Drum roll please…. The results are in! What are the differences in settings, ramp-up time/orientation, and mentorship between permanent and travel positions? Here are the compiled results of over 200 recent graduates! You might be surprised.
There was a 3:1 ratio of new graduates securing permanent positions in outpatient private practice clinics to travelers taking their first assignment in private practice outpatient clinics
What does this mean if this is your desired setting? – Not to be a negative Nancy, but numbers don’t lie. If any recruiter is promising this for your first position, you may find yourself waiting for that first job for AWHILE! If you are dead set on beginning in this setting, you may want to take a permanent position. If you are dead set on traveling and working in an outpatient private practice, you NEED to be FLEXIBLE & OPEN to both location & pay rate. As you’ve probably gathered by this point in time, private practice outpatient clinics aren’t the highest paying in either permanent or travel positions. It all comes down to reimbursement and clinics being able to keep their doors open.
There was a 3:1 ratio of new graduates securing their first travel assignments in skilled nursing facilities compared to new graduates taking their first permanent position in skilled nursing facilities.
What does this mean? If a recruiter tells you that most jobs are in the skilled nursing setting or that most new graduate travelers begin in the skilled nursing setting, they are not lying. If this is your ideal setting, GREAT! If this is not your ideal setting, flexibility with regards to location & pay will be required (especially as you get started).
Overall, ramp-up & orientation time is much quicker for the traveling therapist than the permanent therapist
Just because you take a permanent position, doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to have extended orientation/ramp-up time. (BE THOROUGH WHEN YOU INTERVIEW)
Nearly 40% of all new graduates received ZERO mentorship of ANY kind!
On-site mentorship is more common in permanent positions, but not guaranteed.
What does this mean for travelers? – While on-site mentorship is less common in travel therapy, there is no reason that new grad travelers should not have an off-site mentor. See my blog on mentorship programs HERE)
Key Points by Setting:
Hospital-Based Outpatient:
Most travelers received 2 days to 1 week of ramp-up time while permanent employees typically received 1 to 3 weeks
While this setting tends to offer the most on-site mentorship for new graduates, 40% of permanent employees still had no mentor
Private-Practice Outpatient
Ramp-up time for both travelers and permanent employees demonstrated a wide range. 17.2% of permanent employees in this setting received >4 weeks of ramp-up time.
Again, the majority of permanent employees in this setting received on-site mentorship. However, 1/3 of permanent employees received no mentorship in this setting.
Acute Care Hospital
The average ramp-up time in the acute care setting didn’t greatly differ between travelers and permanent employees. Travelers received an average of 1 week ramp-up, while permanent employees received 2-3 weeks ramp-up time.
Mentorship was actually better for travelers in this setting than permanent employees. 50% of permanent employees received no mentorship.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Center
Whether travel or permanent, all new graduates received at least 1 week of ramp-up time in this setting.
Travelers were more likely to receive an on-site mentor in this setting than permanent employees
Skilled Nursing Facility
Unfortunately, the majority of travelers received 1 day of ramp-up time with only 5% of travelers receiving greater than 1 week to ramp-up. Only 21.5% of permanent employees received >1 week ramp-up in this setting.
More than 50% of travelers and permanent employees received no mentorship in this setting.
Home Health
Travelers receive substantially less ramp-up time in this setting than permanent employees. While only 22.2% of travelers received >2 weeks of ramp-up time, 50% of permanent employees received >6 weeks.
More than 50% of travelers had no mentorship in this setting, while 100% of permanent employees received either on-site or off-site mentorship with 75% of permanent employees receiving on-site mentorship.'''
Looking for a trusted recruiter who will take your professional development and career growth seriously? Click here! Recruiter is key! My recruiters have helped me grow my resume to the point where I've been able to work as a traveler in top-rated hospitals!
