Want to know how to become a travel allied health professional? This article covers the steps you need to take, necessary qualifications, job opportunities, and benefits. Learn what it takes to start your career and navigate the world of travel allied health.
Quick Facts
- Travel allied health jobs offer diverse roles in healthcare, fill staffing gaps in various settings and offer flexibility in assignment length and location.
- Benefits include higher pay, non-taxable stipends and opportunities for growth, along with BLS and ACLS certifications and experience.
- Navigating the job market requires understanding agency offerings, mastering the application process and having the essential skills of adaptability and communication.
What is a Traveling Allied Health Professional?
Travel allied health professionals fill critical roles in the healthcare industry, positions such as cardiovascular techs, clinical lab scientists, respiratory therapists. Other in-demand specializations for travel allied health include physical therapy, occupational therapy and medical technology. These professionals help address temporary staffing shortages at hospitals and clinics by taking travel assignments.
These travel jobs can be 8 weeks to 9 months. 13 weeks is the most common duration. Traveling allied health professionals can choose their work destination – city hospital or rural clinic – with openings for dialysis techs, MRI techs, ultrasound techs, perfusionists with travelers’ programs and CT techs looking for travel opportunities.
To help healthcare facilities balance their staffing needs with temporary professional support these positions also offer an excellent opportunity for career growth for those who thrive in change and get to experience different environments and regions of the country and personal enrichment and skill set expansion.
Benefits of Being a Travel Allied Health Professional
Travel allied health professionals can earn big. These positions often pay more than permanent jobs and include non-taxable stipends for housing and other living expenses. Companies like MedPro pay their employees a competitive wage and contribute to their 401(k) retirement fund so you can have financial security. As a travel allied professional you have the flexibility to decide where and how long you work, so you can balance your personal and career needs. This is especially great for those with wanderlust, to experience different cultures while advancing your career. MedPro supports this lifestyle with comprehensive insurance options (health, life, dental, vision) and reimbursement for continuing education course fees to help with ongoing career development.
Advancing your skills in healthcare is another big plus when you take travel allied jobs. These positions expose you to different medical procedures and technologies in various clinical settings. The more you develop your skills the more adaptable you become in the field of healthcare practice. To add to these experiences, ‘The MedPro Experience’ program focuses on nurturing your vocation by having enriching experiences and steady support throughout your assignments as a travel healthcare provider.
Qualifications and Certifications Needed
To be successful in travel allied health positions you need to meet several key qualifications and certifications. Having Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications is crucial due to the nature of the roles. Candidates are expected to have one to two years of experience, preferably in hospital settings, so they can navigate different healthcare environments.
To succeed as a traveling allied health professional:
- Get Basic Life Support (BLS) certified.
- Get Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certified.
- Have one to two years of prior experience, ideally in hospital settings.
This background will prepare you for various healthcare scenarios.
Those looking for travel healthcare jobs must complete thorough background checks and submit records showing immunizations such as Hepatitis B, MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) and TDAP (Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis). These precautions ensure both providers’ and patients’ safety at all times. Meeting these requirements proves you are committed and ready as a candidate for travel allied health opportunities.
Travel Allied Health Job Openings
Finding travel allied health opportunities can be easy when you know where to look. Many healthcare facilities partner with staffing agencies to fill short-term allied health positions. Traditional recruiters have a broad network and connections that can help with your job search. Or those who prefer more control over their job hunt can use online platforms that allow allied health professionals to keep 100% of their earnings with no agency fees.
With the rise of hybrid online platforms, these tools combine the convenience of digital job hunting with dedicated support from recruiting teams. To qualify for travel allied jobs, having relevant licensure or certification valid in your desired state is required. If available, getting compact licenses can streamline your experience by allowing you to practice in multiple states, which increases flexibility when taking on different travel assignments.
Show enthusiasm for patient care throughout your search and you’ll stand out from other candidates vying for the same position: show passion during interviews and it makes a big impact on potential employers. Follow up after interviews with thank-you emails and you’ll solidify your interest in being hired at the facility.
Being prepared boosts confidence—research the demographics served and history of each facility to personalize your interview answers to employer needs.
Application Process for Travel Allied Health Jobs
Starting a career in travel allied health begins with updating your resume to showcase your experience and qualifications, make sure it’s current. Send updated copies of your resume to recruiters. Prepare for potential interview questions to help you deliver clear and concise answers when asked by the interviewer.
Travel allied professionals experience job stability due to the high demand for healthcare positions across different locations. This demand allows for seamless transition from one assignment to another, offering consistent employment opportunities in this sector of health jobs.
Contracts and Assignments
As an allied health professional with a travel career you need to be able to manage contracts and job assignments. Typically these contracts are 13 weeks long, a good balance of stability and time to experience different areas. Make sure you understand your contract terms – this includes pay rates, stipends and specific responsibilities of the role.Before starting any assignment as a travel allied health professional, make sure to review your contract thoroughly. This upfront step can prevent misunderstandings or issues later on. This diligence will make transitions between assignments smoother and allow you to fully benefit from your travel-centric healthcare career.
Salary for Travel Allied Health Professionals
Travel allied health jobs are known for their high pay. On average travel allied health professionals earn $2,391 a week—more than many full-time positions. These high paying allied jobs fall under Above Average Pay category.
These roles often include additional financial incentives such as housing stipends and bonuses upon completion of assignments which increases the total earnings for travel allied health professionals. Agencies with a wide range of contracts offer better pay and benefits. Choose wisely.
With over 61,764 active job listings in travel allied health today shows a strong and healthy market for these professional roles.
Life of a Travel Allied Health Professional
Being an allied health professional in the travel sector is an exciting mix of work and adventure. As an allied health traveler you get to experience different settings within hospitals and clinics across different cities which provides plenty of opportunities for growth. By adapting to new healthcare practices and environments in each assignment professionals can gain more skills.
For travel allied health professionals, housing is one of the things they need to consider. They usually get a stipend to help them secure temporary living arrangements without having to bring furniture – they prefer short-term furnished apartments instead. They are responsible to arrange for transportation to ensure they are on time for work. Hence pre-planning these details is crucial.
Travel assignments cater well to those who want balance between their career and leisure time by allowing flexibility in scheduling—you can decide when to rest or adventure after fulfilling your professional obligations. Often driven by wanderlust combined with passion for patient care. This lifestyle proves enriching both personally and professionally for many allied health professionals who choose to be travel allies through their careers in healthcare systems across the country.
Skills Required for Travel Healthcare Jobs
To succeed in travel healthcare jobs you need to have a unique set of skills. Being adaptable is key as each assignment will introduce you to new work settings, procedures and team dynamics. The ability to tailor your methods to the specific needs and schedules of different employers is important.
You must have strong communication skills as these enable meaningful interactions with various personnel and patients and help build relationships. Emotional intelligence helps in managing interpersonal relations and understanding patient’s and coworker’s emotional states. Critical thinking skills are essential in addressing complex issues and adjusting to different hospital practices without compromising patient care.
Being regular in attendance, punctual and professional reduces the risk of shift cancellations. When interviewing for positions discuss your professional experiences and instances where you handled stressful situations can highlight your qualifications impressively. Frequent exposure to different colleagues in various locations increases networking opportunities which helps broaden one’s circle in the healthcare industry.
Top Agencies for Travel Allied Health Professionals
Choosing the right agency can make a big difference in your travel career in allied health. With 14 agencies ready to help with job contracts for travel allied health professionals, each has its own advantages and support systems. Among these three stand out for their exceptional service in placing contracts for allied health professionals.
Selecting an agency that resonates with your professional goals and individual needs can make a big impact on your tenure as a travel allied health professional. These organizations offer assistance from job opportunities to housing, all aimed to make the experience seamless and fulfilling.
Conclusion
In summary, being an allied health professional in the travel allied health sector can be a fulfilling and exciting experience. It offers many benefits such as higher pay, flexible schedules and opportunities to discover different places. If you have the right qualifications and skills along with support from top agencies in this field, you are set to succeed in these roles. Take the adventurous nature of travel allied health jobs and enjoy the many opportunities within this vibrant area of healthcare employment.
FAQs
What types of travel allied health jobs are available?
Travel allied health jobs include cardiovascular technicians, clinical lab scientists, respiratory therapists, dialysis technicians, MRI techs, ultrasound technologists, travel perfusionists and travel CT technologists.
These positions offer many opportunities for healthcare professionals to take travel assignments.
What are the benefits of being a travel allied health professional?
Being a travel allied health professional comes with many perks such as higher pay, housing allowance, choice of work locations and flexible schedules, career advancement opportunities and multiple insurance coverage.
Overall this job pays well and has many personal benefits.
What qualifications and certifications are required for travel allied health jobs?
Travel allied health jobs require certifications like Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and 1-2 years of hospital experience and background checks.
How do I find travel allied health job opportunities?
To get a job in travel allied health engage with staffing agencies, traditional recruitment professionals and digital job portals. Make sure you have an active or compact license in the field.
By following this approach you can increase your chances of getting a job in travel allied health.
What is the salary for travel allied health professionals?
The salary for travel allied health professionals is around $2,391 per week, more than many full-time positions and can be increased with housing stipends and completion bonuses.
