In The Media

National Locum Tenens Week Message from Dr. Rip Patel




Lectures Media Citations Podcasts Conferences


  • Unlocking the Benefits of Locum Tenens July 2, 2023 Why locum tenens? To answer that question, four clinicians from the Locumstory Physician Advisory Board, including the Chairman, Dr. Ripal H. Patel, MD MPH, share their experiences providing care around the world and explore how working with locum tenens has impacted their careers. Visit

  • Introduction to Locum Tenens: How it Works & Why You Should Try It October 24, 2022 PracticeMatch Nationwide Virtual Career Fair followed by Webinar: Introduction to Locum Tenens - How it works and why you should try it, featuring Dr. Ripal H. Patel MD MPH of https://www.locumstory.com. Visit

  • Webinar: What is locum tenens anyway? A Q&A with two working locums physicians Sept 8, 2022 Streamed live on Sep 8, 2022 SDN welcomes Dr. Rip Patel and Dr. Trevor Cabrera of CompHealth for a Q&A session about what it's like to be a locums physician! Dr. Cabrera and Dr. Patel both write for https://www.locumstory.com, a great resource for all things locum tenens. You can also learn more about Dr. Cabrera's work and travels at https://thenomadicpediatrician.com/ Looking for a locum tenens agency? Visit CompHealth to learn more at https://comphealth.com/locum-tenens. Visit

  • The Art of Medicine, Episode #40, Locum Tenens and ER Medicine, an interview with Rip Patel, MD October 9, 2021 Dr. Patel featured on the Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner. Dr. Patel discuss the world of locum tenens, challenges, and the benefits of forming your own practice vs. utilizing agencies. He ultimately champions locums as a strategic tool physicians should consider as they suffer burn-out in an ever-changing healthcare environment Visit

  • Webinar: Pursuing your passions outside of clinical medicine May 27, 2021 In this “Ask Me Anything” webinar, Dr. Rip Patel is joined by neurologist Dr. Andrew Wilner and family medicine physician Dr. Colin Zhu to discuss how working locum tenens allowed them to pursue medical jobs outside of clinical medicine. Visit

  • Webinar: Getting Hired During a Pandemic April 12, 2021 In the first episode of its new web series EM L.I.F.E.R.S., the ACEP Young Physicians Section and Online Education Committee hosted an interactive panel discussion about the challenges of getting hired during a pandemic. The full recording is now available in the ACEP Online Learning Collaborative and is free for all members. Visit

  • Webinar: Maximizing your tax benefits as a locum tenens Mar 11, 2021 We recently held another ask me anything webinar with Dr. Rip Patel. The topic of this webinar focused on maximizing your tax benefits when working as a locum tenens physician. Joining Dr. Patel were tax experts Alexis Gallati and Skylar Campbell. You can view the full webinar below. Visit

  • Webinar: Finding Life Balance with Locums December 4, 2020 In this Locumstory.com AMA webinar Dr. Rip Patel sits down with Dr. Sonya Sloan to talk about how she balances life as an orthopedic surgeon, a wife, mother, and entrepreneur. Visit

  • Webinar: Using Locums for Career Transitions November 11, 2020 Locumstory.com’s Dr. Rip Patel recently sat down for a video chat with Dr. Bhavesh Shah, Dr. Marye McCroskey, and Dr. Ashita Gehlot to talk about how each of them have used locum tenens to help with their career transitions. Watch the full video below. Visit

  • Working Locum Tenens in New Zealand September 11, 2020 A seminar moderated by Dr. Patel interview two physicians that did international locums assignments in New Zealand during the COVID pandemic. Visit

  • Getting Started As An Independent Practice June 3, 2020 Dr. Patel interviewed about his model of locums and how to get started as an independent practice. Visit

  • Bordertown Medicine November 2, 2016 Dr. Patel lecturing at Grand Grounds at the Baylor College of Medicine about a topic that is a focus of the Mercision practice: Border-Town medicine. Border-towns pose unique challenges, including being versed in complex procedures, managing traumas - including Pediatric - to stabilize and transfer, and encountering unique issues such as managing body packers and stuffers, health issues of border-crossers, and cartel violence. Visit




  • Crucial Role of Locums Physicians April 15, 2020 Dr. Patel cited in Physician Practice by the President of CompHealth regarding the crucial role Locums physicians play in the current pandemic. Visit

  • Media Coverage August 12, 2019 Dr. Patel interviewed by Staff Industry Analysts about National Locum Tenens Week Visit

  • Gun Safety April 10, 2014 Dr. Patel cited discussing firearm safety - a critical public health issue facing our nation - for the American Bar Association. Visit

  • The Revitalizing Doctor August 29, 2023 Discover how Dr. Rip Patel found fulfillment and reconnected with medicine's values and ethics as a physician. But just when everything seemed to be falling into place as a new emergency physician, he experienced a toxic workplace. Dr. Patel was at a crossroads in his career. How did he navigate this challenge and find fulfillment? Tune in to find out! Visit

  • Getting Started with Locum Tenens - Medical Economics October 24, 2022 What is locum tenens? Essentially, locum tenens work consists of a physician working in another practice or hospital on a temporary basis. It’s been around since 1979, and it’s a form of work that has undergone rapid transformation over the years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has upended health care staffing. It’s a different way of life for physicians and other providers, and physicians move toward locum work for a variety of reasons: better work/life balance, making extra money, traveling and seeing other places, and many others. So if you wanted to explore locum tenens, where do you get started? Medical Economics sat down with Rip Patel, M.D., an emergency medicine doctor, to discuss. Visit

  • Working With A Locums Agency Versus Direct Contracting - Dr. Rip Patel July 2022 At Locumstory we share the stories of locums. What's a locum? Locum tenens are physicians, PAs, and NPs that work temporary jobs around the country and the world. These unique healthcare providers choose to work this way for a variety of reasons, from flexibility and work-life balance, to making extra money and traveling. Each has a unique story to share. Learn more at locumstory.com. Visit

  • Trials & Tribulations with Locum Tenens: One Physician’s Journey November 2021 Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Ripal Patel, MD, MPH Locum tenens can take you on an exciting journey, but you may encounter a few horror stories along the way. Joining Dr. Matt Birnholz to share his own challenging experiences—and how we can avoid them—is Dr. Rip Patel, founder and lead for Mercision Emergency Medicine, and Assistant Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Visit

  • Experiences During The February 2021 Texas Snow Storm June 2021 This is Episode 78 of The Changed Physician Podcast with Dr. Rip Patel out of Houston, Texas. He and host, Dr. Melissa Cady discuss their personal and professional experiences during the February 2021 Texas snow storm. Visit

  • Locums Work in Rural Communities February 2021 Dr. Rip Patel, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Baylor University, Locum Tenens Physician, and writer for LocumStory shares his perspective on locums work. He highlights the unique strengths of Locum Tenens Physicians and unpacks what they can bring to the rural healthcare ecosystem. Visit

  • The Changed Physician Podcast: Rip Patel, MD - Locum Tenens Model of Practice Feb 28, 2021 This is Episode 69 of The Changed Physician Podcast where hosts, Melissa & Kevin, talk about Dr. Rip Patel's journey into emergency medicine but redesigned in a manner that aligned with his values and his love for teaching, traveling, family, and more! Visit

  • The Changed Physician Podcast: Rip Patel, MD - In The Trenches with COVID 19 Dec 31, 2020 Emergency medicine physician, Dr. Rip Patel, joins the hosts in a timely Episode 55 of The Changed Physician Podcast discussing not only his experience as a physician with COVID-19, but also as a patient. You will learn his experience as a physician in the emergency room, his unique COVID+ experience and how he likely contracted it, his concerns for those around him, and his recent initial vaccination post-COVID+. You can listen to the full story of Dr. Rip Patel as an emergency physician and more in Episode 69. Visit

  • Memorable Encounters Dr. Patel chats with Dr. Zahir Basrai on The Physician Grind at ACEP. He narrates memorable encounters in rural EDs, issues of race, and fomenting unique relationships in unforeseen scenarios. Visit

  • ACEP Frontline: Locums Life January 15, 2018 Dr. Patel speaking on ACEP Frontline with Dr. Mandaar Gokhale about pursuing a locums career, his experiences working in various states, and lessons learned. Visit

  • The Wellness in the Vines Symposium October 23, 2023 The Wellness in the Vines Symposium is the first forum dedicated to physician and allied health professional wellness developing emotional, physical, career, and financial well-being. Visit