Honest tools, insider education, and vetted resources for physicians building a locum career on their own terms. Written from the recruiter's chair.
2,400+
Physicians
8,400+
Calculations run
12
Newsletter issues
$0
To get started
The real problem
You don't know the economics of the system you're operating in. That costs physicians $30–80k/year in missed negotiation.
1099 income means opportunity most CPAs don't understand. The average physician overpays $22,000 annually because of it.
You know perm medicine isn't working. But nobody has drawn the map from 'burnt out' to 'working 14 days a month.'
The tools
Every tool solves a real problem physicians face when evaluating, negotiating, or building a locum career.
True take-home after SE tax, state income tax, deductions. 52 specialties, all 50 states.
Input your real expenses → get the minimum income that buys your freedom → see how many locum days that takes.
Compare two offers side by side. Rate, hours, travel, state tax, housing — true net for each assignment.
12 insurance options scored against your profile. Bitcoin-native health sharing to traditional PPO.
All 51 jurisdictions. IMLCC eligibility, board meeting schedules, gotchas that delay your license.
2025 IRS brackets. SE tax deduction. Quarterly payment calculator. Accurate for 1099 physicians.
The curriculum
A structured 7-phase curriculum that takes a physician from "I've heard of locum tenens" to building a locum career with intention. Free foundational modules, deep content for members.
What actually happens on the other side of a recruiter call. The incentives, the process, and how to use all of it to your advantage.
"Most recruiters won't tell you this. The physicians who negotiate the best deals aren't the ones who push hardest on rate — they're the ones who understand the full picture."
What physicians say
"Ran the calculator, showed the results to my recruiter, and negotiated $18/hr more on my next assignment. That's $86,400/year."
Dr. Marcus H.
Peds Hospitalist · Denver, CO
"I didn't understand 1099 taxes at all. The tax strategy articles saved me from a $28,000 mistake my first year as a locum."
Dr. Priya S.
Family Medicine · Phoenix, AZ
"The recruiter's perspective articles are the only honest content I've found about how this industry actually works. It changed how I negotiate."
Dr. James K.
Emergency Medicine · Austin, TX
Free download
11 deductions most CPAs miss for locum physicians. Quarterly payment dates. The retirement account move that saves $30–70k/year in taxes. Free when you subscribe.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Goes to the MD Unchained newsletter.
Pricing
Free
Unchained Member
The builder
Locum tenens recruiter at CompHealth. 4 years placing physicians — pediatricians and pediatric hospitalists. 200+ placements across dozens of facilities.
I built MD Unchained because I kept having conversations physicians couldn't have anywhere else. About how the economics actually work. About tax strategies most CPAs miss. About what separates physicians who thrive in locum from those who struggle.
Those conversations deserve to exist in public. This platform is where I put them.
Full storyFAQ
No account required for tools. No credit card for free tier. Start understanding what you're worth in 5 minutes.