In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shahla Moghbel, D.O., a board-certified neurologist based in California who works as an independent contractor, and Dr. Santoshi Billakota, M.D., a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist based in New York City who works full-time in locum tenens.
They share why they stepped away from traditional physician employment, how they prepared financially for the change, and what doctors need to understand about credentialing, contracts, taxes, benefits, and retirement before going independent.
They also speak candidly about the identity shift that can come with leaving academic medicine or another traditional institutional path, and learning to separate professional value from institutional affiliation.
04:54 The shame and identity shift that can come with leaving a traditional career path
11:34 The random Wednesday that changed Lucas’s definition of freedom
17:10 Santoshi’s one-year plan for researching and preparing to leave her job
21:26 Shahla’s strategy of reducing her hours and calculating her minimum financial needs
27:32 Using locums as a bridge and learning how to negotiate better opportunities
30:24 The difference between hospital privileges and insurance credentialing
37:08 Why medical training leaves out contracts and the business side of medicine
39:47 Moving from W2 employment to 1099 work with support from a lawyer and CPA
44:10 Solo 401(k) plans, health benefits, and outsourcing financial planning
Who Should Listen
This episode is for physicians considering locums, independent contract work, or a move away from academic or employed medicine. It is especially relevant for doctors who want more autonomy but need a practical view of the financial, administrative, and personal decisions involved.
About Shahla Moghbel, D.O.
Dr. Shahla Moghbel is a board-certified neurologist based in Walnut Creek, California. She completed her neurology residency at Georgetown University, an administrative and business fellowship at Vituity Stanford, and a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Stanford Medicine. After working in a partnership, she moved into independent contract work across neurology and also does nonclinical work. She co-hosts the Be Empowered podcast, where she and Santoshi speak with physicians about burnout, career changes, and work outside the traditional path.
Connect with Shahla Moghbel, D.O.
💼 LinkedIn: Shahla Moghbel D.O.
About Santoshi Billakota, MD
Dr. Santoshi Billakota is a board-certified neurologist and epileptologist based in Brooklyn. After completing residency at Duke, fellowship at Columbia, and an academic appointment at NYU, she left academic medicine and now works full-time as a locums physician while also taking on nonclinical work. She co-hosts the Be Empowered podcast, which focuses on healthcare issues, including topics concerning women.
Connect with Santoshi Billakota, M.D.
💼 LinkedIn: Santoshi Billakota M.D.
🎙️Connect with Be Empowered: The Podcast
Spotify: Be Empowered: The Podcast
Apple: Be Empowered: The Podcast
YouTube: Be Empowered: The Podcast
Instagram: @Empowermedlife
About Locumstory
Locumstory is a free, unbiased educational resource about locum tenens to answer your questions about the how-tos of locums on their website, podcast, webinars, videos, and a locums 101 crash course.
Visit locumstory.com to find out if locum tenens makes sense for you and your career goals.
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If this conversation changed how you think about physician independence, locums, and what it takes to step away from traditional employment without leaving the financial side to chance, share it with a colleague who’s considering a different path in medicine. And if you’re enjoying Life of Flow, a quick review helps more physicians and healthcare leaders find conversations like this.
