Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities often experience staffing shortages that can’t be filled locally, particularly in urgent care and specialty positions. Many turn to healthcare travel services to recruit people like you to come to their location to fill in. Try other locations in your region or explore places far away; it’s up to you. Because the pool of people available to travel to a new location is fairly limited, you can more readily expand your experience base by varying the environments and therapeutic areas you choose.

Career Building Opportunities

Travel positions in healthcare come from various sources, including national contracts with major healthcare facilities and groups and government agencies looking for skilled medical care through locum tenens (physician or clinician substitute) contracts. When you apply, you will usually be assigned a recruiter who will work to develop your application and manage your file for future assignments and help you get licensed to work in the new location. Most agencies can also work with you on direct-to-hire positions.

The Benefits

• Most contracts run for 13 weeks, although shorter or longer durations may be negotiated.
• Your recruiter handles all the arrangements, including salary negotiations.
• Good pay, insurance benefits, and bonuses.
• Licensing assistance.
• Most companies pay travel expenses.
• Housing or housing reimbursement is usually provided.
• You can work as soon as possible or take a break between assignments.

Requirements

• You must be legally available to work in the United States and hold degrees and up-to-date certifications in your field.

‍Job Sources

These sites all offer different resources, so be sure to check them all out!

• Med Travelers is the industry leader in allied travel healthcare staffing. You can get mobile travel alerts and sign up for email notifications. Their free program, Gateways, is designed to help new grads begin their job search.

• Aureus Medical Group has a long successful history of major national contracts with open positions and a range of resources for NPs and PAs looking to travel.

• Nextlocums features locum tenens positions in urgent care through government agencies such as the Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Services, and Veterans Affairs. If you want to expand your resume and work where you are most needed, you can consult with a recruiter at this agency to make a single contract or build a career in community service.

‍HealthCare Employment Network is a central job site with openings from major recruiters like Aureus and Med Travelers. It’s a good place to sign up to see what’s out there, even after you find a home with a recruiting agency.