In this episode of Locums Lounge, Dr. Jamila Goldsmith sits down with Dr. Mark Royer, ENT surgeon, MBA, and physician leader behind Specialty Locums, to unpack how locums can evolve from short-term coverage into a long-term platform for autonomy and impact.

Dr. Royer shares his journey from employed practice to building a physician-led locums company, breaking down how ownership, ethical staffing, and service-line development can restore both quality of life and patient care. The conversation dives into direct contracting, VMS systems, physician commoditization, rural healthcare access, and what doctors need to know to protect themselves while navigating locums strategically.

This episode reframes locums not as a fallback, but as a powerful business and lifestyle tool for physicians ready to practice medicine on their own terms.