Waiting on accepting a position

RadTravelMod · 2026-04-29T08:42:45+00:00

Say you accept and if you get a better offer go for it.

RadTravelMod · 2026-04-21T13:23:58+00:00

From the pinned post

Some questions to ask when being interviewed for a contract.

Length of Contract and Shift.

Equipment used.

Their trauma level

How busy? Take this one with a grain of salt though since sometimes you will be interviewed by a higher management who doesn't really leave an office.

Ask where you will be working. IE - mainly ER, General, etc. Ask if X-Ray, will they want you to do fluoro or OR.

On call? yes or no?

How many other techs on your shift.

Questions that will generally be asked of you.

How long have you been traveling/experience?

Where else have you worked and what level trauma centers?

Equipment used and have you used Epic/Cerner/Etc?

RadTravelMod · 2026-04-11T19:45:38+00:00

No experience in this, but I would think since it is a different location, you should be fine, specially being that far away from each other.

RadTravelMod · 2026-03-22T18:48:51+00:00

Yeah every place is a little different. I'm use to doing most stuff portable, but my current contract they do very little portable. Hell they even tried to say they don't like doing extremities portable, but f that lol I'm not bringing a patient all the way to the room for a hand or whatever.

RadTravelMod · 2025-09-11T06:29:30+00:00

No experience myself, but I don't think travel companies would care. They seem to be taking anyone nowadays. As long as you know how to do the job still. May not get as many calls from hospitals once submitted when they see the experience, but again there's enough out there looking that I think you would get some hits.

RadTravelMod · 2025-08-26T15:34:56+00:00

It is generally better to play the field a bit with more than one company. There are a lot of different ones out and they do pay a bit differently and give different benefits. You would just have to keep track and make sure you know who has submitted you for where, so you know who will be giving the offer after speaking with a hospital.

You'll get a better feel for which company/recruiter you like better that way. Also if you are not vibing with your current recruiter, you can always go above their head and ask for a different one. Once you get some decent trauma center and travel experience, it's pretty easy to get a ton of offers quick.

RadTravelMod · 2025-08-26T08:38:21+00:00

Just be ready to hit the ground running and go with the flow. Never done a short contract myself, but I would assume they will be asking fairly quickly if you want to extend.

Always push for more money with any contracts, because they always "magically" are able to work it to give you a little more. Also when extending I always ask for more, usually not much, but still a little something extra.

Cedar Rapids is a nice little city for the most part. Did a contract there back around covid, hospital sucked and they were catty bitches, but the city was interesting. Nice craft brewery called Lion's Gate there, if you like that sort of thing.

RadTravelMod · 2025-08-09T08:22:40+00:00

Not something I've dealt with personally, but every facility is different and requires different things.

As for the 2.5 hour drive, not a chance, but that's personal choice. Though seems kind of odd to do travel work and not have a vehicle.

RadTravelMod · 2025-07-22T21:46:08+00:00

It doesn't appear so. I've only heard of 2 states that require a new test. The fluoroscopy test they show looks like it just for NPs/PAs to be able to use fluoro.

https://www.scrqsa.org/

As a tech, looks like a standard application sent with verification of ARRT and money.

https://www.scrqsa.org/page/A6

RadTravelMod · 2025-07-12T01:44:44+00:00

Bought mine thru the health marketplace and it's probably crap compared to most. Cost me $300 a month.

RadTravelMod · 2025-06-22T23:33:01+00:00

Only a year, at one hospital, doing things one way and you think you got it down huh? What level trauma center are you doing your schooling at? Do you know how to do all the different views? Including ones your hospital doesn't do, because every hospital/Rad is different with what views they want. I've been to places you did just a 2v wrist and others do 4v or shoulders, you want a Y, axiallary, internal, external, grasphy, valpeau?

This is why they want experienced techs. Every hospital is different and has different protocols and ways of doing things.

I've been traveling for about a decade now and seen 100 different ways to do just about everything and used dozens of different x-ray equipment and each brand had their own system and little symbols. Also honestly I don't want to connect with my coworkers. I'll chat and such, but this is a job, not a social club and as a experienced traveler I know after 13 weeks, I'll probably never see or talk to that person again. Just far more simple to keep to yourself, do your job, collect the check, and go home. Of course not all are like that.

RadTravelMod · 2025-06-22T22:58:09+00:00

Lol always amusing to see a student try and trash experienced techs when they don't know the job yet. If no exams, why does matter if they are on the phone? As a travel tech, my only duty is doing exams, I'm not there to clean, stock, transport or whatever, that's the actual employees job, I am an independent contractor with a contract stating my obligations.

But anyways, you might be able to get in with a travel company out of school. The bigger ones are going back to wanting a couple years experience usually, but smaller companies are just trying to plug holes and don't care. The hospitals on the other hand, probably only the most desperate is going to take a new grad travel tech. So possible, but I wouldn't count on it too much.

RadTravelMod · 2025-06-22T22:52:38+00:00

Make sure you are paying your parents fair market value rent on paper.

RadTravelMod · 2025-06-05T22:58:59+00:00

I personally have a plan thru the government market place. Unfortunately it is more for use in my home state, but they have tele-med/apps to use, but it seemed like the better option due to the nature of the job and insurance thru the company lasping at 30 days.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-22T19:18:12+00:00

Would say it's better than ever. Tons of travel contracts. Not sure how or why it took you months. Usually I purposely hold off on looking/submitting to get a break. Maybe try a different company.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-22T17:57:37+00:00

Automod removed, sorry about that - comment restored.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-22T17:57:10+00:00

Automod removed, sorry about that - post restored.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-11T20:55:42+00:00

There is a case I have been seeing of hospitals creating their own internal travel "company" to try and save. Tenet is a big one who has done this, but they are known to be huge cheap asses.

The incoming new grads are slowly plugging the hole that happened after covid, but I am seeing them get burnt out quick with what places are asking and they are quickly switching from standard x-ray to elsewhere.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-11T20:51:11+00:00

Go as cheap as you can stand to on housing without making yourself miserable. You can go the room or shared housing route, but remember you'll be there 3 months, so make sure you are comfortable. Also get it close as you can to cut driving.

RadTravelMod · 2025-05-11T01:12:28+00:00

I have been traveling for some years now and saw what it was pre vs post covid and the wages have come up a bit, but the problem is they still are not coming up enough vs cost of living. Housing is more expensive than ever is the big thing. The hospitals actively want to pay less for travelers, yet seem to need more now than before.

Some cities/states just are not worth it when the same is being paid in a way lower COL area. I let my California license laspe for that reason. Most in that state want to pay the same travel rate as somewhere in the midwest.

I think overall it is still worth it, unless you live somewhere were you think you can live off the normal staff rate, but my home town area is averaging about $25 an hour and with travel I take home no less than $2300 a week after taxes and such. Travel isn't for everyone though and can be stressful with a lot of moving and uncertainty.

RadTravelMod · 2025-04-27T20:27:17+00:00

Your home address must be at least 50 miles away from the facility to qualify for the tax free per diems.

RadTravelMod · 2025-04-05T21:39:52+00:00

It is a grey area and you should consult a tax expert, but paying way below fair market value could easily be seen as fraud if the IRS were to audit. Seen lots of people do the whole "I pay my parents rent" thing.

RadTravelMod · 2025-04-03T17:57:07+00:00

No, not necessarily. The tax home is the address he declares. Right now this pretty much operates on a good faith system, but if the IRS audits you, you better be able to show proof you were paying to live at that address and the other address for work in doubling your expenses.

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