Registered vascular technologists (RVTs) make a respectable wage and have a handful of options to advance their careers. One great option is to take your career on the road as a traveling vascular technologist. As a traveler, you’ll be sent to hospitals that need someone with your skill set. But such a big career decision can’t be taken lightly. To help you get a better grasp of what this change would mean to you, here’s a list of pros and cons.
Pros of Being a Traveling Vascular Technologist
An Ideal Career for Those Who Love to Travel
Many individuals have a serious passion for traveling, but few have the opportunity to combine that passion with their career. With a career as a traveling vascular technologist, you can experience new places around the country while earning a solid paycheck. Your 13-week assignments can take you from coast to coast and everywhere in between.
More Job Opportunities
Vascular technologists enjoy a field of work that is experiencing steady growth and ample opportunity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the overall employment of vascular technologists to increase 24% by between 2014 and 2024.
If you choose a career as a traveling vascular technologist, you’ll open even more doors than before. With jobs available all around the country, the possibilities are practically endless. Work at excellent hospitals in fantastic cities that you may not have had easy access to on your own.
Earn a Better Paycheck
Not only will you get to see new places with this career path, but traveling vascular technologists can often earn more money than those with permanent positions. Since traveling positions are based on the high-demand nature of filling staffing shortages at hospitals around the country, they often offer higher base salaries. Keep in mind that salaries will vary by location and assignment, but in general you could be looking at a significant pay raise.
Benefits that Include Free Housing
Traveling positions offer many great benefits, but perhaps the most significant is free housing. Most staffing agencies offer a choice between free housing or a housing stipend that is designed to cover your rent expenses. Whichever option you choose, you’ll be saving on the largest portion of your monthly budget, which means you get to keep more of your paycheck. Housing benefits also make it more viable to live in cities with above average costs of living.
Cons of Being a Travel Vascular Tech
New Working Environments
While traveling for vacation is one thing, constantly uprooting your personal and work life is another. Some people thrive on change and operate well in new environments, but others may get stressed out with so many changes happening all at once. As a traveling vascular technologist, you’ll have to be able to adjust to a new home and a new job every 13 weeks.
Dealing with State License Requirements
Only a few states require diagnostic medical sonographers to be licensed. Beware that it can be a hassle if you choose to accept an assignment in one of them. Currently, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon are the only states with legislation that mandates the licensure of sonographers and vascular technologists. Fortunately for those who work with LRS Healthcare, our recruiters are here to help with acquiring new state licenses if necessary.
Fluctuating Pay Rates
Another thing traveling vascular technologists will have to get used to is constantly fluctuating pay rates. Since each assignment is at a new hospital, each salary varies. For anyone who is accustomed to a steady pay rate, this can be quite the adjustment. With free housing, it’s a little easier to adjust to new levels of income for each assignment.
The Road Can Be Lonely
Traveling jobs have the potential to get pretty lonely, depending on where your assignments take you. Spending 13 weeks at a time away from home can lead some people to becoming homesick. This is why many traveling vascular technologists travel with their significant others or pets. Also, if you choose to work with LRS Healthcare, you’ll be able to reach your recruiter 24/7. That way you’re never truly alone.
If becoming a healthcare traveler is a good fit for you, apply today! As an industry leader in healthcare staffing, we have access to some of the best jobs in the country.
