New Grad & Student Guide to Travel Healthcare Careers
Tips, Timelines, and Tools for Getting Started After School
Talk to a FlexCare RecruiterWhether you're still in school or counting down the days to graduation, it's never too early to start planning your travel healthcare career.
With the right foundation, travel healthcare roles can accelerate your growth, broaden your clinical skills, and give you the flexibility and pay most new clinicians only dream about. This step-by-step guide for new grad nurses, therapists, and allied health professionals helps you go from classroom to your first travel healthcare job with confidence.
Gain One Year of Solid Clinical Experience
Most travel assignments require at least one year of recent, relevant experience. This time isn’t just a waiting period—it’s your opportunity to build confidence, sharpen your skills, and make yourself a standout candidate.
Take on float shifts. Volunteer for challenging cases. Build relationships with charge nurses, preceptors, and leads. The more versatile and reliable you are, the more attractive you'll be to future travel employers.
Discipline | Typical Minimum Experience | Tips to Stand Out |
|---|---|---|
Nurses | 1-2 years in an acute care unit (e.g. ICU, ER, Med-Surg) | Gain exposure to different units, master charting systems, get strong preceptor references |
Therapists | 0–12 months in inpatient or outpatient rehab, depending on the setting | Show adaptability in patient populations, document continuing education |
Allied Health | 12 months in a hospital or high-volume clinic (CT, MRI, Lab, etc.) preferred | Seek cross-training, understand diagnostic workflows, build your speed and accuracy |
New grads who demonstrate adaptability, initiative, and a positive reputation from peers and supervisors are the ones who land great travel assignments fastest.
Start a digital folder and save everything: licenses, BLS/ACLS cards, vaccination records, CEU certificates, and references. This makes it easier to build your FlexCare profile when you’re ready to travel and reduces onboarding delays.
Licensure compacts allow you to practice in multiple states under one license—an essential advantage for travelers. In 2025:
- The Nurse Licensure Compact includes 43 states and U.S. territories. Connecticut will join on October 1, 2025. Learn more at NCSBN.org.
- The PT Compact now includes 34 states, with Alaska joining in May 2025. Visit ptcompact.org.
- The OT Compact is active in 31 states, with applications expected to open later this year. Visit otcompact.org.
Apply for compact privileges as soon as your first license is active to broaden your options and reduce delays.
Find Mentors and Pursue Continuing Education
Connect with experienced clinicians who can offer real-world advice on navigating shift work, documentation systems, and high-pressure patient care. Supplement your hands-on experience with CEUs in high-demand specialties such as:
- Emergency care, Med-Surg, and telemetry for nurses
- NICU and pulmonary rehab for respiratory therapists
- Cath lab imaging and cardiac sonography for allied professionals
Explore CEU options: ANCC Continuing Education | APTA Learning Center
The transition from student to full-time clinician can be physically and emotionally taxing. Create time for rest, use any available employee wellness programs, and build self-care habits that will serve you during travel assignments. Resilience is a major asset in the field.
Travel healthcare is dynamic, and staying informed can help you land high-paying, high-fit contracts.
- Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Staffing Industry Analysts quarterly for trends in demand and compensation.
- Create a FlexCare Job Alert for real-time shifts in pay, demand, and location trends.
- Be aware of seasonal trends—winter contracts in ski towns and summer contracts in coastal regions often come with higher pay.
- Join travel clinician groups online to hear first-hand reviews of hospitals, shift schedules, and housing situations.
These strategies ensure you're ready to apply the moment the right opportunity appears.
Know When You’re Ready
We find that most generally clinicians feel prepared to travel after 18 to 24 months in the field. Common readiness signs include:
- Comfort managing full patient loads independently
- Ability to quickly learn new EMRs or diagnostic systems
- Confidence in orienting float staff or new grads
Not sure if you’re ready? A FlexCare recruiter can help assess your strengths and goals.
Let’s Chat
Can I travel right after graduation?
It depends. Most hospitals require at least one year of clinical experience before accepting travelers, but it varies by specialty and location.
What specialties offer the most flexibility?
ICU, ER, Med-Surg, and telemetry for nurses; inpatient rehab and outpatient ortho for therapists; CT, MRI, and Cath lab for imaging techs.
Do I need a BSN or advanced degree?
No. Entry-level credentials are sufficient for many roles, though BSNs and doctorates may expand your options at academic or teaching hospitals.
When should I apply for compact privileges?
As soon as your license is issued and you meet the eligibility requirements.
What states are in the nursing compact?
There are 43 states and territories are active members of the NLC. Check out our full guide here
- Complete your first year of experience with strong performance and positive references
- Store your licenses, CEUs, and health documents in a cloud folder
- Create FlexCare job alerts to monitor pay trends and openings
- Book a conversation with a recruiter to plan your first assignment
FlexCare Academy offers mentorship, tools, and live info sessions for nursing and allied health students preparing for their first travel role.
Interested in having a FlexCare speaker visit your school or program?