At certain points in life, the flame that once fuelled our passion may flicker, leaving us feeling stagnant. Burnout or injury can extinguish the brightest flames of passion, leaving professionals feeling trapped in the routine.

For dentist Dr. Ellen, this feeling loomed heavy until she ventured into locum work.

As Ellen approaches the one-year anniversary since transitioning into locum work, she reflects on how the versatile recruitment opportunities have reignited her love for dentistry and brought newfound joy and flexibility to her young family.

“After nearly a decade in private practice, I found myself really craving more. More travel, more opportunities for education, more growth, and more connection with others in the profession.”

“Being part of the CMR community has really provided me the opportunity to work, travel and continue an education program that’s expanded my advancing skills in general dentistry. This role has given me the opportunity to expand and develop my leadership skills… I work in a management role now and I get to work with this fantastic team.”

“It’s allowed me such wonderful opportunities to meet and connect with so many dentists and health providers right across Australia. I’ve been completing a virtual hands-on CPD fellowship the whole time, and the connection within CMR has just helped me pursue my vision of providing quality oral health to all people”.

What makes Ellen’s journey truly inspiring is the involvement of her family, embarking on a journey from Brisbane to WA in a campervan to relocate for her first placement.

“This placement with CMR has seen me be able to take my whole family 5500km right across the country! That alone was an adventure full of adventures. My kids thoroughly enjoyed it.” Ellen recounts with enthusiasm.

“But once we got here, it’s been fantastic to work on this huge project that’s now seen the opening of access to public dental GA services within the local Regional Hospital.”

“This means that the local community have general dental treatment under anesthetic, where they previously were having to travel hundreds and hundreds of kilometres.”

“It’s so wonderful to see these things being developed here in the town and to be part of that is just something amazing to see.”

One of the significant benefits of locum work for Dr Ellen has been the flexibility it offers. As a mother, wife, and dedicated professional, Ellen appreciates the freedom to craft her schedule and prioritise family time.

“Working as a locum with CMR allowed me and my whole family to find flexibility,” Ellen affirms.

“We found as a family post, COVID, post lockdowns in particular, and as a family unit, we were struggling with the daily grind. We hadn’t travelled, we hadn’t gotten out, we were stuck in a rut. We knew we needed to find something different.”

“We’ve been able to travel. We did a year of homeschooling with our kids, which was amazing to take them out of this sort of stagnant environment where they were really struggling and they were able to flourish, find things they were interested in and now trialing back in a school. This school is amazing, and my husband has been offered work at the hospital.”

With the flexibility afforded by locum work, Ellen and her family have seized the opportunity to explore Australia’s diverse landscapes.

“If I want time off, we go, OK, well, we’ll pick a contract for this long and then we have a couple of weeks break before we do the next one. And it just works so well for our family. And financially, we’re still getting the bills paid, the mortgage paid.”

Ellen’s journey serves as a testament to resilience and adaptability, navigating the challenges life throws your way, and rekindling your passion amidst new adventures. “To think 12 months ago… I’d crashed off my mountain bike… to finding so much joy and passion for what I do. It’s been a real journey,” Ellen reflects.

As Ellen and her family continue to embrace the locum life with zest and enthusiasm, if they have inspired you to embark on your own journey of discovery, growth, and fulfillment, please get in touch!