Allied Health Careers in 2024: Why Take a Travel Job?

As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, allied health professionals across the United States find themselves at a unique crossroads of opportunity and adventure. Whether you’re a seasoned therapist, a newly graduated imaging professional, or a mid-career laboratory clinician looking for a change, the world of travel allied health careers beckons with promises of diverse experiences and expanded horizons. In this blog, we’ll delve into the state of the allied health staffing industry in 2024 and why you should consider taking your allied health career out on the road.

What is allied health?

Allied health describes a diverse group of healthcare clinicians who work alongside doctors, registered nurses (RNs), and other crucial medical staff to provide comprehensive patient care.

Allied health clinicians “ally” with these  medical staff, supporting and assisting them in various aspects of patient care. At Barton Healthcare Staffing, we are constantly recruiting the following types of allied health clinicians to place in short-staffed healthcare facilities across the country:

• Therapy
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Speech Language Pathology
  • Social Worker
• Imaging
  • Cath Lab Technologist 
  • CT Technologist
  • Diagnostic Radiology Technologist
  • EEG Technologist
  • Interventional Radiology Technologist
  • Mammogram Technologist
  • MRI Technologist
  • Nuclear Medicine Technologist
  • PET Technologist
  • Radiation Therapy Technologist
  • Ultrasound Technologist
• Pharmacy
  • Pharmacist
  • Pharmacy Director
  • Pharmacy Manager
• Laboratory
  • Cyto Tech
  • Histo Tech
  • Medical Lab Tech
  • Medical Lab Scientist
  • Pathology Assistant

What is the temporary allied health staffing industry outlook?

The temporary allied health staffing industry has grown tremendously over the past few years, with its market size recently expanding by 8% to $12.9 billion in 2023, according to a March 2024 analysis by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).This was a modest increase when compared to preceding years; the temporary allied health staffing industry’s market size grew 15% to $5 billion in 2020, 60% to $8 billion in 2021, and 50% to $12 billion in 2022, according to SIA. 

While SIA does project the temporary allied health staffing market size to shrink by 5% to $12.3 billion in 2024 and by another 2% to $12 billion in 2025, recent dramatic increases in the industry as a whole is a green flag for allied health professionals who are looking to take on travel work. 

A larger temporary allied health staffing market illustrates that facilities across the country are in need for travel clinicians to fill in staffing gaps. But which allied health specialties are in need the most? Read on to learn more. 

Is there a shortage of allied health clinicians in the United States?

Like doctors and nurses, the United States is projected to see a shortage in allied health clinicians through 2036. According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA), the United States will be short 6,710 respiratory therapists, 6,510 physical therapists, and 4,980 pharmacists, among other allied health occupations, over the next 12 years.

Medical imaging clinicians are also in need across the United States; according to the American College of Radiology, demand for medical imaging continues to rise while many radiologists are burning out or are at the age where they may begin to retire in droves. In response to this imbalance of demand and supply of providers, many facilities have been relying on non-physician radiology providers, like medical imaging allied health clinicians, to fill in the gaps. 

Why become a travel allied health clinician?

The temporary allied health staffing market has seen incredible growth in the past few years, and with the projection that the United States will face a shortage of many allied health professionals in the next 12 years, now is proving to be a perfect time to become a travel allied health clinician. 

Becoming an allied health clinician with Barton Healthcare Staffing opens the door to new benefits not normally available to clinicians in permanent roles, such as:

• Higher pay
• Greater schedule flexibility
• The ability to travel across the country
• Experience working in new practice environments 
• Licensing and credentialing assistance 
• Travel and lodging assistance 

The average travel allied health clinician assignment is 13 weeks, but you can find ones that are shorter or longer, depending on your need. When you choose Barton Healthcare Staffing as your travel agency, you’ll be assigned a personal recruiter who will get to know your personal needs and professional goals and help you find assignments that fit your lifestyle.

Travel Allied Health Careers with BHS

Thinking about travel allied health careers as a potential next step in your professional journey? Reach out to BHS today or apply to one of our many jobs online to get started!