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Considering an Allied Health Travel Job?
Travel nurses are in high demand these days and use their degrees to travel across the country to make more money and experience a range of healthcare settings. But, what if you’re an allied health professional looking for the same benefits? These professionals have the chance to advance their careers with allied health travel. Although similar, there are distinct differences between travel nursing and allied health travel.
Amergis Healthcare Staffing is proud to connect allied health professionals with new roles that fit their specific needs. Our Recruiters ensure that qualified professionals have the opportunity to explore new career paths and find high job satisfaction. If you’re interested in allied health travel, search our job openings today.
Who Are Allied Healthcare Professionals?
Allied healthcare professionals are those who work in the healthcare field but do not have anything to do with medicine and nursing.
Many different professions qualify as allied health, but the most common include:
- Dental hygienists
- Speech-language pathologists
- Occupational therapists
- Physical therapists
- Respiratory therapists
- Dieticians
- Radiographers
- Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Medical technologists
How Do Allied Health Travel Jobs Work?
For the most part, allied health travel is similar to travel nursing. Like travel nursing, allied health travelers fill short-term positions in healthcare facilities across the country. There are several reasons these jobs are available, such as:
- A clinician is out on maternity leave
- A sudden need for more experienced professionals
- A seasonal population fluctuation in a given town or city
- A global pandemic
When a healthcare facility needs to fill these short-term positions, they partner with a staffing agency such as Amergis to hire allied health providers. Also, because allied health professionals are employed by a staffing agency and not a healthcare organization, they have the freedom and flexibility to choose where they want to work.
How Long Are Travel Assignments?
The length of travel assignments depends on the particular role, but generally speaking, most assignments are 13 weeks. However, some contracts range anywhere from 8 weeks to 9 months. For example, most positions for speech therapists and occupational therapists are either 6 or 9 months.
How Do I Become an Allied Health Traveler?
If you’re an allied health professional interested in becoming an allied health traveler, you’ll need a license or certification to practice where you’ll be working and a few years of experience in your field. Keep in mind that some states require up to 8 weeks to process a licensure application, so plan ahead to ensure that everything will go smoothly. Also, most positions require 1 or 2 years of experience, although more is preferable. “I recommend 3 to 5 years of experience before taking a travel position because with short-term roles you need to be able to learn a lot and get up to speed in a short amount of time,” says Brendon Porges, recruitment operations manager at Amergis.
How Can I Be More Marketable as an Allied Health Traveler?
“In allied health, there are a lot of certifications and different layers and levels within those certifications,” says Porges. “Before you get into the travel field, get as many of those relevant certifications as possible. That will set you up well as a first-time traveler and will make your application shine.” Porges also recommends keeping a list of all equipment and machines you’ve worked with. “Managers and employers want to know you have knowledge of certain types of equipment. It’s crucial to account for that and keep a list.” Finally, use your Recruiter as a resource. “Strategize and partner with your Recruiter,” says Porges. “Talk with them about your long-term plans too so they can help set you up well for those.”
How Much Do Allied Health Travel Jobs Pay?
Because there is such an array of allied health travel jobs available, the salary ranges widely too. For example, therapy-based jobs have an average weekly salary is roughly $1,600. However, it is important to remember that traveling allied health workers often receive allowances to cover housing, meals, and incidentals while on their assignments. This type of pay structure means a higher net income compared to a non-travel allied health professional whose entire income is taxable.
Where Is the Highest Demand for Allied Health Travel Jobs?
There is increasing demand for allied health travel professionals, especially for positions in:
- Surgical services
- Radiology and imaging
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Respiratory therapy
- Clinical laboratories
- Medical social work
- Behavioral health
According to Porges, Amergis’s top allied health offices are in:
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- Oakland
- Pittsburgh
- Sacramento
- Seattle
What Are the Benefits of Being an Allied Health Traveler?
Perhaps the two most significant benefits of allied health travel jobs are higher salaries and more opportunities. Allied health travelers accelerate their careers by experiencing different kinds of facilities and using innovative equipment. Porges goes on to say that “Travel causes you to grow and fine-tune your skills. What’s more, you can experiment with different types of jobs. It’s a great way to discover where you want to end up permanently.”
Consider an Allied Health Travel Job with Amergis Healthcare Staffing
An allied health travel job can be a rewarding experience that enriches and furthers careers across the country. At Amergis, our recruiters strive to find the perfect role for each of our allied healthcare workers, including travel jobs. Find out more about available openings for allied healthcare workers on our site today.
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