If you’re ready to take your healthcare career somewhere new, allied health travel jobs can give you the opportunity to explore different destinations, gain experience in new clinical environments, and put your skills to work at facilities across the country.
Travel opportunities aren’t limited to nurses. Radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, surgical technologists, laboratory professionals, and many other allied health professionals can pursue temporary travel assignments.
Whether you’re researching travel healthcare for the first time or you’re an experienced traveler looking for your next assignment, here’s what you should know about allied health travel jobs and how to get started.
What Are Allied Health Travel Jobs?
Allied health travel jobs are temporary assignments that allow qualified healthcare professionals to work at facilities that need additional staffing support. Travelers typically work for a set contract period before moving to another assignment, extending their current contract, or taking time off between assignments.
The responsibilities you perform are generally based on your profession and credentials. A travel physical therapist, for example, still provides physical therapy services, while a traveling radiologic technologist performs diagnostic imaging procedures.
What changes is where you work.
Traveling allows allied professionals to bring their skills to different healthcare facilities, work with new teams, experience different patient populations, and explore destinations throughout the country.
Which Allied Health Professionals Can Travel?
Allied healthcare covers a wide range of specialties, and travel opportunities can vary based on current facility needs, location, experience, and credentials.
Some allied professionals who may find travel opportunities include:
Radiologic and Imaging Professionals
Medical imaging offers several potential paths for travelers, including opportunities for:
- Radiologic technologists
- X-ray technologists
- CT technologists
- MRI technologists
- Mammography technologists
- Interventional radiology technologists
- Nuclear medicine technologists
Professionals interested in expanding their imaging careers may also pursue additional credentials. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), for example, offers credentials across disciplines including Radiography, CT, MRI, Mammography, Cardiac Interventional Radiography, and Vascular Interventional Radiography.
Already working in imaging? Learn more about what it means to become a traveling radiologic technologist and the career opportunities available in travel radiology.
Respiratory Therapists
Respiratory therapists care for patients experiencing breathing and cardiopulmonary conditions. Depending on the facility, they may work in emergency departments, intensive care units, neonatal or pediatric settings, and other areas where respiratory care is needed.
Travel respiratory therapy assignments can give experienced professionals an opportunity to take those skills to different healthcare facilities and destinations.
Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants
Physical therapy professionals help patients improve mobility, manage pain, recover from injuries, and regain function.
Travel opportunities may be available in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, outpatient settings, skilled nursing facilities, and other healthcare environments.
Occupational Therapists and COTAs
Occupational therapy professionals help patients develop or regain skills needed for everyday activities.
Depending on the position and professional credentials, OTs and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) may find opportunities across rehabilitation, long-term care, outpatient, pediatric, and other settings.
Surgical Technologists
Surgical technologists support surgical teams before, during, and after procedures. Experienced surgical techs may find travel assignments at hospitals and other facilities that need temporary operating room support.
Laboratory Professionals
Medical laboratory professionals are another important part of the allied healthcare workforce.
Travel opportunities may be available for medical laboratory technicians, medical technologists, histology professionals, and other qualified laboratory specialists depending on facility needs.
These are only some examples. Available allied health travel jobs change based on current healthcare staffing needs, so it’s worth regularly checking openings within your specialty.
How Do Allied Health Travel Jobs Work?
If you’ve only worked in permanent positions, the travel process may seem complicated at first. Working with a healthcare staffing agency can help make the transition easier.
While the process varies by assignment, it generally includes a few key steps.
1. Search for Allied Travel Jobs
Start by exploring available assignments within your profession.
You can narrow opportunities based on specialty, location, shift, pay package, start date, and other factors that matter to you.
Being flexible can help expand your options. If you’re willing to consider several states or cities instead of one specific destination, you may have more assignments to choose from.
2. Connect With Your Recruiter
Your recruiter can help identify positions that align with your experience, credentials, preferences, and career goals.
This is also your opportunity to discuss what’s most important to you, whether that’s location, schedule, compensation, facility type, or a particular kind of clinical experience.
3. Submit for an Assignment
Once you find an opportunity you’re interested in and meet the requirements, your profile may be submitted to the facility for consideration.
Having your resume, licenses, certifications, references, and other required documentation ready can help keep the process moving.
4. Complete Credentialing
Before beginning an assignment, you’ll need to satisfy the facility’s credentialing and onboarding requirements.
Requirements vary by profession, facility, state, and assignment.
5. Prepare for Your Assignment
Once everything is finalized, it’s time to prepare for your new destination.
That may include arranging housing and transportation, researching your commute, learning more about the area, and preparing for your first day at the facility.
Then comes the fun part: starting your assignment and exploring somewhere new.
What Are the Requirements for Allied Health Travel Jobs?
There isn’t one set of requirements that applies to every allied traveler.
Requirements depend on your profession, specialty, state, facility, and individual assignment.
Employers may look for:
- Appropriate education and training
- Professional certification or registration
- State licensure, when required
- Current BLS or other applicable certifications
- Relevant clinical experience
- Specialty-specific credentials
- Experience with particular equipment or procedures
Travel positions may also require previous professional experience because travelers often need to become comfortable with a new facility and its processes relatively quickly.
Some allied professions also have specific credentialing pathways. ARRT, for example, requires candidates pursuing its primary credentials to meet education, ethics, and examination requirements, while certain additional imaging credentials have their own postprimary requirements.
Before applying, carefully review the requirements for the individual position and confirm that your credentials meet the facility’s expectations.
How Much Do Allied Health Travelers Make?
There’s no single salary or weekly pay rate that applies to all allied health travelers.
Allied healthcare includes many different professions, and compensation can vary considerably between specialties and individual assignments.
Factors that can affect an allied travel pay package include:
- Specialty
- Location
- Experience
- Shift
- Facility
- Assignment length
- Certifications
- Current staffing needs
- Market conditions
For example, compensation for a travel physical therapist may look very different from compensation for a CT technologist or respiratory therapist.
That’s why it’s important to compare individual assignments rather than relying on one national figure for all allied travelers.
When reviewing opportunities, consider the complete compensation package along with the location, schedule, facility, assignment requirements, and your personal career goals.
What Are the Benefits of Allied Health Travel Jobs?
Every traveler has different reasons for hitting the road, but there are several potential advantages to pursuing allied travel assignments.
Experience New Destinations
Want to spend a season somewhere you’ve never lived before?
Travel healthcare can give you an opportunity to experience new cities and states while continuing your career.
Your time off becomes a chance to discover local restaurants, outdoor activities, attractions, events, and communities that you might never experience in a permanent role.
Expand Your Clinical Experience
Working at different facilities can expose you to new teams, patient populations, workflows, equipment, and approaches to care.
Those experiences can help you become more adaptable and broaden your professional perspective.
Build Your Professional Network
Every assignment brings a new healthcare team.
Over time, you can build professional relationships with clinicians, managers, and other healthcare professionals across different facilities and regions.
Explore Different Work Environments
Not every healthcare setting is the same.
Depending on your profession, travel assignments may give you opportunities to experience hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient facilities, skilled nursing facilities, imaging centers, laboratories, or other environments.
Enjoy Greater Geographic Flexibility
Instead of committing to one location indefinitely, travelers can consider new destinations as assignments become available.
If exploring the country is high on your career bucket list, travel healthcare can give you a way to combine work and adventure.
Where Can Allied Health Travelers Work?
The answer depends heavily on your profession.
Allied health travelers may work in settings such as:
- Hospitals
- Outpatient facilities
- Rehabilitation centers
- Diagnostic imaging centers
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Laboratories
- Specialty clinics
- Home health settings
- Schools and educational environments
Not every specialty works in every setting, so focus your search on opportunities appropriate for your credentials and experience.
This variety is one reason allied healthcare offers so many potential career paths. Even within a single profession, changing settings can provide a very different clinical experience.
How Long Are Allied Health Travel Assignments?
Assignment lengths vary.
Your contract will specify the expected start date, end date, schedule, and other details associated with the position.
In some situations, a facility may also have an ongoing staffing need and offer an extension. Whether you accept an extension or move on to another destination depends on the opportunity and your career plans.
Before accepting an assignment, make sure you understand its length, expected schedule, start date, and any other contractual requirements.
How to Choose the Right Allied Health Travel Job
Finding an opportunity isn’t only about choosing the highest advertised pay package.
Think about what will make an assignment successful for you.
Consider:
Location: Is there a particular state, city, or region you want to experience?
Schedule: Do you have a preferred shift or weekly schedule?
Facility: Is there a healthcare environment where you’d like to gain more experience?
Career goals: Will the assignment help you develop skills that support where you want your career to go?
Housing and transportation: What will your commute and day-to-day life look like?
Compensation: Does the complete package make sense for your circumstances?
Assignment length: Does the contract fit your personal and professional plans?
Knowing your priorities before you begin searching can make it easier to compare opportunities.
How to Find Allied Health Travel Jobs
If you’re ready to start traveling, preparation can help you move quickly when the right assignment becomes available.
Start by:
- Updating your resume.
- Confirming that your licenses and certifications are current.
- Gathering required professional documents.
- Deciding which locations you’re willing to consider.
- Identifying your preferred shifts and facility types.
- Searching current allied travel opportunities.
- Connecting with a recruiter who specializes in allied healthcare.
Most importantly, keep an open mind.
Your next great assignment might be somewhere you hadn’t originally considered.
Find Allied Health Travel Jobs With MedPro
Your allied healthcare career doesn’t have to keep you in one place.
Whether you’re a radiologic technologist, respiratory therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapy professional, surgical technologist, laboratory professional, or another qualified allied clinician, traveling can give you an opportunity to take your experience somewhere new.
At MedPro Healthcare Staffing, we help allied health professionals find travel assignments across the country and provide support throughout the travel process.
Whether you’re preparing for your first contract or searching for your next destination, we’re ready to help you explore what’s possible.
Ready to make your next move? Explore allied health travel jobs with MedPro Healthcare Staffing today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Allied Health Travel Jobs
What are allied health travel jobs?
Allied health travel jobs are temporary assignments for qualified allied healthcare professionals at facilities with staffing needs. Opportunities may be available across imaging, respiratory therapy, rehabilitation, laboratory services, surgical services, and other allied specialties.
What allied health professionals can become travelers?
Travel opportunities may be available for radiologic technologists, CT and MRI technologists, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapy professionals, surgical technologists, laboratory professionals, and other allied specialists. Availability depends on current facility needs and individual qualifications.
Do you need experience for allied health travel jobs?
Experience requirements vary by profession, facility, and assignment. Some travel positions require previous clinical experience because travelers may need to adapt to new facilities and workflows quickly.
How much do allied health travel jobs pay?
Pay varies considerably based on specialty, location, experience, shift, facility needs, credentials, and current market conditions. Review the compensation details for individual assignments rather than relying on a single rate for all allied professions.
How long are allied health travel assignments?
Contract lengths vary by position and facility. Each job should specify its expected start date, end date, schedule, and assignment requirements.
How do I find allied health travel jobs?
Start by confirming your credentials are current, updating your resume, identifying the locations and assignments you’re interested in, and searching current openings. Working with an allied healthcare recruiter can also help you find positions that match your experience and career goals.