There’s a lot to know when it comes to new graduate healthcare travel. The transition from student life to learning the ropes of travel therapy and travel nurse jobs can be as overwhelming as it is exhilarating. That’s why we made this guide to help you get more familiar with the ins and outs of healthcare travel as a new grad.
- How does healthcare travel work?
- Healthcare travel requirements for new graduates
- What to expect as a new traveling healthcare professional
- New grad travel with Fusion Medical Staffing
- ✨BONUS✨ Frequently asked questions
You Just Graduated, Now What? A Travel Healthcare Guide for Graduates
How does healthcare travel work?
There are many perks to a travel healthcare career. Think high-paying travel nursing, travel therapy, or allied health travel jobs, flexible work schedules, job security, and adventures across the country. Interested in expanding your healthcare career to include travel? Here’s how it works.
Healthcare travel consists of medical professionals who travel the country to fill staffing shortages in hospitals, clinics, and other different types of facilities. As a traveling healthcare professional, you’ll work with a staffing agency like us and partner with a travel recruiter to find the best travel healthcare career opportunities for you. Typically, each travel assignment will last for an average of 13 weeks; however, you may be able to extend your contract and stay for longer if you like where you are.
From travel nurses to travel therapy to allied health professionals, healthcare travel is a great opportunity for you to grow your career, as well as experience different U.S. destinations.
Healthcare travel requirements for new graduates
Now that you’re a new grad, you may be wondering how long you have to wait until you can embark on your future healthcare travel journey. The answer will depend on your healthcare profession, like nursing, therapy, lab, and so on.
For most therapy professionals, you can jump right into the travel life you’ve always wanted as soon as you have your degree in hand. What degree that is will also depend on your therapy career. While physical therapists (PTs) require a doctoral degree, occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need their master’s degrees. After graduation, physical and occupational therapy new grads can start traveling professionally right away, but SLPs must complete a clinical fellowship year and get certified before traveling.
Related: How Much Experience Do I Need To Apply for Allied Health Travel Jobs
Nurses, medical lab professionals, and radiology specialists all require one-to-two years of clinical experience within the last three years before you can add “Professional Healthcare Traveler” to your business cards. Additionally, no matter what your healthcare specialty is, you’ll have to get the proper certifications and licenses before you can start traveling professionally.
“You want to travel?” asked Fusion travel nurse Misty. “Great! It’s a really cool way to learn and experience new things. After nursing school, the real learning comes in and you learn how to use those skills to be a nurse. Use that time to sharpen your skills. Travel nursing will still be there when you’re ready!”
What to expect as a new traveling healthcare professional
Before jumping into your first assignment, you'll go through a compliance process with us to ensure all your licenses, certifications, and health records are up to date and meet the facility's requirements. Don’t worry — we’ll guide you through every step, from paperwork to background checks. Once you’re cleared, you’ll typically attend a brief onboarding or orientation session at your assignment location. This helps you get familiar with the facility, meet your team, and hit the ground running with confidence.
As you prepare to start your traveling healthcare career, it's helpful to understand where the health industry stands today. While demand for travel nurses, travel therapy, and allied travel professionals remains high, compensation rates have shifted since the peak of the coronavirus. During the pandemic, urgent staffing needs drove pay rates to record highs. Now, as healthcare systems stabilize and operations return to normal, those rates have adjusted accordingly.
Related: How To Get Started in Healthcare Travel: A Step-by-Step Guide
That said, there’s still so much to look forward to as a healthcare traveler! From exploring new cities to gaining experience in a variety of clinical settings, travel healthcare is more than a paycheck — it’s a lifestyle full of growth, adventure, and flexibility.
And let's not forget the extra! With perks like housing resources, new grad bonuses, and free company programs, the benefits go far beyond the base pay — giving you more reasons to love the journey.
New grad travel with Fusion Medical Staffing
You know how travel healthcare works. ✔️ You know the requirements for new graduates. ✔️ Now let’s talk about how you can get your travel career started with Fusion Medical Staffing!
Whether you’re wrapping up your degree, are hot and fresh from the educational oven, or have some time left to cook, Fusion Medical Staffing is here to help you kick off your travel therapy, allied health travel, or travel nursing career on the right foot.
When you travel with Fusion Medical Staffing as a new grad, you gain access to the industry experts on the student outreach team, including travel therapy mentors that will help travel therapy professionals navigate their way through their first few travel assignments. Fusion Medical Staffing mentors are experienced physical therapy and occupational therapy travelers who are here to answer your questions, calm your nerves, offer advice, and help you perfect your interview skills, among other things.
“My mentor has helped me refine my interviewing skills so that I always have a full and clear picture of what to expect prior to accepting an assignment,” said Fusion Medical Staffing traveler Rachel. “My mentor is also invaluable in helping me navigate other dilemmas while on an assignment. If something didn’t seem quite right, I knew I could ask my mentor and she would guide me.”
But the resources don’t stop there! As a Fusion Medical Staffing traveler, regardless of your field, you’ll have a personal travel recruiter to rely on, as well as the whole clinical team and traveler experience team in your corner. These experts are like your very own cheerleading squad, inspiring and motivating you through the transition from student to professional and beyond.
Even better, we also provide continuing education reimbursement, as well as a new grad bonus. And that’s not to mention the general traveler benefits, like day-one comprehensive health insurance, 401(K) investment, free access to our employee assistance program, and more!
Frequently asked questions
Can new grads be travel nurses?
As a new nursing grad, you’ll need one-to-two years of clinical experience within the last three years before you can officially hit the road as a professional travel nurse. Travel nursing gives you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a variety of settings, as well as the chance to explore different parts of the country while getting paid to do what you love.
Can I travel with my friends, family, and/or pets?
Once you’re eligible to travel in your healthcare field, you can absolutely bring your loved ones with you on assignments! Whether you’re traveling with a close friend in the same profession, bringing along your romantic partner and kids, or making room for your furry companion, healthcare travel offers the flexibility to do what you love with who you love.
When should I reach out about a new grad-friendly travel job?
It’s never too early to start planning your travel career, even if you’re still finishing your degree and training program. When you feel the travel bug bite, connect with us via phone, email, or social media — we’ve always got a place for you!
No matter what field you’re specialized in, life as a new healthcare graduate is an exciting time. Once you’ve mastered your degree, the next thing to do on your list is gain the necessary experience needed to be the best provider you can be. Then, contact your friends at Fusion Medical Staffing (that's us!) and get ready for your healthcare travel journey to begin.
