them may seem like a minor detail, but this can have significant consequences for both the locum pharmacist and the pharmacy involved.  Here is a blog as to why this is important: “From Avoiding ATO Trouble to Negotiating Pay to Accurate Records: Why You Need to Notify Pharmacy SOS”

Yep! There it is!  The most comprehensive guide you will find anywhere on the ins and outs of locuming as a pharmacist.   Hope it helps, and looking forward to working with you all!