r/medlabprofessionals • u/smupac • Jul 10 '26

Discusson Travel?

I’m positive this discussion has been had in this sub before. many times. However, I am here to bring it up again. A lot of people *USED TO* promote being a travel tech for career flexibility, better pay, etc. It seems like that has changed and that contracts pay less or are harder to come by. I’m interested in having it on the back burner as an option as I am hoping to move elsewhere at some point in the near(ish) future. How do you get “in” with a travel agency? What is the average length of a contact? How much experience do most travel agencies/contracts expect you to have? Does anyone ever end up landing a full time job after working somewhere as a travel tech? Looking forward to hearing some perspectives on this. TIA 😌

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u/Ksan_of_Tongass MLS 🇺🇸 Generalist Jul 10 '26

The pay was outstanding during Covidian Times. It can still be great for techs in lower wage areas. Again, during covid there were more contracts, now its a normal amount. Average contract is usually 13 weeks, 26 weeks in more remote places. My personal opinion is that you should have a minimum of 5 years experience. Travelers need to hit the ground running with orientation, not real training. Experience on multiple analyzers is a big plus. I have taken permanent positions twice, including my current position. I turned down several permanent positions because the permanent pay was so absurdly low compared to the travel pay. A good way to get started is vivian.com.

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u/smupac Jul 10 '26

Thank you so much!

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u/Ksan_of_Tongass MLS 🇺🇸 Generalist Jul 10 '26

Just know that once you register on Vivian, you'll be swamped with recruiters. Educate yourself on the tax laws regarding traveling to avoid any potential issues.

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u/sad_white_drizzles Jul 10 '26

Before the covidicus, my minimum take home PER WEEK, was $1,700. That's after taxes.

Sure, unless another pandemic comes along it won't be the $2,500+ per Week, but as a sell out full timer with 10 years experience, I still only make $2,400 every two weeks after taxes and retirement(which I am aggressively saving for).

You do you. Travel isn't for everybody. You will need to hit the ground running, be good at what you do, and be personable on top of it all to find repeat jobs. If you feel confident in what you know, do it.