Summary
In this interview, Dr. Susan Trocciola, a cardiothoracic surgeon, discussed her experiences with locum tenens work and expert witness consulting. Dr. Trocciola shared her journey from traditional employment to locums after facing challenges in finding the right job fit and dealing with personal health issues. She emphasized how locums work has allowed her to achieve better work-life balance, earning twice as much while working half as much compared to her previous full-time job. Dr. Trocciola detailed her approach to determining value in locums work, recommending rates starting at $2,500 per day, and discussed the importance of establishing boundaries with locums companies. She also shared insights about her expert witness work, explaining how it has made her a better doctor through improved documentation practices. The discussion highlighted the benefits of locums work in providing flexibility, better patient care options, and opportunities for professional growth.

Chapters
Introduction and Background of Dr. Susan Trocciola
Dr. Trocciola introduced herself as a cardiothoracic surgeon trained at prestigious programs including Cornell, NYU, and Texas Heart. She shared her journey through traditional employment challenges, personal health issues, and eventual transition to locums work.

Benefits of Locums Work
Dr. Trocciola discussed how locums work has transformed her approach to medicine, allowing her to focus on patient care rather than RVUs. She shared an example of prioritizing patient care over personal convenience in a recent case.

Determining Value in Locums Work
Dr. Trocciola explained her approach to establishing value in locums work, recommending working with multiple companies to understand market rates and emphasizing the importance of negotiating fair compensation.

Navigating Locums Assignments
Dr. Trocciola shared insights about identifying good locums companies, establishing boundaries, and recognizing when to leave assignments that aren't a good fit.

Expert Witness Work
Dr. Trocciola discussed her journey into expert witness work, how it has improved her practice, and the importance of honesty and thorough documentation in both expert witness cases and clinical practice.

Future Plans and Work-Life Balance
Dr. Trocciola expressed her desire to reduce clinical work and increase expert witness work, emphasizing the importance of maintaining work-life balance and having time for personal activities.

Action Items
Dr. Trocciola recommends starting locums assignments with shorter commitments to allow for better evaluation and negotiation opportunities
Dr. Trocciola advises establishing a minimum daily rate of at least $2,500 for locums work
Dr. Trocciola suggests working with multiple locums companies to understand market rates and negotiate better contracts
Dr. Trocciola emphasizes the importance of thorough documentation in both clinical practice and expert witness work